Today, I am grateful for the realization, once again,
that faith, when put to the test, works.
In my husband’s line of work, his invoices are almost
all of the time, paid in parts, a deposit and then the balance and sadly, due
to the harsh economic climate, that balance comes in, in parts as well (I guess this is why I was forced to develop
good budgeting skills). As a result
of this we have some outstanding tithe and so as not to have it pile up much
further, I decided to start paying down on this amount when the next cheque
comes in. It did and after paying up some bills, I was face with the dreaded
decision of paying the tithe or another very crucial bill (all bills are crucial, I
might add), this one the credit card. I soon decided that I would pay the
credit card because we all know what happens when a credit card payment is
late. For the rest of the days leading up to Sunday, I was conflicted, I felt
like I was under scrutiny by God and so Sunday morning I got up, placed the
money in my bag and took it to church.
The time for offering came and I confidently asked for an envelope, tagged the envelope and paid my tithe. I felt relieved.
The Pastor soon after, announced that he was asking for a second offering to
assist two youngsters to go to the Church camp. I became convicted, I need to
help these youngsters, I thought, but remembered that I had not walked with any
extra money. only some to stop by the grocery store to pick up snacks for our
son’s camp trip. The conviction did not go away and so as soon as the offering
plate approached I quickly went into my bag, took out half of that money and
dropped it in the offering plate. Wow, that was a rush, I thought, let me now
see if God will honor this obedience, by providing the balance of the money for
my son’s snacks and also the credit card payment, which becomes due by midweek.
I began to wait with anticipation.
Monday came, no words of any funds, by Tuesday, I
began having very serious and honest conversations with God. “God, do hear me
out,” I said, “you want us to use our faith to challenge you to provide for us,
and here it is you are about to let me down.” My husband, realizing that we
were in danger of defaulting on our credit card, decided to call the bank just
to let them know. They made a note of our call and our promise to make good this payment later in the week. I went through the rest of the day still having that
conversation with God, but somehow optimistic that he would come through for us.
I went to bed feeling a little flustered but still optimistic.
This morning at about 9:30, the phone rang and by
husband took the call. After the call, he came to the kitchen to tell me that a
job he had done for a client, even though he was already paid, because the
client’s Architect had requested some work which should have been part of the overall work for the client, the Architect was now calling to tell my
husband that he could submit an invoice for this work. My husband said he began saying to the Architect that he did not expect to be paid any more money
because the client had already paid him in full. The Architect responded, thanks for
being so honest, but I have no problem paying you for the work I requested.
The Architect then went on to tell him that he is
requesting his services on a project for the next 2 months. I smiled and over
breakfast, told my husband how I had proven God. I told him about all the
events from Sunday leading up to this call (he knew nothing of this as I am the one who handles the family's finances) and how God is now providing the
money that I gave up in faith on Sunday in over tenfold. What I realize is that
even though I was experiencing such anxiety, this provision is not late by any
means, God is an on time God, as the money was provided on the day that the
credit card is due, it just will not make it in time to be paid to the bank and
so that call that my husband made, will give us some time.
God is truly awesome and this is not the first time that
myself and my family have proven this. A few years ago, when my husband was
laid off from one of his jobs, we went to Church that Sunday, and when the time
came for the offering I went through the same conflicting decision of whether
to pay offering or hold on to every cent we have, given the fact that we did
not know when we would start earning again. Well, I gave the offering and just
as I stretched my hands out to drop the money in the offering bag, a lady who
was sitting in front of me, crossed her hands over mine and placed an envelope
in my hand, it was some money, as she had heard that my husband had lost his
job. I almost fainted.
I challenge us all who are children of God, to take
his promises seriously. Put God to the test in our lives and watch him work. Notice how secure and confident our children feel, knowing that we as parents have their backs, do you see them worrying about their well-being? Let us therefore employ that same childlike trust with our Heavenly Father, being secure and confident of his provision.
Blessings be yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment