Unmerited Kindness and Faith

"When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, "Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying,

'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'"

"When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?'then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."

~Joshua 4:1-3, 6-7

MY ROCKS


We often say that God has been faithful. The word makes us think of someone who firmly keeps their promises or does something they were duty bound to do. And surely it is true that God is faithful in every way, but how often has He moved far beyond the realm of faithfulness, and the keeping of promises, deep into the realm of unmerited kindness on our behalf?

He is the God who does:

"exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think"
~Ephesians 3:20

May I share a rock with you?


Years ago, when pregnant with our first child, Tom and I felt that the Lord would have me stay home from work to raise our children in His ways.

This was a radical shift for us. One that began a year before when I had conceived and then miscarried. It was at that time the Lord began to show us what our intentions had been with His children and what His intentions were for His children. And we knew His way was best.

After this wake up call, we spent the next year paying off debt, tackling first our smaller bills, paying those and then working on the next, Larry Burkett style. We lived modestly, began to cook from scratch, purchase things used rather than new, and prepare for a little one who was yet to come.

And then it happened. I got pregnant again!

We excitedly made a new budget without debt and without my salary, but every time we calculated we just didn't have enough money for food. We joked that we'd be just fine if we stopped eating.

I wasn't sure what God had planned. We had done what we could and here my belly was growing with a blessing we couldn't feed. I read His Word and I prayed. And prayed. And one day He spoke. While I was reading His Word, He said:

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
~Psalm 34:10

Now, I am not a 'name it and claim it' kind of person, but I knew that God had spoken directly to my heart. And I knew He would do it. I just didn't know how.

Excitedly I began to tell people that God was going to do something on our behalf! I remember my dad looking at me with sad eyes when I told him. Like he was afraid to see his little girl about to be let down big time and be embarrassed for being so open about these thoughts. But I knew. God would do something.

My belly grew. And I waited. Patiently now. Trusting the Hand that feeds.

We moved into the home stretch of my pregnancy. And I began to wonder what God's timing would be. I was as big as a house, had made my plans for the birth, let my boss know this was it and still, nothing in our situation changed. But I knew something would happen.

And then one day, it did.

For no reason, well not one that others could see, Tom's manager quit and recommended Tom for the position. The man left with no work prospects. It didn't make any sense. But in short order, Tom was handed a new job. With new pay. God had done it! And we hadn't moved an inch.

And so, it won't surprise you that when our little one was born, we decided to name her Faith.

And when she was old enough, we told her the story of her name.

Now, we have written it on a rock to remind ourselves that God is more than faithful to meet our needs when we seek Him.


I share this not because our family is special~ far from it. But sometimes we need to hear the rock of a friend. Or be encouraged ask for a rock we can call our own.


Blessings as you build upon The Rock,




Matthew 7:24

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Photo: A monument of rocks. We have begun to write reminders of God's unmerited kindness to our family to remind us of the works He has done on our behalf. Faith's Psalm 34:10 rock is in the pile.