Today a couple of our friends shared their testimonies for Easter, and it was quite moving. They are a very young couple that moved here to San Mateo from Alberquerque because they felt called to be here. They said that they did not really think much about the cost of living here, even though the husband read an article about the Silicon Valley that described a couple making over $100,000 a year living in a homeless shelter. Even so, they said that God provided for them every step of the way, and I have really seen how their living situation has improved in the past few years. Their testimony really made me think about what the phrase “God provides” really means, and here are my thoughts.
If you have seen the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, the little boy in there tells a pretty funny joke about a man and God’s grace. It went something like this:
A man was drowning in the middle of the river and a boat passes by and asked him if he needed help. The man said, “No thank you. God will save me.” So the boat passes him by. Then a larger boat comes by and asks him if he needed help. The man once again said, “No thank you. God will save me”. Once again another boat comes by and asked him if he needed help, and once again the man said that God will save him. Finally the man drowns and goes to heaven. In heaven he asks God, “God, why didn’t you save me?” God then replies, “you idiot! I sent you three big boats! “
I think the joke aptly illustrates that in many instances we don’t recognize what God is providing us and we don’t take the opportunity. God brings relationships and events into our lives that could change our lives completely, but it is up to us to be obedient and work on what God initiates. My friends that shared their life stories today didn’t just sit on their butts once they moved here and waited for God to drop a sack of money in their laps. They worked on what they were given and continued to improve their situation and they are leaps and bounds from where they were before.
I think another reason why we do not recognize God’s work is that we tend to think that a miracle should be a grand gesture as big as winning the lottery. In fact God provides us opportunities everyday that seem completely normal and even insignificant. It is up to us to be discerning enough to develop the leads that are meant for us, and be appreciative of the results.
Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!
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7 comments ↓
I’ll take a small miracle any day!
It is so true…sometimes the miracles are staring you right in the face and we don’t even realize. Taking advantage of God’s gifts can take an open eye.
I think that God blessed my hubby and I constantly. I try to remember just how blessed we are.
Ahem, Occam’s razor? I know you’d probably disagree, but I had to raise that point.
Since you like talking about the housing bubble, I thought you might find this funny.
http://patrick.net/housing/contrib/3rd_and_Keyes_Santa_Clara.html
One of my favorite verses is Deut 8:10-17 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God…You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…”
We don’t think God provides because we think we did it ourselves. But who gave us the ability to work? That puts everything into perspective, doesn’t it?
thanks for the post. i hope to listen some more.
Best regards from Sebbi
Oh my ….I loved this post! You reminded me of God’s power that FAR outways anything I could do! Thank you for posting such goodness!
Juicy Jenn
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