music :: worship :: life
The best way to predict your future is to create it.
—Stephen Covey
Speak to God with your whole life,
And let all the world listen.
It was only a small miracle.
The day started badly. I was behind from the start. Spent all morning running errands all over the place—Kountze, Beaumont, Silsbee, Lumberton. Hours of driving in the rain. Loading and unloading stuff. Dripping wet. I blamed everybody I could think of for stealing my umbrella. (Later—much later—I discovered that I had put the umbrella in a “more convenient place”.)
Running out of people to be mad at over the umbrella, I pulled out my mental list of everybody who ever did anything rotten to me. Enough fuel there to keep the fire burning for hours.
Forgiveness? I guess I’m not too good at that stuff. Especially when it comes to people with excuses rather than apologies.
Got remorse? I got your forgiveness. No problem.
Got no remorse? Rot in hell!
I know! I know! But it’s the best I can do. I’m working on it.
It was after 1:00 before I got to sit down and read my morning devotional. The scripture was about the gripey, grumpy Israelites and how God provided water in the desert for them out of a rock. The devotional was about how as Christians we’re supposed to be experiencing “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10) and yet… What’s missing?
The response at the end said to list specifically what you feel is missing in your life, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, and offer that list in prayer to God, and to continue throughout the day to ask God to refresh your soul and satisfy the deep longings of your soul.
“You’ve got to be joking! I don’t have enough paper for a list that long!” Nevertheless, I offered a few things up to God in prayer. Actually, it it was more like shouting my complaints to him and begging for relief. I felt a little better, and throughout the day I continued to offer up things as they occurred to me.
It was almost quitting time when I opened my planner to make some notes for the weekend. At the top of the page was the quote:
Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
—Ronnie Wilkins
Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, I was filled with the Holy Spirit. I danced like David for joy in the Lord, and shouted my praise and thanksgiving. In a moment it was gone. But for a moment, God roared through me like a whirlwind.
It was only a small miracle, after all. Like the extra wine at the wedding feast, He provided just what was needed and no more. No fanfare. No parade floats. Just a light touch from the finger of God.
Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.
—Ronnie Wilkins
For it’s not light that is needed, but fire; it’s not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind and the earthquake in our hearts.
—Frederick Douglass
If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshipped.
—Evelyn Underwood
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