It is wonderful to realise God knows what we need and is able and willing to meet our needs. He has promised to provide for us, and sometimes we don't recognise what our needs are. We might think God's provision of our needs depends upon us remembering to ask Him. While it is true we do not have because we have not asked, God has freely provided our needs before we were born without us acknowledging Him at all! He does more for us than we could ever ask or think.
I have been reading lately through the life of Gideon in the book of Judges. Gideon was a bit incredulous God would choose him to be a deliverer of God's people from Midianite oppressors. When the Angel of the LORD ascended to heaven, it confirmed God's call upon Gideon and strengthened his faith to take additional steps of obedience. On two occasions Gideon asked God to confirm he was indeed the one to lead Israel into battle with a fleece, and God did. Trusting in God, Gideon immediately took action to muster the men of Israel for battle. After God instructed him to cull the fighting force to a meagre 300 men, God told Gideon to sneak down into the Midianite camp. As he and his servant crept near to a tent, they heard men discussing a dream about a loaf of barley bread which tumbled down a hill and knocked a tent over.
Judges 7:14-15 says, "Then his companion answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp." 15 And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshipped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Arise, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand." Gideon had not asked God for a sign, but God gave obedient Gideon a sign which prompted him to worship God. Hearing the dream and interpretation from the tent of an enemy quickened Gideon to further trust God to arise and fight. That very night God wrought a great deliverance in Israel, and helped Gideon every step of the way. When God's people trust and obey Him, God will do marvellous things.
It is good to be reminded of God's calling upon our lives, especially when things are difficult. God has used many people and situations to bring encouragement my way when I didn't realise I was discouraged. Once God even used a simple pencil to encourage me! Growing up in San Diego, I was introduced to golf in my later teen years by friends. I became a junior member of Singing Hills Country Club and played super cheap golf almost weekly on the executive Pine Glen course. It seemed to fall to me to organise tee times, and I called the Pro Shop all the time. It has been about 20 years since I played on Pine Glen and moved to Australia about 7 years ago. A while back I began to play golf more regularly. I typically play early in the mornings and walk alone. This is a great time for me to enjoy exercise, think about things, and pray. I suppose I was feeling a bit low, and it was more than just my poor golfing! As I walked up the 9th fairway and conversing with God, I saw a pencil laying on the turf. Would you believe it was a pencil from my old home golf course (now called "Sycuan Golf Resort") in San Diego?
When I picked up the pencil on an Australian golf course in Windsor with wide eyes - engraved with the "619" area code and the familiar number - I had the overwhelming sense God knew where I was, He had not forgotten me, I was not alone, and He would supply my needs. To date it is the only pencil I have ever seen on a golf course in Australia. The odds of me finding a pencil in Australia from a particular golf course in the United States are staggeringly long. With God, odds are nothing. Now the pencil serves as a little reminder on my office bookshelf, a wooden "Ebeneezer" of sorts, a testimony of our faithful God who calls, sends, provides for, and guides His people. When I saw the writing on the pencil I worshipped God because He used it to speak comfort and peace to my heart. Let us worship the LORD for His goodness, and for the love and grace He freely offers to all.
I have been reading lately through the life of Gideon in the book of Judges. Gideon was a bit incredulous God would choose him to be a deliverer of God's people from Midianite oppressors. When the Angel of the LORD ascended to heaven, it confirmed God's call upon Gideon and strengthened his faith to take additional steps of obedience. On two occasions Gideon asked God to confirm he was indeed the one to lead Israel into battle with a fleece, and God did. Trusting in God, Gideon immediately took action to muster the men of Israel for battle. After God instructed him to cull the fighting force to a meagre 300 men, God told Gideon to sneak down into the Midianite camp. As he and his servant crept near to a tent, they heard men discussing a dream about a loaf of barley bread which tumbled down a hill and knocked a tent over.
Judges 7:14-15 says, "Then his companion answered and said, "This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp." 15 And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshipped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Arise, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand." Gideon had not asked God for a sign, but God gave obedient Gideon a sign which prompted him to worship God. Hearing the dream and interpretation from the tent of an enemy quickened Gideon to further trust God to arise and fight. That very night God wrought a great deliverance in Israel, and helped Gideon every step of the way. When God's people trust and obey Him, God will do marvellous things.
It is good to be reminded of God's calling upon our lives, especially when things are difficult. God has used many people and situations to bring encouragement my way when I didn't realise I was discouraged. Once God even used a simple pencil to encourage me! Growing up in San Diego, I was introduced to golf in my later teen years by friends. I became a junior member of Singing Hills Country Club and played super cheap golf almost weekly on the executive Pine Glen course. It seemed to fall to me to organise tee times, and I called the Pro Shop all the time. It has been about 20 years since I played on Pine Glen and moved to Australia about 7 years ago. A while back I began to play golf more regularly. I typically play early in the mornings and walk alone. This is a great time for me to enjoy exercise, think about things, and pray. I suppose I was feeling a bit low, and it was more than just my poor golfing! As I walked up the 9th fairway and conversing with God, I saw a pencil laying on the turf. Would you believe it was a pencil from my old home golf course (now called "Sycuan Golf Resort") in San Diego?
When I picked up the pencil on an Australian golf course in Windsor with wide eyes - engraved with the "619" area code and the familiar number - I had the overwhelming sense God knew where I was, He had not forgotten me, I was not alone, and He would supply my needs. To date it is the only pencil I have ever seen on a golf course in Australia. The odds of me finding a pencil in Australia from a particular golf course in the United States are staggeringly long. With God, odds are nothing. Now the pencil serves as a little reminder on my office bookshelf, a wooden "Ebeneezer" of sorts, a testimony of our faithful God who calls, sends, provides for, and guides His people. When I saw the writing on the pencil I worshipped God because He used it to speak comfort and peace to my heart. Let us worship the LORD for His goodness, and for the love and grace He freely offers to all.
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)