Miracle Revisited

I've been sharing with you what I've been learning in my morning studies.  Today, I feel God is leading me to share a story from my past.  With the upcoming Holiday season fast approaching, and the amount of excess we see in America, we tend to forget that there are people out there who struggle for the most basic of needs - food, shelter, good clothing.  We take these things for granted way too often.  We have cabinets full of food and yet often hear ourselves saying "There's nothing to eat".  We have closets full of clothes, yet we say "I have nothing to wear".  We live in homes that many would consider good homes compared to the street or shelter they live in and and we say "I wish my house was bigger, or nicer".   God put it on my heart this morning to share so that as we enter this time of Thanksgiving, we can truly be thankful for what He has provided.

From the age of 5 years old I grew up in a single parent home.  I loved my mom with everything in me because she did what she had to do to make sure my brother and I were taken care of.  She worked factory jobs, cleaned offices at night, anything to make enough money to put food on the table and make sure our home was provided for.  We lived below the poverty line but unlike many in today's world, she never took a handout.  She worked hard and most importantly, she had Faith in our heavenly Father to meet all our needs.  Her faith was Uncontainable. (see previous blog)

About the age of 11 or 12, there came a point where there was no food in the house except a bag of navy beans and a can of Crisco (remember that jar of lard??), and the bank account was empty.  My mother had two children looking to her to provide and she just didn't know where it was going to come from.  So, she sat my brother and I down, got out a sheet of paper and said "By Faith, we are going to make a grocery list.  Lets write down everything we need and at the end you can each ask for one 'want'".  So, we wrote our list.  It took up the whole page.  At the end my brother asked for a bag of Oreo cookies.  I honestly can't remember if I asked for anything.  I just wanted our cupboards to be filled.  After completing the list, mom had each of us place our hands on it, and she began to pray "Father, we come to you and ask that you meet our needs.  There is no other way but through you.  By Faith we claim that you will provide for us."

The next day we went to school and she went to work.  I dont' think any of us really dwelt on that list or our prayer.  We just went on by faith.  When my brother and I got home from school that day and walked up the steps to our front door and we saw inside bags and bags of groceries!!!  We took it all inside, excited and ready for mom to get home.  As we unpacked the food, we went through the list we had prayed over and every single item on that list was in those bags, even the Oreos!!.   God saw our need, our complete and total reliance on Him, and our Faith that He could provide.  He used someone who was willing to listen to Him and He met our needs according to His riches and glory!  

I tell this story today for two reasons.  One, to give God glory and praise.  Two, to show you that God is alive and working today, just as He was when he multiplied the five loaves and two fish.  So many of us live in excess.  We have more than we need and yet we wish for more.  As we come upon this season of giving, consider how God can use you to bless someone with less.  Spend time with Him and ask Him to use you to bless others instead of increasing your own.  And maybe this story is for you who is suffering with little.  I hope that this increases your FAITH in God and His ability to still perform miracles.  If you trust Him, confess it, believe it, and walk in it, He will meet your needs, according to His riches and glory.  Amen?  Amen!