Monday, March 24, 2008

Yielding and Obeying

I started a blog on Friday that was going to go something like this……… I have been feeling increasingly heavy hearted lately.

I decided against it because I didn’t want all my entries to reflect a time of despair. I had taken a week off from church thinking it was no big deal and my small group has been on hiatus for two weeks. I realized over the weekend that my habits were becoming self centered and spirit smothering. I listened to a sermon on Friday about yielding and obeying. The pastor talked about times in our lives when we feel like we are struggling more with temptation and life just seems harder. Those are periods we aren’t spending time with God daily. I made the decision to get up and read my bible every morning. Today I did it and my day was amazing and joyful!

Some people though, may have seen it as a really bad day. My car died at Starbucks on my way to work. I forgot my cell phone and had to walk 4 blocks home to get it. I had to work late to make up for getting there late. Then I had unexpected errands to run when I got off work.

But this is my take on it……..

While reading my bible in the morning I “randomly” read through 2 passages one in James and one in Romans that both said the same thing - be a doer and not a hearer only - God was speaking to me. Nice!

I left my house, started my car and was on my way to get my morning coffee. Ready to head to work with my Iced Venti Soy Vanilla Brewed in hand I found my car wouldn’t start. Ugh. I began to pray. I began to feel really silly. God’s not going start my car for me. That’s a stupid request. If anything I’m probably supposed to learn something, like patience or a controlled spirit. So I stopped praying. At that point I realized I had forgotten my cell phone at home. Starbucks only has 5 parking spots with signs all over that say - customers only - so I went back in to let them know I was walking home, would be right back and request that they PLEASE don’t have my car towed. A benevolent girl serving coffee offered to come out and give me a jump. I was thankful and thought for sure this would be my saving grace as a jump has been successful in the past. Much to my dismay the jump didn’t work! What was wrong? I figured there was still something for me learn so I decided not to get upset and started walking home. Once there I got my cell phone and made the necessary calls. One to Kevin…Please come and help me! And one to my boss...I'm going to be late.

As I was walking back to Starbucks I remembered a time recently when a friend was talking to me about praying saying he didn’t feel like his requests were worthy of Gods time and energy. I told him God loves him and no request is to small. I said God wants us to seek him in everything. Then it dawned on me - What a hypocrite I was!

Then I heard him. God. Not audibly, but he did speak to me…..You don’t believe I will do it? He asked.

Ugh I felt like a jerk! I didn’t believe he would do it. I thought it was a silly little request that wasn’t something he would even be concerned with. That is was to small a request.

When I got back to Starbucks, I prayed again. This time believing he would do it but asking it in his will. What happened……IT STARTED! And to make it more of a miracle playing on the radio was a song…..

"Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord, you catch me when I'm falling, And you've told me who I am.I am yours."

I was filled with joy, I was delighted and GRATEFUL! All I could do was SMILE. I called Kevin to tell him he didn’t have to come because God started my car ;)

On my drive to work I started to second guess it all. I told my self maybe it was just circumstantial, there had to be away to explain it. My joy was beginning to permeate with doubt.

When I got to work I searched the bible and the dictionary :)

Miracle, definition: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples
Psalm 77:14

And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matt 13:58


God did extraordinary miracles through Paul
Acts 19:11

Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
Gal 3:5

how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Heb 2:3-4

This was the reinforcement I needed. Our God is a god of miracles. There is a part of me that feels embarrassed to relay this to my little car starting because it seems so unimportant. I know that God performs miracles. He just saved my aunt Collette’s life and restored her health. That's what I thought a miracle was. Most of us only believe a miracle to be something great due to what we deem "dire circumstances". But God will and I think wants to perform miracles in our lives, he wants us to seek, believe, yield and be obedient.

When I left work I was reserved to the fact my car may not start and I was ok with it. I felt and overwhelming sense that I was fully taken care of and loved. It didn’t matter if I had to walk 6 miles to get home I was just grateful. I got in my car, and it started right up and again there was another song playing for me on the radio…..

"thank you for everything, thank you for loving me, it don't even matter what tomorrow brings, well i will sing my, thank you for sun and rain, for what you give and take away for all your goodness i will always say, thank you"

It's a cheesy song but it was exactly what my heart was singing. I had an awesome day and knew God was with me. I am blessed!

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
1 Kings 19:11-13