A God who GIVES

03/11/2017 16:12

The year was 2012, the month was April. My world tilted suddenly and precariously when my beloved Mama turned gravely ill. I was off to Sri Lanka in a week, praying I’d reach her in time. In the midst of the uncertainty, I wondered if God was asking something of me. Was He requesting that I’d throw out a special souvenir from my past? Having it tucked away in my home reminded that that part of my past existed. That it had mattered. Then … why did I feel so uneasy?

 

Was it God? Or was it The Enemy? One morning, I got ready for the support group meeting I ran in my church. To my surprise, not a single person turned up.  Oh well—it was an excellent opportunity to spend time with my Heavenly Father, bringing prayer requests of family and friends. I tried to do that but … the question which  had plagued me that week buzzed noisily in my brain like a persistent irritating mosquito. During the next hour, I waited before  my Papa God. I listened to Him, searching the scriptures for His answer.

The peace I craved eluded me. There was a tap on the door and my beautiful friend Valerie walked in. We hugged. We smiled. Valerie handed me a card. She didn’t utter a word. She patted me; she turned and left. I blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. What was the card about? It wasn’t my birthday!

 

I opened it and my jaw dropped. Nestling inside the card was a present. All of $250.00. Whew! What a generous gift! It was for my trip to Sri Lanka. I was speechless. Blessed. Amazed. Valerie is an older lady; a widow. She was not giving out of her abundance. She was giving sacrificially. How could I accept it? But ... Valerie gave it to me with a heart of love towards God and towards me and I could not say ‘No’. Through her loving act, God provided for my needs, He also answered the question that had plagued me. Did He want to take something away from me? Absolutely not! He’s a God who gives. 

 

A God who delights in showering me with blessings far more than I deserve.

My beloved husband was providing for my needs in Sri Lanka. However, I did need some urgent help for other important things. Like … sending in my unpublished manuscript into an important writing competition. I now had the means to do so. My story “A Frog by any other Name” became a finalist  in the competition. I could not have reached that point in my writing life without Valerie’s generosity. I pause with deep thanksgiving today (to God and to Valerie), as I remember.

 

 

I’ve also been looking back in wonder and gratitude these days at the Author of all the kindness in the world—who has lavished His love upon me for SIX decades of life. What a faithful God He is! He died for my sins at Calvary and gifted me with life in all its fullness. There may be times He’s emptied what I care about (both tangible and intangible) from life's plate and cup–but then … He’s exchanged them for eternal riches and my spirit has feasted on heavenly bread. My cup of joy has run over.

 

Are you looking back in sadness at what life’s stolen from you?  Or looking with dread at a scary future that looms ahead? Let us look up instead into the face of Jesus. He knows our every need. Anything that He asks of us is like a tiny grain next to what He offers us—beautiful, golden sands on all the vast beaches the world over. So let’s come to Him with open hands. Let’s find (as I’ve often done)  riches beyond compare—sparkling jewels of:

Beauty, truth, Goodness. 

Hope. Love. Life.

 

He is a God who gives lavishly. Let’s go to Him.

^“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, 

so that in all things at all times, 

having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Cor 9:8