February 16, 2012: Gifts Undeserved

3 gifts in shadows:

• opportunity.  This morning while brushing my teeth, I prayed that God would fill me with his grace and love so that it would spill out to others.  Fast forward to late afternoon, I've worked all day and have been waiting for almost an hour at the doctor's office.  It was very irritating, yet I managed to stay calm.  As I was leaving, I was wondering to myself what God's purpose was for me in the long wait. Then I remembered my petition that morning and was humbled to realize that I had indeed splashed a bit of his grace onto the office staff as I sweetly accepted the nurse's apology and commiserated with the receptionist about her workload. Blessed to be a blessing.
• prayer. In the mail today was a postcard from Thailand.  It was just one brief sentence that read, "I am praying for you today" and was signed by the president of a ministry that I support, WAR International.  WAR rescues, aids and protects women at risk around the world who are in danger from trafficking, sexual slavery, and abuse.  Becky McDonald, along a team of volunteers, is currently in Thailand risking much to rescue women and she is sending me a postcard to say she is praying for ME?!  I felt so undeserving.  I should be the one praying for HER!  And yet, isn't that the beauty of the body of Christ?  We pray for each other.  We need each other. We help each other. 
• love.  Sometimes it's hard for me to accept words of love from my husband, words whispered in the dark, spoken in the light.  It's difficult to conceive that he finds me beautiful.  It's the same with God.  I can mostly accept that he loves me, but to believe that he delights in me, that's a whole other matter. Yet his Word tells me that it's true, in more than one place. 2 Samuel 22:20, Psalm 147:11, Jeremiah 9:24, Zephaniah 3:17.  Amazing love.