Thursday, March 25, 2021

A DAILY GIFT!

 In Lamentations 3:22-24, we read: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,' says my soul. 'Therefore I hope in Him!’"


"But you don't understand. I don't deserve a gift." Aunt Janie nodded.

A DAILY GIFT
"Believe me, I understand." Cing's eyebrow lifted.

"Ben was concerned about a camper with a Perthes hip. If he didn't keep weight off it, it wouldn't heal properly. He asked me to go with him to visit Jimmy.

"Leaving the paved road, the lane, rutted and filled with potholes, took forever before we arrived at the small house. The steps clung to the supports, sagging in the process. 

"A woman came to the porch, a little girl clinging to her skirts. Her thin frame showed she fed her family first. Ben walked up to the steps. Before he could introduce himself, Jimmy came running around the house. He jerked to a stop.

"Mr. Ben," he said. "You came." Ben grinned.

"Told you I would and I see you're putting pressure on your hip." Jimmy looked down, dug his toe in the dirt.

Invited in, Jimmy's mom removed a chicken from the easy chair. She gave it a good brushing, insisted I sit there. Ben explained why Jimmy needed to protect his hip and how to care for it. 

"'Thank you for taking time to see about my Jimmy. He loved camp and talks about you.' She looked at me.

"'Before you go...' She hurried into the back room, returned with a package of hose. 

"'Until you better paid,' she trusted it at me. Y'all will never know what this visit means,' her voice wobbled.

"Ben nudged me, nodded his head. How could I take her hose? Her new ones? I swallowed the lump.

"'Thank you.' I kept that gift for many years. A reminder of the many ways I'm blessed because God is Faithful. He is compassionate and merciful--all the time."

"Did you see Jimmy again?" Aunt Janie smiled.

"After medical school, during internship, Ben walked in, leaned against the kitchen door. 'Guess who I saw today?' He grinned at my shrug. 'Jimmy. He looks great. Hip healed.' He reached for my hand. 'We serve an awesome God.'"

"So what you're telling me is it's all about Him?" 

"Absolutely, Cing. All because of His Mercies and His Compassion." She bit her bottom lip, nodded.

Kingdom Thinking. Because of the Lord’s mercies, He promises never to leave nor forsake me. He loves me with an everlasting love. His compassions are new every morning--a daily gift. He offers the same to you. Won’t you come?