God's Little Lessons

Ever wonder why God does or doesn't do some things?

I know I have.

I know that there are times I have prayed and prayed and prayed for something that was needed and God held back for a long time before answering.

Case in point, Oscar's lack of a job. Oscar was without a job for over 7 months. In this economy, not having two incomes for 7 months at our level and with children would mean that the family would be deeply in debt or living in a shelter. Not so with us. God's provisions have carried us through and while we've had to hold off for a few months in paying Nate's several thousand dollar hospital bill from the RSV he was hospitalized for twice at 7 and 8 weeks, we've still been able to put food on the table, keep a roof over our heads, have electricity and be able to have one child in a Christian private school and Nate in day care.

Oh, it's been tough and there have been months where we've had to figure out what bill can slide to the next month and what absolutely has to be paid this month. But with God's grace we've been able to make it. A check came from Oscar's mom to help out for a couple of months, the IRS refund came at a time when our money was running out. My savings of several thousand dollars was pretty much depleted. But we made it through. Finally, after several months of being stressed to the max (I am only human), but trusting God completely to provide for us, Oscar was given a job!

He started today.

One of my wonderful mother-in-law's called me on Friday to relay to me that she had heard a woman on the Christian talk radio in Midland whose son-in-law had gone through exactly what Oscar [and the family] were going through. The woman had stated that she had come across Hebrews 14:6. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need"

She went before God, humbly, but boldly and prayed to God that her son-in-law be given a job NOW. Not a month from now, but NOW. And she prayed specifics, which I had been doing; but, unlike her, I had not gone boldly before the Throne of Grace. I had approached God with a sincere, humble heart, but asked Him that IF it was His will that He give Oscar a job.

Silly! Anything that God does, anything He purposes, is HIS WILL! I didn't even think of that.

So, I thought about it and on Sunday prayed to God that He give Oscar a job NOW, this week, that the job he receives would be a living wage, full benefits, let him be home 90% of the time on the weekends (and during the week) – in other words to work locally, and that it would be a positive, encouraging atmosphere for him . . . and that it would start THIS week. Not next week. Not two or four weeks from now, but THIS week!

Monday, Oscar somehow got in contact with one of my friends and the company they work for were looking for someone with Oscar's qualifications. Oscar went in on Tuesday and explained the whole *driving record situation and the man told him, "as long as you don't have any felonies, you're hired. I'll let you know early this evening." Oscar found out before noon that he had the job. Just in time for upcoming bills that I wouldn't have been able to meet anymore on my own – like tuition and rent.

This is not THE job for him, that I can see, but it does absolutely fit the description of the job that I prayed for him to have in the interim. The job that would pay the bills, give insurance and keep the roof over our heads. The job that allowed him to be in an atmosphere that they absolutely want him – CDL, can climb (which will enable him to get a higher pay), has his own climbing gear and tools . . . he's a real gold mine for them.

I wondered this morning as I was getting ready for work just what it was that had God keeping us where we were. Having just enough to always keep the most important of the bills paid and not really much more aside from the being able to get the necessities.

Then it hit me.

When things are going easy and good and everything is hunky dory, I tend to keep God out of the equation. Oh, I still thank Him for the blessings, but I don't keep Him in the decision making or as the one to lean on at ALL times, and not just in times of hardship. I get the "I'm a big girl, I do what I want!" syndrome. Now, please, tell me just where in that statement is God? Absolutely nowhere. I should keep in my mind what my lovely mom always told me when I would go out to a party in high school or to dance/go out after high school . . . "Remember WHOSE you are." I am God's first, my husband's second, my children's third, my mom's fourth, my family and friend's fifth and so forth and so on. But always, I am GOD'S FIRST. So why don't I keep Him first in my life?

It's in the lean times, the tough times, that God teaches me the lessons I should have known all along. It's in those times that I keep Him close and depend on Him for sustenance and provision. But it shouldn't be just in those times. It should be all the time. I have to say that, sadly, that is SO not the case. So, I know why now that God is keeping us where we are. Until we learn to ALWAYS keep Him FIRST and include Him in ALL our decisions and 24/7 in our lives instead of only when we "need" Him, we'll be in the learning process for as long as it takes.

*Regarding the driving record situation, Oscar found out last week that the insurance companies only look back at 21 months and not the driving record as a whole so all they see are 3 motorcycle tickets in 21 months, which renders him "uninsurable" in the job that he's really wanting to do until they come off, the last ones will come off in December.