That Saturday night, as she looked at the estimated cost of moving overseas to join YWAM, her little heart deflated and cried, “IMPOSSIBLE!”
Then her big brain said, “No, no! Don’t say that! Remember, you’ve always been provided for in the past. You’ll be fine.”
Her heart replied, “Yes, ok. But I need to let God know I need him.” She squeezed out a few tears and sobbed, “Lord! Hear me in my time of need!! Wahhh!”
Her brain nervously butted in: “Umm… Sounds to me like you’re trying to manipulate God, there.”
Shocked and dismayed, Kyla looked at her brain and her heart and her financial needs of the future and concluded that she was very discouraged.
“Lord, I am afraid. I am discouraged. Please address my fear in tomorrow’s sermon at church.” And with that she went to sleep.
The next day, in the Sunday morning service, the pastor opened up to Mark 8, the story of how Jesus fed the four thousand with just a few loaves and fish. Jesus had compassion on the people’s physical need, and asked, “What have we got to feed these folks? They’ve been here listening to me for three days, and if they try to go home on an empty stomach, they’ll faint!”
Jesus then proceeded to provide abundantly for the faithful crowd from a handful of loaves and fish. He provided SO MUCH from the little offering that there were seven man-sized baskets of bread left over!
“Kyla,” God said, “My nature is one of SUPER-ABUNDANCE. I am GENEROUS.”
“Oh my..!” I thought to myself… “I prayed last night that God would answer my fear in the face of a seemingly impossible task: raising adequate support!”
“I have more to say to you,” said God.
The next story the pastor told came immediately after the feeding of the four thousand. The disciples and Jesus sailed to Dalmanutha, where some Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus. “Prove to us you are who you say you are!” Jesus regarded their lack of faith and, in disappointment, declared that they would never see a sign.They were hard hearted. In contrast, the crowd that had listened to Jesus for three days without eating had faith. Jesus compassionately provided for them, but the hard, faithless Pharisees got only a big sigh from Jesus and a exasperated, “Why do you ask for a sign?”
“Kyla. Hard, prideful hearts are a disappointment to me. Bow your heart. Surrender your will,” said God.
“I see what you’re saying, Lord!”
“I’m not quite done yet. Keep listening, ok?”
The next story in the account in Mark was this:
“Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread” (Mark 8:14-15).
Jesus heard what they were saying and was astonished! They still didn’t get it! Didn’t they understand? The leaven of the Pharisees is their lack of faith in Jesus! Hadn’t the disciples JUST SEEN JESUS PROVIDE FOR HUGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE? Hadn’t he always taken care of them? Hadn’t he proved his generous nature yet? Hadn’t they noticed, HE WAS THE LORD! HE WAS ABLE!
“Kyla. Have you forgotten? I have always taken care of you. I will always care for you. I will be faithful forever. What are dollars? What is bread? What are physical things to me, the Lord? You are so fixated on the material world that you are on a different wavelength then I am. I love you, and my plans for you go far beyond ‘just getting by.'”
And I was struck with the kindness of God. He answered my question; he answered my fear. Because he’s so kind he caused the sermon to be exactly what I needed to hear because it was his good pleasure to reassure me. I wanted to share that with you. God is faithful. God is KIND. God is SUPER-ABUNDANTLY GENEROUS! God answers prayer.
I hope God’s word encouraged you as much as it did me. Go in peace.
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