The husband (didn't speak English), the wife and four kids headed from Iowa to Florida, but hit something in the road a damaged a tire. After paying for the new tire, they had little money left. So, we helped with food and a little cash. (I don't think they've yet realized how far they have to travel to reach Pensacola from north Louisiana.)
After they left, it dawned on me - it had happened again!
Here's what I mean. I've often prayed to experience more of God. I know it won't make Him love me any more, but I sometimes pray for Him to come near and be more real to me.
That prayer has been answered again and again, but often in weird ways. And one of the weirdest (if that's a word) is this - He usually sends someone my way who's in need.
What an interruption. I'm praying to know the Almighty God on a sublime level, and He sends me people. Often very needy people. They interrupt my prayers and take a toll on my quiet time.
So, what gives? What's He trying to tell me? That I need more balance? That I should cut back on the devotional time (as anemic as it often is) and be more activist? That there'll be plenty of time in Heaven to get to know Him?
Or maybe He's trying to tell me that people are higher on His love list than on mine.
I'll admit it. It seems infinitely more appealing to me to love an infinite God than finite people. I'm like the Peanuts comic strip character who, when scolded for not loving mankind, said, "I love mankind. It's people I can't stand!"
But how can I love the Infinite God without caring for people? Since He is "close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34), then when I draw near to God, I catch the aroma of suffering people. Maybe that's what He's trying to tell me.
The more I pray to know Him, the more He thrusts me toward broken people, so I'll rely more on Him to enter those gritty situations with me and make a difference.
What a weird way to answer my prayer. That ever happened to you?
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