Miracles follow obedience
“Happy birthday!” newness celebrates.
“That hat must have brought Frosty to life!” they say
Naysayer Professor snatches hopes, “Not yours!” says he.
“You saw it happen!” they exclaim.
“I saw nothing of the kind” his words deny.
“You silly children believe everything you see”, doubt
planted by the twisted magician.
But the children know. They know what they saw. They know
what they heard. Their faith unwavering.
Have you ever had a dream? A hope? A desire? A wish? Have you
ever felt a calling on your life? A
nudge? A push? An unquenchable fire? Have you ever felt God move, stir, speak
to your heart? Did it sound unbelievable
and scary and exciting all at the same time?
Have you ever pursued what you felt God placed in your path
only to encounter naysayers and twisters of thoughts, dreams, words? Was your
faith put to the test? Can you really trust what you heard? Especially when all
is again silent?
“Did God really say?” (Gen 3:1)
“Are you really chosen?” (Mt 4: 1-11)
“There is no way you will ever succeed.” (Heb 11:6)
I do know an adult heart, which has experienced the disappointments
of life, can become jaded, calloused and hard. It often takes a painful chisel
in the hand of the Masterful Craftsman to chip away and reveal the hidden deep.
It is usually when we see what work He has done that we begin to have childlike
faith and believe in the life He has purposed us to live.
Naysayers will come in quiet criticism of inner voices, of
well meaning friends, and doubting family. But if God has spoken to you,
proclaimed “Happy Birthday!” and directed your path to pursue your dream in the
life He has designed for you…then grab hold and never let go!
Even when God turns silent and you are seeing no fruit, go
back to the last thing you heard Him say and press on. He will never leave you
nor forsake you. (Dt 31:6)
Remember, miracles always happen on the other side of
obedience.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
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Ripples of Thanks
“Do
not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is
pleased.” Heb. 13:16
(If
you look closely, you’ll see two trees: one behind the other.)
Lord, I don’t have the time to call any more,
I voiced inside my head after my friend, who struggles with M.S., had commented, “I miss your morning calls.”
I’d
been calling her faithfully for the past three years by 6 am—skipping only when
I went out of town. I’d read a portion of scripture, we’d discuss it, then we'd pray
before starting our day. But this school year, as her health deteriorated,
she’d still be asleep or too groggy to talk when I called. I found myself torn inside
when she kept telling me how much my calls meant. I valued my devotional time, but
needed to spend it upon waking, too early now for her and her caregivers to be
woken from their precious sleep.
I
told her I’d be able to spend more time on the phone with her on weekends.
Still, she’d say, “Wake me up, I don’t care. I miss our daily times with God.”
Lord, I found myself complaining, It’s too hard to call any later than 6 am. Can’t I just have my own
time with You?
“I’ll
see you this weekend,” I told her one morning when I was able to squeeze a
short call in before heading to work.
“Okay,
I’d like that.” She paused. “Thank you for calling this morning. It means a lot
to me,” she said before hanging up. That Friday, I made the two-hour trek to
her house. When I arrived, she introduced me to one of her caregivers.
“How
nice to meet the voice on the other end,” the woman said. “Your calls
mean so much; not just to her, but to me and the other caregivers as well.”
(Because of my friend’s painful and unsteady hands, she puts her phone on
speaker in order to talk and listen without the strain of holding it up to her
ear.)
“Yes,”
said the other caregiver who was leaving for the day. “Your devotions go a long
way,” she smiled. “You’re not just feeding
Bonnie, but each one of us. We look forward to hearing what you have to share.
Thank you.”
Driving
home two days later, I snapped a picture of the trees—focusing only on the one
in front. God reminded me that the younger women taking care of my friend were
receiving from the ripple effect of my commitment. Even though it’s hard to
make the time, I’m thankful when I’m able. I’m thankful others are thankful for
my sacrifice to mentor my friend who, in previous years, had mentored me.
Again,
I think of the trees. The larger, older one is behind the younger, smaller one.
Yet they compliment each other. They stand together, limbs lifted high, and
remind me of the simple power behind Hebrews 12:28: “Let us be thankful, and so,
worship God.” Worship in the form of a simple act of the will: giving thanks.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
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