This
morning, I was almost ready for work. I zipped up my skirt; and half-way up, it
got stuck on my shirt. I prayed immediately and all through my
struggle...but...God chose not to help me at that time.
I
believe He did this, so I that would not be tempted to take any glory for the
results. I could not even take off my shirt or my skirt because of this
dilemma. I felt trapped, rushed and irritated.
Through
a series of contortions, I finally wiggled out of both my skirt and shirt,
frustrated that they were both firmly stuck together by the zipper. I dropped
them to the floor, stomped on them to relieve my stress, and went to put on a
new shirt and skirt.
After
work, I picked up the confused mess, and I still could not release the shirt
from the zipper. I bowed my head again and said, "Daddy God, I desperately
need your help. This shirt is impossibly stuck in this zipper, and I do not
want to cut my new shirt or have to replace this stuck zipper."
IMMEDIATELY,
the zipper talon glided back down the zipper and released my new shirt
effortlessly.
I
have lost count of the zillions of occasions that my Father God solved my
constant issues in life - both great and small. Each time, however, I learn to
trust Him more, and to realize how totally dependent I am on His mercy and
grace.
I
heard a story about a man caught in a flood. He climbed to the roof and prayed
for deliverance. A helicopter came by, and he said, "Thank you, but God is
going to rescue me."
A
boat came by and he said, "Thank you, but God is going to rescue me."
Then, he started to slip down the roof and he begged God to save him. His shirt
immediately caught on a nail, and he said, "Thank You, Lord, for saving
me." Yet, he was still stuck on his roof.
God
does not always answer our prayers immediately, but it does not mean that He
does not care, or that He is impotent and a figment of our imagination. The
Apostle Paul had an infirmity, and he repeatedly prayed for healing. God's
final answer to Paul? "My grace is sufficient for you." (2
Corinthians 12:9)
Prayer,
Father
God, we do not always recognize Your hand in our life, providing for our needs
in ways that we do not expect. We shun Your provision, looking for something
else to supply our needs. Teach us to consult You each moment of our day,
relying on You for provision in Your timing and way.
You
care about every big and little issue that we face and You walk with us up the
mountains and carry us through the dark valleys. We place our faith in Your
faithfulness, and we cling to You as our Savior and Lord both now and for all
of eternity. We trust in You, cling to You and rely only on You for our
provision in Your timing and way.
Thought
for the Day:
Patience
is a virtue, but it is also a curse if we are not listening to God's Spirit
through each moment of our day (Proverbs 3:5-6); God's unconditional love
is enduring and persevering, but we need patience to wait for His timing and
way in meeting our needs.
