Postmaster Bob, in charge of undeliverable mail, received an envelope addressed to “God,” written in very shaky penmanship. Bob curiously opened the letter and read: “Dear God, its Ruth. As I’m sure you know I’m 84 years old and I recently lost my purse and any money that I had. Mother’s day is in a few weeks and I had already invited a few friends over for dinner after church on that Sunday. Without a miracle from you, I’m going to have to cancel. If it’s not too much to ask, could you please replace the $100.00 that I lost so that we can have our Mother’s day gathering as planned?”
Bob was so touched by the letter that he shared it with his coworkers and together they dug in their wallets and came up with $96.00 to send to Ruth. That entire day Bob’s heart overflowed, knowing God had used him to help Ruth out.
A few weeks passed by and another letter to “God” arrived. Bob now recognized Ruth’s shaking scribe and quickly opened it up. Bob read… “Dear God. Thank you so much for Your help with our Mother’s day party, it was a huge success! However… it was $4.00 short. Mostly likely those thieves that work in the post office have Your money.
God didn’t answer quite the way Ruth had intended. I’m sure her party lacked nothing, and if only she’d recognized the miracle that had taken place on her behalf, her celebration would have been that much greater!
A recent miracle of my own had me feeling a tad like Ruth. God answered my prayer, but I didn’t feel that I was “fully delivered” from my woes. I was in a “Thank You Jesus, but…” kind of mode. God had delivered me! If only I could get in the flesh without chastisement, I’d tell you. Please just take my word for it. But… because life wasn’t perfect, I was feeling a little short changed. I needed my $4.00. Oh… I feel nauseous to even say it. I mean God was soooooooooooooooooooooo Good to me. But I want to be honest, because perhaps you’ve been where I am, or you will be one day. And then today God spoke to me through His Word and I’m so grateful.
Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God’s vantage point on my life is incomprehensive to me. His ways are not my ways, and His ways are never $4.00 short. I don’t know why Ruth received a $96.00 miracle instead of a $100.00 one. I have a feeling the $4.00 came along, right on time because God is not a 96% God, is a 100% God!
All I can say is “I’m human.”Sometimes I get in the flesh and it’s never good. I’m so grateful for His forgiveness of my abundance of shortfalls including $4.00 faith. Amen.
