It was a small reminder of a much greater truth. As I was getting dressed, I walked into my walk-in closet and looked up to the top shelf that encircles it, and also stores a lot of those items that aren’t needed immediately, including my extra containers of hair spray. I expected though to just see one extra hair spray bottle, but there were three, And, uh, the night before I had just ordered two more! I didn’t need two more with three already on the shelf. I mean, I do use hair spray, but not that much! And I am also a woman, and a wife, given to working within my budget, which I had surpassed with all the ordering and financial expectations I had created even just the night before. And, honestly, we aren’t talking about a major infraction of maintaining a budget, but still, I had had a me-myself-and-I talk about how I could justify the spending. Not a good line of thought for a child of God who wants to respond to His voice in positive ways, and as a child of God become more and more like the Jesus who gave His all for her.
Hmmm. Maybe I could cancel the two hair sprays I had ordered the night before. Not sure that I could, I still went to my computer and tried, and without much confusion, I was successful. And I heard the quiet voice of my God. Bev, I will provide. I will always provide. I just want you to put it all in My hands, and trust Me. Trust that I care enough for you that you do not need to resort to choices that even hint at choices that deflect from the best I have for you. My provision may be different than your thinking, but I will provide. The over-spending wasn’t fully taken care of, but as I walked away from my computer, I knew the God who has always provided, would continue to do so.
I also began remembering. My past says I should be a much different woman than I am today, but my God has given, and given, and given again. God gave my husband and I three miracle babies who all defied the statistics of claiming the same birth defect as our daughter Tonia, who went with Jesus to her home of perfection shortly after her birth. And God has given and given again, in bringing beauty and purpose from the ashes of her death. In fifty years of pastoral ministry, He has taught us and shaped us, and allowed us to be His voice and His heart, over and over and over again. When we did question finances, the provision always came, even the extra’s like a condo on the 19th floor for our family to vacation in for a week on the beach, or the swing set for our back yard to entertain three healthy, growing, active young boys.
A small reminder of a much greater truth. And that greater truth is shared, again, over and over, in God’s Word, but let me share a few, starting with one of the most well known........... The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
– Bev
(Related Bible reading: Psalm 23:1-4; Luke 12:24; Matthew 6:31; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Psalm 107:9)
