I’m having a foot race with my check book. I’m running as best I can but its only mid-month and my checking account is already at the end of the month. I manage to win most months. This year, the August avalanche buried me in those big once-a-year bills--taxes and house insurance. Digging out this year is harder than expected.
As my companion and I discussed this situation, she remembered the book Stan Toler gave her a few years back, when she visited OKC Trinity: GOD HAS NEVER FAILED ME, BUT HE’S SURE SCARED ME TO DEATH A FEW TIMES.That decribes how I feel, sure enough!
I read it through at the time. Now, a second look catches me in chapter 10, titled, “Okay, God, If You’re Listening, Why Aren’t You Answering? He introduces it with two nuns delivering medical supplies to a nursing home and their car runs out of gas … (I still have half a tank left for the month).
Quickly searching for a gas can, they find only a bedpan. They walk the half-mile to the gas station, fill their bedpan with gas, carefully balance it, and tippy-toe back to their car (well, how would you walk?). J.
About now, a man drives past in a pick-up truck. Amazed at seeing two nuns pouring gas into a car from a carefully-balanced bedpan, he stops--stunned. “Sisters,” he says, “I’m not Catholic, but I’ll tell you what. I sure do admire your faith.
Cute story, but maybe God needs to know my situation … no cost of living increase for social security--2 years in a row … my expenses continue to escalate (no fault of mine!) … now some politicians want to risk my Social Security to private investors who have already commandeered Wall Street and defrauded millions. Does God not know how dark and stormy my socio-economic horizon looks? Does he not smell the rotten eggs when he looks at what I see on the political scene?
Toler describes his confrontation with Goliath at the birth of his second son and the Medics rush the new-born infant into Columbus Children’s Hospital with an emergency breathing problem.
Stan faces his own crisis of faith, totally dependent on the prayers of his church and his friends! The nurse approaches a “not overly optimistic father.” How could he be optimistic when he looks into the nursery and sees his newborn infant face down, his rear end up in the air?
His desperate inquiry receives this “nursery” explanation: “It’s the ’Butt’ sign,” and she explains: “When we turn them over on their tummy, it means they are going to make it! Sir, your prayers have been answered. You have a healthy son and he’ll be going home soon!”
Slowly ... it filters through! Later, Stan writes, “God is never late when you need a miracle!” (emphasis added).
I knew that already! God has brought me through more than one equally critical time, if not terminal. Perhaps I need to express my thanks to Him for bringing me this far on my journey; I could hardly have made it on my own. Yet, tomorrow looks so pessimistic!
On the other hand, yesterday’s experiences testify to love, grace, and enough fortifying faith to Get Ready: God Uses Transitions (Warner/Reformation Publishers/2004).
Okay! I get it. There IS a solution in EVERY problem! Lord, I need your help in finding the solution in this problem.
From Warner’s World,
All I know is,I know WHOM I have believed, and I AM PERSUADED
that He is able to keep “that which I have committed unto Him” against that day … cf. 2 Timothy 1:12)
walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com
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