Soul Kitchen

 

It was a little over 5 weeks ago that I arranged these cut flowers into a vase.  I put the arrangement into the shop.  A week later, I took them out and brought them to Marie and told her that they hadn't sold and may only have a little longer to live but that I hoped she could enjoy them for a few more days.

I asked the Lord that day if He could let them live a little longer...like maybe a week so that she could use them and enjoy them.

When I saw her a week later she said, "You need to come look at these flowers".  We were amazed at how good they looked and now they were two weeks old.  The next week I saw Marie and again, she called me into the kitchen and said, "You should just see these flowers".  "Unbelievable,"  I thought.  But it is important for you to know that already by this time...I had forgotten my request.  We talked about how pretty the flowers still were and I was thinking that I had bought some pretty good flowers.

Two more weeks went by and I saw Marie yesterday.  She called me in the kitchen and told me that I needed to take a look at the flowers.  I had to take a picture because this is what I saw.  There were four of us in the kitchen then, marveling over these flowers.  They were asking what I had done to the flowers to make them live so long!!  I told them I had cut the stems and changed the water a couple of weeks ago but other than that...nothing.  You'd think a florist would have a better answer but I didn't.  I've never seen cut flowers look and last like that.

I went out to set up the tables.  As I was putting things out I said, "Lord, how could those flowers live that long?"

And then I heard his voice in my heart.  "Did you not ask me to let them live for Marie?"

And I wept...right there, getting the tables ready.  And then I heard His Words in my mind.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus thoughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.

Ephesians 3:20

"Yes...Jesus...I asked you for one week and you have given five...FIVE!"

I love this story.  It's a great story...I have loved telling it....over and over again.  But the most beautiful thing about this story is that our God is intimate with us like no other.   I have been struggling lately with my insecurities....telling Jesus pretty much everyday all the things that I'm scared of and what I don't know how to do and how other people can do it better than me and I don't know what I'm doing and....the list could go on.  Do you hear me?  Have you ever been there?

Well, Listen to me.  This God...the one who is able to do far more than we ask, think or can even imagine wants to show himself in you.  In me.  In our church.  

Forgive me Lord for not being able to see what you can do because I just can't take my eyes off of me.

I asked the Lord to let those flowers live for Marie...me thinking to bless her...but the Lord knew that his blessing was also for me to remind me that He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think....

I could never even imagine that...and that, is why I love Him so.