“A little boy was tugging at a big rock and doing his best to lift it. He was grunting and pulling but it didn’t budge. His father came along and asked him if he was having any trouble. The boy said, ‘Yes, I’m trying and trying to move this rock but it just won’t move!’ The father said to him, ‘Well, son, are you using all available energy?’ The boy replied, ‘Of course I am!’ Then the dad looked at him and said, ‘No, son, I don’t think you are, for you haven’t asked for my help.'”
Dependence isn’t something that is looked highly upon in our society. Often times people equate dependence and neediness to weakness yet throughout scripture this is the way in which God wants us to live, to turn from a life of self reliance to an utter dependence upon Him. This month our missional community has been discussing and trying to live out what it means to be more dependent on the Father and to cultivate a childlike heart that trusts and depends on Him. I’ve learned over the years that the more and more that I place my dependence on God, the more dependable I find Him to be. He tends to show up in the most unlikely ways.
Here’s just one story of how God showed up for me this month and I got to experience His provision in a very specific way. As some of you know I’m a pediatric occupational therapist. I work in homes providing therapy and early intervention for infant to 3 year olds. I also go on walks every Sunday morning with one of the other leaders at RH Fullerton. We walk for about an hour and just share about our weeks, our struggles and share stories of how God showed up during our week.
On May 8th we went for our usual walk. I shared with Michele that I could really use a boppy and bumbo for work but they’re not cheap. I asked her where do you think I could find those for cheaper? She said, maybe a garage sale? We walked and continued to share how we’re doing and shared with each other how God showed up that particular week and then we parted. I drove to my home and she drove to hers and while she was driving home she ended up seeing a sign for a garage sale. She followed it initially but she had thought about not stopping because it seemed like a dangerous area. She ended up taking a chance and got out of her car to see what sort of items they had laid out. She saw some infant toys but no sign of a boppy or a bumbo. She then asked the lady who was putting on the garage sale, by any chance do you have any boppies or bumbos for sale? And the lady ended up bringing out a bumbo and 3 boppies. She wasn’t even planning on selling them until Michele had asked. She made sure all the boppy covers were clean and had her pick them up after they had been thoroughly washed and she sold 1 bumbo, 3 cute boppies and 3 new toys all for just $20!
Both of us got to experience God and His provision in a very tangible way as I depended on Him to somehow meet my need and by Michele following and obeying His leading in an unlikely place. I love that our God cares and is so intimate in the way He chooses to love us, that even something like me having a boppy and a bumbo for work was important to Him.
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” – Matthew 7:11
SoulAwakenings 