Of course her request was completely unreasonable since there was no way I could be at her home in the same afternoon, yet she knew if she had lived close enough, I would certainly have come to her aid.
When the disciples were in the boat crossing the lake, as the scripture from Matthew 8:27 describes, there erupted a horrible storm. The disciples were sure they would perish, yet Jesus slept. They woke him and asked the seemingly impossible: “Save us!” What did they really consider he might do? He was their Master, and they knew, the Son of God. But I wonder if they really gave his actions consideration? Even if they didn’t know how, they trusted he would come to their aid.
Jesus did the impossible. He spoke to the winds and the waves and they calmed. The disciples were awed. What kind of man could speak to the weather and have it do as commanded? Only God —only the Son of God.
There are days when I am faced with decisions and situations where surely I say, “Lord save me! I cannot do this on my own!” I suspect we all do from time to time. Do we believe, however, that we really might receive help since from our perspective there aren’t any answers? And if the situation seems impossible, why even ask for help? Certainly, when my daughter made her request of me, she knew I could not help her.
What would have happened if instead of calling on me, she called on God and said, “God save me! The ones I love are many miles away and cannot come to my aid. Send aid in some form because I cannot handle this on my own.” Her request would have been completely reasonable to God, unlike her request to me.
I was powerless to aid her, yet at a breath away, was Christ. I haven’t any idea how God might have helped her. He might have dismissed the pain or sent someone to relieve her of the duties to her children, so she could seek the needed medical care.
Sometimes, it isn’t even about those miracles we think we need. There are days when the ‘little stuff’ just causes a panic, but we don’t think they’re big enough to bring before the God of the universe.
Have you ever thought about God helping you find a good parking spot or strength to get your shopping done, help finding your lost keys (or phone), peace before making (or receiving) a phone call or even courage for making a doctor appointment?
As a widow, I don’t think I’ve asked God to bring companionship into my life for the lonely evenings, but I have told Him I am lonely. Nights are just hard. It’s so quiet and I feel so alone. I’m not talking about a ‘romantic situation’….just a friend to be with sometimes.
There are plenty of tired mommas around us. There’s nothing wrong with praying for help with exhaustion, children’s attitudes, sleep, or even the never ending to-do list, or housework! In the workplace, paperwork, and attitudes of co-workers, the drive, or workload, are other circumstances, we can bring to a Father, who cares about the world we live in.
We are all likely guilty of forgetting that God is always there and always ready to do the impossible, especially in a crisis. We look to others to help us, which isn’t a bad thing; but first we need to look to God and lay our issues at his feet. We need only to believe and expect the miracle in whatever form it comes—even if it isn’t immediate.
But we also need to remember, that God cares about our day to day lives, too. He wants to be a part of it, regardless of how big or how small our need is. He is after all, the Perfect Loving Father, and he desires only the best in our lives.
What need could God help you with today?
