It still amazes me to read some verses in the Bible which don’t seem to have any relevance to my life and then literally, minutes later, my circumstances change and there I am screaming in my soul, “Lord, you are real! You speak to me in my secret heart!” May I never grow tired of these encounters with my ever-present, 100% dependable God!
But I am slow to learn and can be a skeptic when it comes to this invisible yet all-knowing God I worship.
A recent event has brought to mind a time when the Lord showed me how important it is for me to stay in His Word.
Enter my time machine, if you please. (Vaporous, non-toxic smoke appears briefly). Do not be afraid.
Three absolutely adorable olive shoots who got a mama who will bust your behind if you mess with them. Thank you.
About 10 years ago, I decided to read the entire Bible in one year. Each day had about 20 minutes total time reading verses from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I highly recommend doing this if you have never read the Bible from cover to cover for yourself.
Proverbs 7 from one of my most used Bibles.
Well, one afternoon I read some Bible verses that didn’t especially resonate with me. My day moved along per usual.
But then hours later, the phone rang.
It was a girl.
Calling not for my husband
but for my oldest olive shoot.
I had been reading Proverbs 7 – Seriously, read it if you are the mama of sons! Click here to read it!
Nate hung the phone up shortly afterward and I learned this girl had called with a few questions.
I was wearing my fluffy white robe and watching Crocodile Hunter at the time. Strange the things you remember when your world is about to get rocked.
She had asked if my son and his friend would go with her and her friend to the movies. And one more thing, could he also not tell his parents about it?
Instantly, the Bible verses I had only briefly considered came leaping into the forefront! Seriously??? The kid was in middle school! A clandestine meeting with a girl ain’t gonna happen on my watch!
Ok, darkness, I see you. Commence to stepping before it’s too late.
Not only did Nathan not go but we had him call the girl, decline her offer and then explain that HE wasn’t comfortable with her putting him in that position. He spoke gently to her giving her more respect than she had given herself. The girl never called again and continued to make poor choices.
Here I was thinking God’s Word was somehow not pertinent to me and like a dash of hot pepper sauce, a BAM came down from the heavens!
The same thing happened to me on Friday. I hastily did my daily reading after an eventful day which included taking my husband to the hospital among other things. (They thought he had damaged his spleen! He didn’t!).
I contemplated a chapter from an obscure book of the Bible (which I need to refrain from mentioning). It’s part of the 21 Day YouVersion challenge.
And then the phone rang.
Suddenly,
sadly,
strangely,
the words that didn’t apply –
did…
“Crud muffins,” I mutter to myself.
“Praise you, O God.” I also declare.
Today I wait expectantly for the truths I shall find and probably need sooner than I think.
My Awesome Olive Shoots 