.......quite timely on our behalf and in hysterically funny ways. Our little family is a walking talking testimony of the grace, mercy and faithfulness of the Lord. We are proof that He does provide and care for His children. Every month our check book says this shouldn't be working and every month it does work. We do not have every thing the world dictates that is "needed" for a child.......or even an adult for that matter. We live with pegs falling out in our dishwasher due to previous hard water issues. We drive a Suburban with missing stereo and a/c knobs and a radio that has now completely given up. We do wash in a washer and dryer that the world would haughtily say is too small for their 4 person family. We live in a three bedroom house that people say is too small for their 4 person family. Our kitchen houses very few real dishes and our Tupperware is all of the plastic containers that cottage cheese and whip cream come in. But whatever the true need is God is sure to provide for us each and every time. We have learned what it is to decipher between a true need and a mere desire. We have learned what it is to prioritize and do without. We have learned what it is to treasure living debt free and the freedom it brings, despite the worldly treasures that have had to be turned down to maintain a debt free status. We have had to learn to be content with what we have when others are so far ahead compared to what we see and have. We have learned that God truly does provide...and in not a small meaningless way. When the frig is empty He brings food from creative sources. When the diapers should in no way last until a paycheck they mysteriously keep going. Maybe He makes them poop less, maybe He just continues to add to the pile like the fish and bread. Who knows. But we have everything we need and I can truly say that with all of my heart. It is hard sometimes. It is sometimes hard to watch the incredible financial security of people around us but in our hearts we both know that we truly have everything in life we ever need. And we have the most secure provision arrangement ever because the Lord our God is on our side and He cares deeply for the needs of His children.
"There is no lack for my God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." 2 Cor. 9:6-8
"The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant, and Abraham's blessings are mine." Psalms 35:27; Galatians 3:14
"The Lord is my shepherd and I DO NOT WANT. Jesus was made poor, that I through His poverty might have abundance. For He came that I Might have life and have it more abundantly." Ps 23:1;2, Cor 8:9, John 10:10
"With what measure I sow, it is measured unto me. I sow bountifully, therefore I reap bountifully. I give cheerfully, and my God has made all grace abound toward me and I have all sufficiency of all things - do abound to all good works." 2 Cor. 9:6-8
"Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
God can pour out the blessings, in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right living, right giving ways never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way producing great praise to God.
Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. That God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise Him enough."
1 Cor 9:8-15 (The Message Bible)
And on a side note, we are in the midst of listening and reading The Blessed Life by Robert Morris. We have been so convicted about these last two parts and both Brad and my heart have changed so much. How wonderful it truly is to give and not just giving physically to meet the needs of your children but being faithful to give with what small or large amount of finances He has given a family or person to work with in order to accomplish His purposes. I cannot ever explain the feeling that comes out of giving. It really truly is more blessed to give than to receive.
Alright, all of that to say, that though we may have to wait a week until payday to even be able to go anywhere in the Suburban due to an empty gas tank He truly meets our every need at the appointed time. I have been so moved by all of this and found this study to be so profound. And then when He does start doing things like this I just get excited all over to be able to see Him at work in our lives and that the children, at such an early age, can grow in strength and faith as they are able to witness His interventions and provide for our needs. I didn't intend to preach a sermon but I continue to stand in awe as we put our whole entire trust and faith in Him and watch what He does that I cannot help but document this journey.
So, today was another day of timing paycheck with immediate needs. We had supernaturally made it this far and since tomorrow is payday we now had the freedom to shop for needed items. The gas gauge has been broken on the Suburban for the last few months. It says it's empty and then it only fills up to 75.00, when it has the ability to hold 100.00 when truly empty. So, I figured it was off by about a quarter of a tank. We always filled it back up when it was on empty again which again it would only hold 75.00. So, we never tested my suspicions of how off it was. With no cash in hand and needing to put everything on a card that would go through tomorrow I couldn't exactly get cash out to pay for any here in our tiny town where gas is 15.00 a gallon.....figurative numbers here, people. So, after Mother and I sat at the end of the street discussing and trouble shooting we decided to head in. It was on empty and we had made the trip home from town last night on empty. If I figured it right we would have just enough to reach a station in town. We talked lightheartedly and laughed all the way in. I stayed tuned into the Suburban when it would lurch a little but overall things were going very smoothly. We made it into town and the Lord spared us from getting stuck anywhere on the lone highway into town. So, with the normal close exit to the station being closed we had to exit early....meaning more stop lights. We headed through the 1st green light and, though acting kind of funny, all remained fine. Then the 2nd light came. It wouldn't turn green and I knew by this point that something was indeed wrong. I refrained from saying anything. As we glided to a stop.....so did the gas. As soon as we slowed everything died. I just laughed and said, " Well, there it goes. Time's up. We're officially out of gas." Mother, being in a tired exhausted state that wasn't meshing real well with rowdy kids, kind of freaked a little and then just started praying. We sat absurdly and I pondered our present predicament. Laughing at the ridiculous situation I looked at her and asked if I should try to start it again. She said sure. So, by this time the light had gone from red to green back to red. It amazingly started again and I hurriedly put it into drive and gave the accelerator my all, successfully putting all of us through the back windshield while running the red light. I couldn't help but laugh hysterically since whiplash and a ticket were now a very real concern. So, we were off again and on the road to the gas station. Approaching the main thoroughfare and busiest street in all of town I knew if I slowed too much it'd die on us again. So, I tried to time it well with the truck in front of us and the oncoming traffic. The truck merged into traffic and, amazingly, the traffic cleared for us to only have to slow a little. But..........it still died. So, with some great momentum behind us and good coasting ability we merged onto the busiest street. I couldn't really try restarting it at this point since we were in motion. So, we coasted peacefully and slowly down Sherwood.....quite comically. I laughed as we kept getting slower and slower. Mother prayed harder. We miraculously.......and miraculous is no small, easily thrown around word here.....coasted through the turn, down into the construction gravel and back up onto the paved road that led the way to Wal Mart's gas station. Power steering had left a long time ago and so, in my laughter, I fought with the steering wheel and forcefully turned through the corners. And we coasted to a stop in the parking lot in front of the gas station. Well................we almost got there. At least we were off of the main road and out of the way. So, I tried to start it again. It wasn't sounding too promising. I gave it a rest and laughed even harder that we really had run out and the sheer absurdity of what we were doing and how close but how far we were to the solution. So, we sat and after a minute or two I turned the key again. And it started! So, just as before, I threw it into gear which threw all of us to the backseat again. By this time I'm laughing so hard that I can't breathe. All of the children are laughing at the fun of surviving multiple episodes of whiplash as we make it into the gas station. Now there were no empty spots so as we pull up to one with the tank on the wrong side another car takes it and so, as we stop to allow it the right of way, it quits again. Again I wait and then start and it fires back up. And again I throw it into gear before it has a chance to die again and again we all hit the back window. It successfully lurched us into a gas pump spot and there it died for good. Just out of sheer curiosity I tried starting it back up at the pump but every time after that it refused to start. It was quite dead with no hope of going anywhere and there we sat safely and conveniently at a perfect gas pump. We definitely were hand delivered there. I was quite amazed and incredibly grateful for the obvious miracle that it was. And it took awhile to quit laughing over it. Mother never did quite find the humor in it that I got out of it but it was definitely a very sure sign to the children that God does provide in the most creative ways that are not always our ways or what we have prayed for. What would life be without a sense of humor? I know God has to have a great sense of humor and I'm sure even He was laughing at the sight of us today. We seriously looked like the Muppet's bus lurching down the road. I half way expected it to backfire to complete the picture of absurdity we had going.
It started right up on a full tank of gas and, amazingly, the tank registered that it was completely full after that....and it took 42 gallons. That would be 111.00 compared to its usual 100.00 when empty. I guess if you ever have any gas gauge problems just run it out of gas and it should fix it.
Thank you, Lord, that you provide for us in every way and that You keep us safely in Your hands. Thank You for delivering us to our destinations safely....with a great sense of humor.
0 comments:
Post a Comment