Flying wrapping paper, crumpled ribbon, boxes piled high, the world around me was abuzz.
My little eight-year-old self sat astonished, in the middle of it all transfixed, looking deep into the black eyes of a Pomeranian stuffed dog, its fluffy hair a delight. I turned it over only to find to my joy it was also a little radio. What a treasure. I had never seen such a thing. In all my careful inspection and circling in bright red marker the toy ads, I never dreamt of this.
My grandmother had done the impossible. She had surprised me with a gift I had not even known I wanted.
Sometimes, rarely if we are honest, our loved ones give us exactly what we need.
A Perfect Gift
Fast forward a few years. To a testimony of where the maker of the Universe gave me, exactly what I needed through an unlikely source.
My husband had moved to another state on ahead of us, we were closing our business and I frantically packed, cleaned, and staged our home to sell it. I worked three days a week and was pregnant with our fourth child.
When my husband came back on the weekends, we attended our local church. It’s here the story unfolded.
I sat in the pew listening to my husband give our family’s testimony. Tears streamed down my face from a bizarre mix of exhaustion and joy. My heart so proud of my husband’s spiritual growth. At the same time my body protested being awake and upright.
Church ended. I saw her coming from the corner of my eye. An acquaintance really, I knew her husband more than I knew her. She looked me straight in the eye and spoke.
“The Lord told me to come over here and tell you there will be a time of rest. This won’t go on forever.”
Rest. This well-timed word breathed new life into my weary body. I clung to that word with every box packed and every load of laundry done.
God would give me rest. It was six months later in our new home, but God fulfilled this promise.
Sometimes we don’t know what we need or truly want until we get it. Even our most sympathetic and well-meaning loved ones fail to meet our needs. They can’t be all and do all for us.
God can.
In this uncertain and shaky time, we need something steady and true to cling to. We need rest for not only our bodies, but also our souls. If you are feeling a hole in your life, an unfulfilled ache, Christ is the only one who can fill it. Not only that, He can meet your specific needs. He knows you more than you know yourself.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV.
Pray With Me
Lord, You know me more than I know myself. This ache feels like a hole I cannot fill. But, You can. Heal my heart. Grant me the strength and courage to go on. I need rest. A full rest of my heart, mind, body, and soul. Grant me divine connections of the right people to walk through this with me. Sustain me. I need Your presence. You are my perfect gift. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Comments