“But the word of the Lord was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little …” “
Isaiah 28:13
We started out talking about kindness this week, and the great need for us to give it out freely. We are also reminded of our individual need to receive it as well, especially on days when life is getting the best of us.
Sitting under that portico, with rain and ice pouring all around me, God reminded me of several things I thought I’d learned long ago.
- Time spent in prayer and communication with the One who made us is never a waste. And He can cause that to happen any time, any place, no matter how busy or behind we think we are.
- Sometimes He has answers to our long time prayers, but we’re too busy to sit with Him long enough to hear His ideas. His idea to use Notes on my phone will be one I continue to use as He brings Doses to my heart in everyday life. So He really answered my time crunch problem in a permanent way.
- Kindness is incredibly important. It is a free gift we can give to others, because our Kind and Gracious God gives it to us.
- Sometimes when interruptions come, it’s because He has a better plan. It certainly was for me that day. Because all things really do work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.
I’ll end this week encouragement with a personal victory. Later the same day of the lost keys and all God brought through that, He let me practice what He was trying yet again to teach me. Still in a hurry to get back to the office, I stopped for my last errand at the pharmacy. An elderly gentleman stood at the register checking out as I approached the counter. With only one item to check out, a pack of mints, I assumed he’d be real quick about it. He wasn’t. He had what seemed like a hundred questions about those mints. Taking forever, he rummaged through his pockets to get the correct change. “How can one person take so long to check out one little tiny item,” I thought. Just about the time my last nerve was up, he turned back and gave me an apprehensive look, saying, “I’m sorry to hold you up.”
With a prick in my heart, I smiled and assured him it was all right. “I’m in no hurry,” I said. He turned and hobbled away, one tiny step at the time. Obviously his old arthritic bones was struggling from the cold icy rain still pouring outside.
What a great way for God to remind me to be kind and thoughtful to another struggling soul. Just the way sweet AAA Sharon had been to me.
Until Next Time,
Your Traveling Partner,
Brenda