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It was a Monday morning. Doug was in Florida at the SBC. Father’s Day was coming up at the end of the week. I wasn’t too concerned about having to have a Father’s Day gift – it’s not something we make sure to do every year. But, there were two things that I’d been wanting to get for Doug. I found them after his birthday and didn’t want to wait until Christmas. I figured Father’s Day was a good excuse for gift-giving! So, there I sat at my computer ready to place the order when I noticed something. The two items would arrive on separate days. One on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Normally that’s not such a big deal, but this particular week it was. We have all of our UPS orders sent to the church. UPS usually comes during the secretary’s lunch break, but typically it’s no big deal because Doug is back from his lunch break by that time. With Doug gone, I would need to go up to the office about the time the secretary left for lunch and wait for the delivery. I didn’t mind one day or the other, but both? We were already going to be doing it on Monday – did I really want to do it both Wednesday and Thursday as well?
I stared at the computer debating. Should I just pick one of the items and leave off the other? Should I just give in and go both days? I had prayed about ordering one of the items at all. Was this my answer? Then two words began floating through my mind.
Trust Me.
Those words had been floating around in my mind a lot lately. Over little things, mostly, but significant things nonetheless. Small family needs. Little requests for this and that that I was inclined to stress over while repeatedly mumbling requests to God. Just as I remind my children to trust me, God had been reminding me to trust Him. And here it was again, over something as little as a gift.
I clicked the order button.
Within a few hours one package had shipped – the one scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. Package number two had an extra day of processing and an estimated delivery of Thursday. But, I trusted. And I had peace. If we had to go both days, then God had a reason for it and He would take care of the details.
On Tuesday package number two shipped. I called up the tracking on the package and laughed out loud. It was being shipped from Little Rock! Package number one had just arrived in Little Rock! They would both arrive together from Little Rock in Monticello on Wednesday. If the original shipping estimation had been that they would arrive together, package number two would have actually come a day earlier!
But it got even better. As we loaded into the van on Wednesday to head to the church and wait for the delivery, a call came in. It was the church secretary informing me that my packages already had arrived. UPS came early – we didn’t have to wait at all! I dashed in and grabbed the boxes, and we were free to return home.
Trust Me.
Delivery of a package is such a little thing, I know. And really and truly all of the other things that God had been reminding me to trust about had been little things as well. But, on Wednesday afternoon as I was thanking Him for His faithfulness, He showed me that it wasn’t really about the little things. It was about my faith in Him in all things. You see, that had been wavering lately as days, weeks, months, and even – in some situations – years had passed with no obvious movement from the Lord on certain “bigger” requests. God, being the amazing Father that He is, actively worked to restore my faith and trust by showing Himself in little things.
Trust Me. The whisper was there in the middle of my thankfulness. I was faithful in these little things. I know your true need in the big things. Will you trust me?
Yes, Lord, I will trust You. No matter how You answer or how You work. You are good. You love me. You have good things planned for me – things that will bring glory to You. I trust You now. I will continue in an attitude of trust. I’m sure You’ll need to remind me many, many more times in this life. But, I know You’re patient with me, and for that I thank You greatly.
And may I just add, praying is a whole lot more fun when I’m actually doing it with an attitude of trust!
Not Quite Ordinary 