Answered Prayer... and the Broken Chair

 As I inserted the key into the lock, my heart began to race.  Ok, I am the first to say I love technology, but finding a home 25 hours away through facetime, that is even a stretch for this tech lover.  As the door swung open myself and two of my boys walked into our new home for the next few years, for the first time.  It was beautiful… new paint, tile floors, just enough room, not too big, not too small.  All the space this mama wanted to clean.  We were home…sounds great right?  But I didn’t have my STUFF.  So, for the next week we enjoyed the adventure of blowup mattresses and movies on what the boys would say was a “much too small TV”.  So the day that a box with a piece of furniture was delivered to my door was a day of rejoicing to say the least.  One of the two chairs I had ordered arrived.  I felt like Goldilocks… I kept telling the boys.  It’s just right, your Dad is going to love it.  So, to my wonder, the next day the other matching chair arrives.  So now the two “old” people in the house would have matching chairs to drink coffee and conversate!!!  Just what I wanted… they were perfect… Until.  As I began to sit down in my new purchase, I noticed a small tear on the side.  What???? I was so disappointed.  I proceeded to call the company, not to complain, my goodness they didn’t send me a damaged item on purpose.  I just wanted to see if I could somehow fix it.   

 A sweet voice answers the customer service call and proceeds to do all she can to help me.  It wasn’t too far into our conversation that I sensed that my phone call was meant for something more.  An hour later, great conversation, tears and my furniture issue solved, this sweet voice says, “Mrs. Lewis, I was supposed to be on lunch break.  But I took this call.  I am so thankful I did.  Every prayer I prayed this morning God answered when I was able to speak with you.  Little did she know that she was as much an answer to prayer for me as I was to her.  You see, over the last several months of many changes in our family’s life, I began to ask God how I would continue to do what I felt he called me to do now that our life looked different.  That day God showed me that I needed to be sure my focus stayed on HIM, he would handle the HOW!

Matthew 6:33  

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I love this scripture.  God simply says… seek ME and ALL (I love that little word), he said ALL, in my terms “erythang”!!! will be added to you!!! Those prayers you are praying, keep praying, be fervent, but don’t let your needs blur the necessary.  What’s necessary..??? Your praise, your dedication to being in the word, your desire to hear HIS voice.  He says if you FOCUS on HIM all the other things will become clear.  God showed me something profound that day…What may seem like an inconvenience, may just be an answer to prayer.

When you have to run that extra errand because something did not go the way you thought… look past the inconvenience for your opportunity!

When your internet and cable just won’t work…God just might be sending a tech your way who would never go to church to seek out Jesus, but will find him when he steps into your home.

When you are facing a Doctor’s visit that has you concerned, ask God to give you faith to believe he is able and his VISION to see the opportunity through the uncertainty.  You never know who he is placing in your path!

I will never sit in that chair without remembering my customer service call that day.  You see the tear is still there.  The way I see it now is just different…It wasn’t my inconvenience… It was my opportunity.  So as I sat down in the evening in my chair, leaned my chair back, and my hand brushed the small tear on the arm, I looked across the room and saw the 3rd chair that was “added” to our room because of our inconvenience. In that moment, God simply reminded me…

Seek me first, and I will ADD so much to your life… Peace, Joy, Love, Patience, Kindness, Faith…

Will this mean life will be perfect… Surely NOT!!!...but it will assure us that our life is PURPOSED!!!