Jul 22

Written by: tim
7/22/2009 1:51 PM 

If the previous entry was all about what the tell-tale signs of faith are, it would make at least a little bit of sense to share with you some of my own faith stories.  Things that I not only believe happened but actually happened to me.  Experience is the stuff that is behind the theology of trust.  After all, what good is it to understand what trust is unless you exercise it?

There are several "smaller" examples throughout my life that I can definitely point to that confirm to me the personal reasons why I place my life squarely in the hands of Christ.  The stories that resonate in a major way are the ones I find myself sharing with others when they're staring at what feels like an impossible situation.  There is one story that I am reminded of every time I get into our 1998 Ford Escort.  (You can read a crazy 2-part story involving the car entitled, "The Escort, The Snow & the Driveway" dated 1/2/09)  I have shared bits of this story at church and some of you may have heard me tell it before so be patient with me if I have.  :)

The story really begins with the "wise" purchase we made prompted by my wife's first pregnancy.  Wise because the car had four doors and was no doubt a little safer.  Wise because the mileage was much less.  Wise because the interior was in better condition and the paint was nicer.  Unwise because the thing proved itself to be a lemon within a couple years complete with a failed head gasket and transmission.  We still owed way money on a car that now was Kaput.

As missionaries supported by the generosity of other believers we already lived on next to nothing.  We felt blessed to do the work we felt God had called us to and affirmed by the many people who gave sacrificially towards that cause.  We were hesitant...even shy to go back to these precious people to ask for more.  Len Lane, the executive director of the mission, offered to write a letter on our behalf and make the need known.  We agreed and felt sure that "something" would happen but kind of expected maybe enough would come in to satisfy the debt and perhaps allow us to buy something "pre-loved" and "reliable" or that "runs great even if it doesn't look so hot".

I'll never forget the day that Len called us up to the front after one of our morning chapel times and told us that God had placed our need on the heart of someone who chose to remain anonymous and had given $15,000.  We were overwhelmed.  I never imagined that we would get to go shopping at real dealerships.  We couldn't even personally thank the person that had given that money.  It was that same day that we received news that my dad was going to require major heart surgery.  God has a way of blessing us through the midst of trials!  The amount given was so far above what we had even felt guilty dreaming about, that it took us a while to process and understand it.  We were immersed in love.

Ultimately we decided on the little red car you see us zipping around in now.  The odometer now reads 360,000km on it (223,694miles) and it has a little more character than it used to but still runs like a top.  God is faithful.

As I listen to other people talk about their faith stories I realize that many of them have obstacles far larger than transportation.  Battles with cancer, overcoming grief or destroyed marriages and the like are these "impossible" situations.  But maybe for you the battle is more like ours was.  The solution seems like an impossible one to you.  That doesn't make it small or insignificant and the choice we make, whether to trust or not is a major one.

My point is very simply this:  God knows exactly what you're going through so you can trust Him completely!  If God had only brought in a fraction of what he did for that vehicle we would still consider Him faithful to us.  I know that He doesn't always overwhelm us on these trust issues but every once in a while I think he gets a big kick out of that $15,000 anonymous check.  I think He did it to remind us that He really is the God who Provides.  I think He did it so that we would share the story and encourage you and others as well.  I think He did it to affirm in us the simple fact that God's economy works on His terms, and His terms are very, very good.  I think He did it because even though there is SO MUCH MORE to God's blessings than material things, we all understand dollars and cents pretty well.  I think He did it because we needed to be washed over by the magnitude of grace, mercy and hope.

We didn't do anything to deserve those gifts (and there were other ones given with just as much sacrifice and love as the big one too).  I don't know that our attitudes were always 100% correct concerning the situation either and yet we both know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves us in word and in deed.

Be encouraged!