~ There’s still a lot of things I don’t know about the art of giving. But I have encountered a Giver who has watered me and planted a garden of flowers in my life, especially when I desired the daffodil in another’s arm. A Giver who has been gentle in His embrace and patient in my dissatisfaction. I would love for you too beloved to encounter this giver… ~
Recently I was sharing with my dad how guilty I felt for constantly seeking aid from him. The battle I always have before dialing his number. The courage to sound casual. Yet my already troubled heart is breaking with every word that I utter. But oh the comfort that his response brought me! How I needed to hear that assurance. His delight in helping me. He said to me, “Daughter, my heart is at peace in knowing your situation. Knowing that you trust me to help you.” A Father’s love.
I couldn’t help but think about our great Father. He that clothes the lilies in beauty and splendor. The Potter who forms hills in His hands. He that bestowed upon us the immeasurable gift of grace. The saving grace that made us heirs with Christ Jesus. His own Son. Oh, the inherent romanticism of waking up to another day of grace!
But friends, don’t we in anger and despair lock Him out because He gardens us in ways that we don’t think He should? When the cutting, uprooting and pruning causes us to question His purpose. When He provides rain yet we prayed for growth. How hard it is to trust that He’s holding the watering can when the storm is more than just a downpour! How easy it is for our minds and lips to find fault in His sovereign power when the wind blows in a hurricane! Yet in gentleness He provides growth. Faithfully, He returns to our ungrateful hearts with silent tenderness and care until harvest.
But we don’t just stop there, do we beloved? To Him we return with empty cups after the harvest. With hunger and thirst for things greater than what our hands can hold. Expressing our discontent. Our dissatisfaction. In silence He fills our cup until it overruns and watches in gentleness as we skip away ungrateful yet happy. Gently, He watches as we take credit for His work. Oh how wretched a human’s heart is! Ungrateful little thing! But He doesn’t cast us out, neither does He fail to provide .
How unfair we have been to Him! Dishonest. Faithless. “Hey Dad we’re required to buy textbooks” (aren’t these words familiar with us friends?) Books that never saw the light of day! And year in year out we uttered the same words. Innocently, they provided all we asked. To the Lord, we have done worse. Acted unfairly. Expressed doubt in His power. Asking Him for the grace of knowledge yet still, being unfaithful in our studies, assignment and examinations. But the King in His abundant love remains faithful.
Here’s the great thing about our God though. One of the many good things about Him is that He invites us to make our requests known to Him. He invites us to give Him the desires of our hearts, and then to trust Him with the answer. In his work, ‘Contact: A stabilizer for compassion’, Ndichu states that a good father never gives snakes to a fish desiring child. Now stay with me beloved as I bring two things into focus; 1. a desire, 2. the parties involved.
This child has a desire, a request, a longing, but it is also important to note that he is incapable of fulfilling his own wish. He therefore makes it known to his father that he desires something. Why? Because he knows and understands that his father will give it to him. But a little icing on the cake, the topping cherry to this realization is that the father has created an awareness of his ability to the child. He has made it known to the child that he can fulfill his wish. The child is, therefore, open to approach him with this desire. Scripture has it that, if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.(Our confidence in approaching him). A good father, the Gentle Giver ~ that is the one we chase after.
Matthew 7:11….how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
God like no other! How gentle You have been in Your giving! Provider! THE GENTLE GIVER!! ♡♡
I will use my life for paper and write You a joyous song El ROI.
CAROLYNE