Have you ever experienced God in a very real and personal way? The times in my life when I have are like no other experience and they have changed me forever. God is not just Almighty and All Powerful, somewhere out there, indifferent, inpersonal and uncaring.
No, the God I serve loves me so much, He meets me where I am and then lavishes me with His love, for the pure and simple fact that I’m His child. Not because of anything I’ve done, not because of anything I haven’t done … but because I’m His.
There have been many times throughout my life when God has shown up and “shown off,” as I like to say. One time in particular I love to share about is when I was feeling so unloved I didn’t think I was worth a 75 cent cup of coffee at the library. It was a unique flavor and I wanted to try it, but wouldn’t pay even 75 cents. Instead? God delivered to my doorstep six months later a 24-count box of the very flavor I had been wanting to try.
People could argue and say, “How do you know that was God? It could have been a coincidence.”
I guess it could have been a coincidence, except that I had invited God into my coffee request. I told Him that I wasn’t worth paying 75 cents for a cup of coffee, but if He wanted me to try it, He’d have to bring it to me. I didn’t tell anyone about that conversation with God. No one. Not my husband, not my prayer parter, not my parents, no one.
And six months later, in time for Christmas, God hand-delivered a 24-count of the very coffee I was wanting to try. And I loved every single pod of that delicious coffee (except I didn’t drink all 24 cups, because I wanted to share the blessing I was given with others, so if you were at my house during that time, you were offered some to try as well.)
That is one (small) example of God’s personal attentiveness to His children. I don’t worship and praise Him because He gave me what I wanted. I worship and praise Him because He showed His glory in that moment and I want nothing more than to share His awesomeness with those around me who need to feel His love too.
As I love to say, “what He’s willing to do for me, He’s waiting to do for you. All you have to do is ask.” Your conversation with Him probably won’t be about a certain flavor of coffee. But I know God cares as much about your conversation as He did mine.
© Cheri Swalwell 2021