Lately I have been reminded by how amazing God is, not just in all the wonderful things that he creates for us and the plans he has for us but the grace he has in fulfilling them. For example God is patient, and with me, crazy patient. Any lesser being would have thrown up their hands in despair at the time it takes me to get on board God's plans. Its not that I am resistant, really I want to do God's will. No I am just seemingly oblivious most of the time.
I shall give you a couple of examples:
Around 3 years ago I began seeing many things reminding me and drawing my attention to the idea of serving overseas. At the time I never saw the connection, the pattern and the consistency of the clues. I had friends doing overseas placements, saw television shows (which I never normally watched) that showed people working internationally, had people asking me about teaching overseas and kept getting emails from overseas aid organizations. For nearly a year I saw these clues and reminders yet it wasn't until I visited a new church (and on the first day heard a man speaking of his mission in Pakistan) that God spoke to me and told me in no uncertain terms that I was supposed to serve overseas. By the time I realised I was overcome. And of course 6 months later I left to spend 6 weeks in Kenya working to build a goat farm with 11 wonderful girls and having the experience of a lifetime. How many times must God have wanted to shake me into seeing what was right in front of me, but he was patient.
Recently another reminder. Many months back I received an Ipod car kit. You know the ones that allow you to play your Ipod through the car speakers. It was given to me as a gift by my masseuse (who insists on giving me something every time I visit, I have been seeing him for more than 15 years). For months it sat in the cupboard and I never used it. Not long after a friend in my Bible study was talking about how she listened to sermons as she drove to work as part of her time in God's Word. I remembered that I had some sermon podcasts given to me earlier that were on my Ipod. Months went by and recently I was about to return to my childhood home (a 6 hr drive) for an emotional weekend.
I remembered the car kit and the podcasts and brought them to the car. Over the drive home I listened to 3 sermons twice and barely stopped praising God. WHAT A REVELATION!! Amazing, the drive was the fastest it's ever been and I felt refreshed rather than tired at the end. I came away thinking again how patient God had been waiting for the right time to put this plan together, considering the number of times I make the 6hr drive, I wish I had worked it out earlier. But God is patient and even though I may be slow He guides me and waits for the exact time to show me what to do.
I am ever so blessed to have such a wonderful patient Heavenly Father.
How has God been patient with you?
I shall give you a couple of examples:
Around 3 years ago I began seeing many things reminding me and drawing my attention to the idea of serving overseas. At the time I never saw the connection, the pattern and the consistency of the clues. I had friends doing overseas placements, saw television shows (which I never normally watched) that showed people working internationally, had people asking me about teaching overseas and kept getting emails from overseas aid organizations. For nearly a year I saw these clues and reminders yet it wasn't until I visited a new church (and on the first day heard a man speaking of his mission in Pakistan) that God spoke to me and told me in no uncertain terms that I was supposed to serve overseas. By the time I realised I was overcome. And of course 6 months later I left to spend 6 weeks in Kenya working to build a goat farm with 11 wonderful girls and having the experience of a lifetime. How many times must God have wanted to shake me into seeing what was right in front of me, but he was patient.
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| That's me in the pink |
Recently another reminder. Many months back I received an Ipod car kit. You know the ones that allow you to play your Ipod through the car speakers. It was given to me as a gift by my masseuse (who insists on giving me something every time I visit, I have been seeing him for more than 15 years). For months it sat in the cupboard and I never used it. Not long after a friend in my Bible study was talking about how she listened to sermons as she drove to work as part of her time in God's Word. I remembered that I had some sermon podcasts given to me earlier that were on my Ipod. Months went by and recently I was about to return to my childhood home (a 6 hr drive) for an emotional weekend.
I remembered the car kit and the podcasts and brought them to the car. Over the drive home I listened to 3 sermons twice and barely stopped praising God. WHAT A REVELATION!! Amazing, the drive was the fastest it's ever been and I felt refreshed rather than tired at the end. I came away thinking again how patient God had been waiting for the right time to put this plan together, considering the number of times I make the 6hr drive, I wish I had worked it out earlier. But God is patient and even though I may be slow He guides me and waits for the exact time to show me what to do.
I am ever so blessed to have such a wonderful patient Heavenly Father.
How has God been patient with you?
