Sitting On An Ash Heap

I can’t stress enough what a personal God, God is. (That was an awkward sentence). But it’s true. This past year, God has shown me over and over, reminded me, who He is. I’ve known Him for a long time, but like everything, I had grown complacent. God wanted me to experience Him and remember who He really is.

I told you last week about my secret prayer request. But there were so many things God has done to remind me that He is there, near me, and that He loves me. That’s the beauty of the Christian life. God says He will supply all of our needs. But He doesn’t leave it at food, shelter, and clothing. He goes much, much deeper than that. He designed us. He knows our needs are far greater than food, shelter, and clothing. He knows we have emotional needs, spiritual needs, a need for belonging, etc. And God is comprehensive. He insures that ALL of our needs are met. And this past year has been a Job experience for me. Like Job, who sat on an ash heap, scratching his sores, that was me. Then, God came along and asked Job, “Do you know who I am?” God presents him with a list of things only God can do. Great things, amazing things, and then He asks Job, tell Me who can do these things.

This past year I’ve sat on my own ash heap, scratching my own sores and feeling sorry for myself. And God has come, “Tell me, who can do these things?”

Who loves you like no other? Who can clothe the lily of the valley as glorious as it is clothed? Who takes your prayers and places them in golden bowls? Who knows your every thought and desire? Who has given their life for you? Tell me if you know.

I do know. I…do…know. I temporarily forgot, but I do know. God loves me. He knows everything about me. And just when I feel I have reached the bottom, God reaches His hand to me, and lifts me up.

Several weeks ago, I woke up to a bad morning. I had received three pieces of bad news and I was back in the pit. I secretly said to myself, “When is it ever going to end?” Can’t I just have some good news from somewhere? That morning, I went out to do some errands in the morning. When I got back home, my hubby said I had a letter from an old friend from college. I sat down on the couch and opened the letter. My friend was thanking me for the encouragement she had received from my blogs. She talked about one particular blog and what it meant to her. I was floored. The letter couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I quickly sent her a message, thanking her for the letter and how perfect the timing was. She responded and said she carried the letter in her purse for some time, because it was so small, she kept forgetting to mail it. She finally mailed it and it arrived in my mailbox at the exact time I needed to read the words she wrote. That’s not a coincidence. That is the work of the same God who confronted Job about who He really was. The same God that has confronted me and reminded me that He loves me.

Friends, I can’t tell you enough, how personal God is. We know He’s great and powerful and omniscient. But God is so deeply personal. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it. And when we let Him, He Will satisfy all of our needs, ALL OF THEM.