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> Phil, Sandy, Lelia and Julie will probably remember this day that had a
> storm. But here's just a small miracle God did for us that was big in our
> eyes.
>
> Anybody got a boat?
>
> Have you ever had one of those mornings where you got out of bed on the
> wrong side and there was no way to crawl back in and get out on the right
> side? Well, that was me on Wednesday morning August 18thof 2004. Woke with
> a headache in a less than desirable mood. Then I couldn't find this or that
> in the process of getting breakfast and heading off to work. Just as I was
> going out the door, the last straw happened causing me to loose my temper.
> On top of that, Rory went back to bed and wasn't ready to go to work. He
> had to be called several times as well as be gently but firmly coaxed out of
> his cozy bed. By the time I got to the bus I really did have a headache,
> and the loss of my temper had me feeling far less than my ideal picture of
> how a victorious Christian should feel.
>
> After boarding the city bus, I pulled out my Bible and began reading from
> Psalms 86. Several verses jumped out at me. Here they are from The
> Message.
>
> "Bend an ear, GOD; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!" Thinking to
> myself how true that felt, I came to verse 5. "You're well-known as good and
> forgiving, big-hearted to all who ask for help. I continued reading. 6Pay
> attention, GOD, to my prayer;
>
> 10"For you are great and perform great miracles.
> You alone are God.
> 11Teach me your ways, O LORD,
> that I may live according to your truth!
> Grant me purity of heart,
> that I may honor you.
>
> 12With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
> I will give glory to your name forever,
>
> 13For your love for me is very great.
> You have rescued me from the depths of death!"
>
> Verse 5 especially spoke to me. In New King James it reads:
> Verse 5: "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
> And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You."
>
> And verse 15. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
> Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
>
> As a side comment, note the references to truth in these verses. It is
> interesting studying truth, as it is referred to, time and time in both the
> Old and New Testaments. I've been looking at what God says about truth
> lately; both by studying it out and by experiential learning.
>
> Back to my story. I took time right in the middle of the bus full of other
> commuters to quietly talk with the Lord, calling on him for his forgiveness
> which he graciously granted, according to his word. I began thinking about
> His goodness, and what he had not only done for me in answering my prayer,
> but how he had been with me in the past. How he had been there for me in
> every way. By the time I got to work my attitude had completely changed, my
> heart was lighter, and there was a difference in even the steps I took along
> the familiar path to the office. I went through the day aware somewhere in
> my consciousness that for this day I would trust in his never ending mercy
> and love.
>
> Shortly before work ended, the weather changed markedly. The wind began
> blowing with determination and big rain drops fell faster and faster until
> they relentlessly pounded the large full length plate glass window pain next
> to my desk. I realized that it was a good thing I hadn't left work at my
> regular time, and was still able to call my husband for a ride. We could
> barely hear one another on the phone as we spoke together.
>
> The way home was slow going because of the high water and unbelievable
> traffic. And the rain kept coming in steady sheets. It suddenly dawned on
> me that I never closed the upstairs window, which I'm always careful to do
> before leaving in the mornings, and my heart almost skipped a beat. But,
> not on this day. I started to feel irritation and concern about my own
> careless omission. I thought, "I'm gunna need a boat to clean up this huge
> mess, and who knows what else I'll need." I wondered about insurance
> coverage and cost. I made excuses for the error and was just going to think
> all those negative self blame thoughts once more, wondering what a mess I'd
> come home to when verse 15 suddenly invaded my blame game. "But You, O Lord,
> are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in
> mercy and truth." I had trusted and relaxed in his mercy all day. Why
> should that change now. Because my circumstances had changed? I resolved to
> continue to trust in his mercy, and truth,, and take his peace. Yes, I
> still felt concern, but no longer did I feel the sting of worry and blame.
> I realized that I couldn't do a thing about the open window with the rain
> pouring in right now. And how far open was that window, I wondered.
> However, we were sitting in traffic going nowhere fast. There were big van
> shaking booms of thunder and constant jagged flashes of lightning and the
> rain was continuing to pound on our gold colored van. It's a good thing it
> wasn't hail. I don't ever remember seeing rain come down like that in
> Colorado. There was one June first several years ago, that came close to
> it.
>
> It was more than an half hour before we could get home. When we arrived,
> John noted that the window was definitely wide open. We made a run for it,
> from the van to the back door in the deluge. After getting inside, I could
> immediately picture the rain pouring down from the open window, which faces
> north and running down the attic stairs like a river on to the floor and
> furniture below. I didn't even want to check on it so I asked John to
> please check. I held my breath. When he returned, he reported that there
> was just a small amount of water on the window sill. That was all. I could
> hardly believe my ears. That window faces north and always lets rain in.
> And furthermore, it rolls off the sill and down the wall in just seconds. I
> 've been in the kitchen doing dishes when I hear the rain start to fall.
> Seconds later, when I dash up the stairs to close the window, water is
> everywhere. So I asked him what he had said, and he repeated it. I
> thought, "incredible." A few minutes later, I went to see for myself. John
> had closed the window. When I opened it, I found that the screen was
> absolutely soaked. The water was still on the window sill, and only on the
> sill. I thought to myself how truly amazing that was. There was no water
> drenched carpet or ruined furniture. No mess. No anything except for my
> keen awareness of how God had performed one of his miracles for us. The
> boat that I thought I'd need? Well, I didn't even need a bucket. I only
> needed just a small cloth to take up the water. I was the one who had
> difficulty keeping the water from slipping from the sill to the floor while
> wiping it up.
>
> Next time you think you might have some reason for needing a boat, try
> trusting in the one who says:
> That he is a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and
> abundant in mercy and truth.