God has really been working on me lately about reading my Bible. I’ll admit that I have slacked off on it and I have no excuse for that. He’s working on me. It’s subtle, but I know that God is guiding me to and through His word.
Last night I read my current novel (Savannah Comes Undone) before bed. I got a few chapters read and put the book down before reaching over to my nightstand to turn off my lamp. As I reached across the nightstand, I noticed my Bible there. I felt a nudge to pick it up and read it, but continued to reach for the lamp because, well, I was tired. The nudge won over and I picked up the Bible and began to read where I had placed the ribbon marker the last time I read it. I have a goal of reading through the New Testament, but I have admittedly not been reading as regularly as I should. So, last night my reading took me to Matthew 6:25-34 which reads as follows:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)
That is a passage about worry. It was a passage that my heart has desperately needed lately. Our family has had some financial struggles over the last year and a half or so. I think it goes without saying that financial struggles are some of the hardest to face because, well, money is so essential to getting by in this life. I have been praying for a solution and have asked God for guidance, wisdom and His continued provision. All of which He has freely given, in His amazing ways. Last night’s reading was such a comfort to me because I needed that blessed assurance. I needed to once again realize that my trust needs to be fully in God’s plan. I needed to find that release. He gave it. He guided me right into His word and took me to the passage that my heart so desperately sought even without me knowing it. It’s not a coincidence that my reading last night took me to that particular section of Matthew. That was God and with God there are no coincidences. I just feel so blessed that He, the God of all creation, gave that to me at that time last night. At a time when I could have worried myself to bits and pieces, God brought me to His word and reassured me yet again. He didn’t have to do that, but He did. Amazing.
I think it’s so important to remember that God doesn’t always come to us in ways that move mountains. Sometimes He nudges. Sometimes He whispers. We might think we NEED Him to yell, to get in our face, to guide our feet, but His way is THE way and we have to trust in that. We have to be willing to move according to Him and not ourselves. I find that hard sometimes, I won’t even begin to say that I don’t. How many times have I reached over that Bible and turned off the light to go to sleep without reading? Too many. But, not last night. And, He blessed me for it. Praise be to God!!
