As I sat at my desk working on an exegetical paper on a passage in Joshua, my roommate walk in and tossed something in my lap. Puzzled, I scooped it up and glanced at it as I asked him what it was. He said that it was a job application to a thrift store nearby and that I should check it out. At the time I was doing some serious job-hunting but had not had any positive results. Sure, there were lots of people praying that I would find a job, but in this economy and with the scarcity of jobs available, I must confess that I was doubtful to find anything (not to mention that my resume is not very impressive). The application was for a local homeless outreach who ran a thrift store to support the homeless shelter across town. Working at a thrift store sounded like a good possibility, so I shrugged and started filling it out.
Fifteen minutes later, I was pedaling toward downtown on my bike eager yet unsure about submitting another application. The facility was very impressive and the staff quite professional. I submitted my application as well as my resume and as I walked out those doors I was hoping for the best.
4 weeks is a long time to not hear anything. When it comes to job applications, when you don't hear anything for an entire month, it usually means that you have been forgotten. That's OK, I thought, I'm sure that God will provide something else. Disappointment was something that I had gotten used by this point and I was on the verge of giving up many times.
Well thanks be to the God that never forgets us even if companies do. I received a very unexpected phone call in the other day that went something like this:
"Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Joel Driscoll?"
"Yes it is. Can I help you?"
"The is Ms. Jane Doe from Union Gospel Mission. We were digging though some of our older applications and we stumbled across yours. We were wondering if you are still available for employment."
"Well I certainly am!" *fist pumping*
"Excellent. We'd like to meet you. Can you come in for an interview?"
"Certainly!" *more fist pumping*
You have probably guessed this already, but I went in for the interview, got the job, and will start working this Friday. As I look back and see how God provided this job, I see that He really did drop it in my lap. To those of you who were praying: Thank You.
How can I ask for any more than this? How can I ever forget that He will always provide? How can I ever doubt such a powerful God? He has given me no such reason. It blows me away how He has revealed Himself these first few months. It seems too easy to forget the goodness of God. Let us not forget who we serve and continue to trust in Christ our Savior and Lord for He is a good God.
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (and to Him who drops wonderful things in our laps!), according to His power that is at work with in us, to Him be the glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
- Ephesians 3:20-21
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Too Much yet Never Enough
Imagine that you have just won a free lifetime supply of gift cards that would cover the price for any restaurant that you go to. What would your initial response be? If you are anything normal, you might jump up and down and scream for joy. Those of us who are more reserved might just smile and then wait to jump and scream when we know that no one is looking. Such a gift would be incredible! Food is good, but free food is even more glorious; Is there anyone who would reject such an offer?
My response to getting accepted to MBI was very similar. Ok, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration. But there was jumping and fist pumping involved I'll tell you that much. Like I had just won a life time pass to freedom and excitement, I was excited to be on my way to be a missionary pilot and my spirit was flying high (pun intended). Once I arrived here in Spokane my excitement was rekindled. My time here has been absolutely phenomenal and I have been so blessed to be able to attend such an awesome school. The professors and classes have not been too difficult but they have certainly been spiritually challenging and inspiring. Spending all day in God's word and learning more about Him has been a wonderful experience. Fredrick W. Faber could not have been any more correct when he said:
"Only to sit and think of God, Oh what a Joy it is!
To think the thought, to breath the Name, Earth has no higher bliss."
God has been teaching me so much that sometimes I feel like my head is about to explode with information! As a matter of fact, there are somedays were I feel like I can not learn anymore simply because there is so much to learn.
A wonderful yet annoying truth has began to haunt me over my first few months here: God, being infinite, omnipotent, and all-knowing, is a God that we, as temporary, broken, and foolish people, can never fully understand His majesty, ways, and being. This bugs me so much! I can never fully grasp God. He is just too much for me. I can study as much as I want about theology and doctrine but this feeble mind of mine can only handle so much information. But I want so much more! I desire to understand and to comprehend the entirety of His goodness and love. Jesus is just too good to not seek Him wholeheartedly and He deserves our all. It is frustrating that we are only human and can only fill our minds to a certain point. I suppose this fact just adds to the greatness of God! If we can never fully understand Him, it gives us all the more reason to adore his majesty and awesome power. Even if he may be too much for us, he will never be enough. My mind is overflowing with Jesus...but I desire more! Just as if I had won that gift card, I have eaten too much of God's free food so I am full. It was so delicious that even though I am full, I want more!
Please do no misunderstand me. I am not in any way, shape or form saying that Christ is not good enough. He is more than enough for us. In fact He has gone far beyond all that we can hope or imagine because while we were still sinners he died for us. Even though I sin against Him everyday, He continues to be faithful and loving as He forgives me and helps me up again. All am saying is that we, in our weak and finite minds can never fully understand His greatness even we seek it to the ends of the world.
I hope that you have somehow been encouraged through this post. Our God is indeed a great God! Let us continually seek Him every day for as long as we live. I conclude with this passage from God's word:
"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."
- Psalms 27:4
"Only to sit and think of God, Oh what a Joy it is!
To think the thought, to breath the Name, Earth has no higher bliss."
God has been teaching me so much that sometimes I feel like my head is about to explode with information! As a matter of fact, there are somedays were I feel like I can not learn anymore simply because there is so much to learn.
A wonderful yet annoying truth has began to haunt me over my first few months here: God, being infinite, omnipotent, and all-knowing, is a God that we, as temporary, broken, and foolish people, can never fully understand His majesty, ways, and being. This bugs me so much! I can never fully grasp God. He is just too much for me. I can study as much as I want about theology and doctrine but this feeble mind of mine can only handle so much information. But I want so much more! I desire to understand and to comprehend the entirety of His goodness and love. Jesus is just too good to not seek Him wholeheartedly and He deserves our all. It is frustrating that we are only human and can only fill our minds to a certain point. I suppose this fact just adds to the greatness of God! If we can never fully understand Him, it gives us all the more reason to adore his majesty and awesome power. Even if he may be too much for us, he will never be enough. My mind is overflowing with Jesus...but I desire more! Just as if I had won that gift card, I have eaten too much of God's free food so I am full. It was so delicious that even though I am full, I want more!
Please do no misunderstand me. I am not in any way, shape or form saying that Christ is not good enough. He is more than enough for us. In fact He has gone far beyond all that we can hope or imagine because while we were still sinners he died for us. Even though I sin against Him everyday, He continues to be faithful and loving as He forgives me and helps me up again. All am saying is that we, in our weak and finite minds can never fully understand His greatness even we seek it to the ends of the world.
I hope that you have somehow been encouraged through this post. Our God is indeed a great God! Let us continually seek Him every day for as long as we live. I conclude with this passage from God's word:
"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."
- Psalms 27:4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)