Late last week I got a phone call from California. The ministry with whom I had worked when going on the two mission trips to India had a representative in the area and wanted to stop by and give me a little gift of appreciation for my help working with them. I was happily surprised but thankful for their appreciation. Yesterday Marilyn spent a little over an hour here. I had mentioned some of the materials to her in our phone conversation and she had told me then she would like to see the lessons and such while she was here. In short, at the end of our visit she requested to take the basic 'lessons' and some other materials back to the 'office' to share with folks there. I don't have any idea what the Lord has in store yet, but one thing I do know. God has directed: "Call to me and I will show you great and mighty things you don't yet know anything about."
A couple of weeks before this 'contact' I got another phone call in which we received a request to share what we have been learning in Africa in August. The pastor who is coordinating this trip had seen some of these lessons and believes it would be of benefit to the folks in Africa. Whatever the Lord does with the Africa trip will also be to His glory and We are excited to be part of His plans.
Those are just two aspects of what has been happening. Closer home God has been seeing fit to use us as channels of encouragement. It puts me in awe at times how God works. I have been helping a friend more or less for the past 1 1/2 years through some rather challenging experiences. She thought things had 'calmed' down but then another shock wave 'rolled through'. On top of external pressures she came down with something that made her very miserable. It is definitely more difficult to face challenges when you don't feel good physically. She would call me on the phone and I would share promises that God has given for just such times as these. And when I would be over at her place I also tried to encourage her with God's thoughts. Anyway, after a particularly stressful event - and yet one in which God showed not only His mercy but also His grace - she called and asked me what I thought of the 'situation'. I began praising the Lord for what I saw as His direct interposition in her behalf. After a short pause, (she was on speakerphone and her business partner was 'listening in' on the conversation) she commented to her partner - "see, I told you so, she is my cheerleader". I was humbly grateful to hear her say that but it also 'scared' me in a sense. As I thought of how many times in the past I have looked at the 'glum' or 'dark' side of a situation, I shuddered to think how close I might have come to discouraging someone who needed God's courage. I praise God He was able to use me.
My sister next to me shared with me an email she had received from a friend based on Psalm 50 that was simply awesome. One quote near the end really, really caught my attention.
1. "You can have the deliverance, but God must have the adoration. You can have your health, but God must have the honor. You have your wealth, but God must receive the worship. You can have your pardon, but God must have the praise. If you are a thief of God’s glory, how can He honor His promise to deliver?"
I may post the whole article later if I get permission from the author. But somehow I had never thought of answers God sends my way in quite that light before. So long as we return God what He is requesting - Glory, praise, adoration, worship, credit, etc. - He knows it is safe to give us even more than we can ask or think.
Perhaps how you respond to God will decide what God will do about answering what you really want.
Bringer of Peace
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