Little helper

 

I’m sorry we haven’t posted much lately.  We first encountered the flu and it hit every member of the family and then shortly after most of us were recovering from that 3 of us got a virus.  Pray that the last 2 (Maddie and Hannah) stay healthy and don’t get it.  I think we were more susceptible because our immune systems were down, but also because we it was a bug that our bodies haven’t built up immunities for as children so we felt completely wiped out.  Thankfully we’re almost back to normal (our health- still not our personalities).  

As I was spending time praying and upset that I wasn’t out ‘doing’ ministry, God reminded me of Paul’s speech in Acts 17.

 

 

24 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;  25 neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things;  26 and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation,   27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;   28 for in Him we live and move and exist… (Act 17:24-28 NAS)

 

 

...neither is He served by human hands, 
as though He needed anything,
since He Himself gives to all
life and breath and all things...

Our purpose here is to serve God and to glorify Him.  But he doesn’t technically need us.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe He delights in our obedience and in the way we express His love to others, but He is God!  He can and has revealed Himself to people through dreams and visions.  He has drawn people to Him before we’ve ever said a word.  He alone can change a heart of stone to a heart of flesh!

 

I have a little shadow.  She’s 3, but wants to do everything she sees the rest of us doing.  It’s a hard age.  She can’t really do much, but wants to help with everything.  I want to encourage the helping now while she’s actually interested and so if she comes up in the kitchen and wants to help while I’m cutting, I place her hand on top of my hand and she feels like she’s doing it too.  It’s the same with most chores she attempts, either her hand is on top of mine or I come behind and make adjustments to the task (she actually came in as I’m typing this and automatically placed her hand over mine on the mouse as I scrolled up to save).  It would be easier to simply do everything myself and shoo her away, but I know she wouldn’t learn that way and our relationship wouldn’t grow.  

 

Sometimes I wonder if it’s how God sees me.  He finds it enduring that I want to help but has to gently guide me and fix all my blunders.  He doesn’t actually need me, but as I shadow him, I get to know him more.  I learn to love as He loves, I try to model my behaviors after his.  

 

I’m thankful that I’m now able to return to ‘doing’ ministry, but also thankful for the reminder that it’s really the Holy Spirit drawing people in and changing lives.  I’m just thankful that I get to place my hand in His as God leads and guides and just hope I don’t make too many messes to clean up.

 

 

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