Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Provision, Correction, and the Sound of the Waves

The Lord is so great in how He blesses us in such cool and unexpected ways! I met with one of the new women last week in her clothing store during a slow period, and she felt led to bless me with a new pair of pants—some very cool cords! Once again, I was surprised and completely caught off guard, but I felt so special that the Lord would think of me and bless me in such a tangible way. Two of my four pairs of jeans have holes in the knees that I’ve patched, so I’m thrilled to have a nice pair of pants to wear now.

And the blessings just keep coming from unexpected sources. God’s Word is so true when He says:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” — Matthew 6:25–26

He has proven Himself faithful to us in this area again and again!

This week also brought a test of obedience. The Lord instructed me to “pull back” from one of the women I work with for a time—and not to accept any money or gifts from her. Well, the very next time I met with her, I mentioned how I’d been learning to eat raw foods and wanted to try sprouting grains. She immediately offered to buy the grains for me!

For a moment I hesitated, reasoning that it wasn’t “money,” so maybe it was okay. But deep down I knew it wasn’t. Before leaving, I took the list back and told her the Lord had instructed me not to accept her gift. I realized part of my struggle was selfishness—I wanted to try those recipes but didn’t have the money to buy the ingredients. I’m thankful I listened to the Lord and obeyed. I know His provision will come, in His perfect timing, and I just need to wait.

Then came another gentle correction. A friend loaned me her RAW UN-cook Book, and I became completely absorbed—devouring every recipe and idea! When KM emailed asking how my fast was going and what God was doing, I realized I hadn’t been focusing on that part of the fast for a while. I’d been so focused on the food that I’d forgotten the spiritual part. When we met the next morning, she told me she had just heard a message that said, “If you’re focused on the food, you’re doing it wrong.” Another big DOH! Thank You, Lord, for Your loving corrections and for refocusing my heart.

Yesterday’s eye appointment went well. The Services for the Blind program covered my visit—praise the Lord!—though no additional tests were approved yet. The tech said she would submit a request for a visual field test, and if it’s denied, they’ll do it using the $40 credit on my account. Such kindness! My eye pressure was in the low 20s (down from 38—thank You, Jesus!), and the doctor even gave me two more sets of sample drops, worth $360. God continues to show His faithfulness in every detail.

Tom, however, has been sick so much this month. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m praying for the Lord to touch his body and restore his strength in Jesus’ name.

We talked with KW this past Sunday, and he asked for some new “God stories.” At first, I couldn’t think of any offhand. Then Tom shared the tire story, and suddenly several others came to mind. It made me realize how much more obvious God’s miracles seemed when we were living week-to-week, depending on Him for everything. Now that things are more stable, His provision almost feels normal.

Lord, help me never to take You for granted. You are always working, always providing, always near.

It’s like when you first go to the beach—the sound of the waves, the smell of salt in the air, the sea breeze—all so fresh and wonderful. But after a while, you stop hearing the ocean, stop noticing the smell, and the breeze just becomes part of the background.

Father, I want to always hear Your waves, smell Your presence, and feel the breeze of Your Spirit. Keep my heart tender and my eyes open to Your goodness every day.