November 2023 – The Self Cleaning House

In the intricate tapestry of your life, God intricately cares for every detail. Jeremiah 29:11 reassures us of His divine plans: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Let this truth resonate; God’s love for you is immeasurable.

God loves you and wants to give you blessings. He cares about every little thing that happens in your life. He planned you to be here, right now in this moment. He cares about things that seems trivial to some but to us at the time are important.

My mother always prayed on the way to the grocery store that she would get a good parking space. She didn’t get around very well and that was important to her. I remembered that one day as I was parking at Costco with two little ones and something I needed to return. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get us and the item inside. I prayed that someone would give me a cart when we got there. God listened and provided. An older gentleman asked if I would like a cart as I was getting the baby out of the car. I was brought to tears that God cared enough to provide something so insignificant but so important at the moment.

John 3:16 encapsulates the profound depth of His love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This sacrificial act signifies an unparalleled love.

Faith, an active choice, anchors us in God’s promises. His words, universal and eternal, extend to everyone, perpetually including you. Even when it seems He’s distant, similar to a parent guiding with love, God orchestrates our lives, foreseeing what’s best.

“God will not permit any troubles to come upon us unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.”
– Peter Marshall

Consider Luke 11:13: “If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” The essence lies in aligning our desires with God’s will.

Psalms 37:4-5 illuminates this alignment: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” God isn’t a wish-granting genie; rather, He understands our needs better than we do.

Delighting in the Lord involves more than routine; it’s a continuous conversation and relationship throughout the day, much like the joy found in daily interactions with a loved one. I text my husband often throughout the day. He responds when he is able. We enjoy texting each other. I look forward to getting a message from him. I think God is the same way. He wants us to talk to him not once a day, but all throughout the day because we desire, “delight” in having a conversation with Him and having a close relationship.

Delight in Him, align your life with His, and trust in His wisdom, spend time with Him to know Him better and commit your way to the Lord, meaning to submit the way we live our lives, then our desires will be His desires and he will bring those things to pass. —this is the recipe for God to fulfill your desires. He longs to shower blessings upon you; all you need to do is open your heart to receive.

A few weeks ago, my mom passed away. She was an amazing woman, blessed with numerous gifts and talents that touched the lives of many. It’s challenging to comprehend the extent of her impact. Recently, we held a service to celebrate her life, and the turnout was overwhelming. Person after person, each sharing a unique connection with her—be it as a beloved schoolteacher, a recipient of her prayers, or someone she supported during tough times—stood up to share their memories. I feel profoundly honored to have called her my mom and was moved by the stories of lives she touched and changed.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
Proverbs 31:20

Today, I went to the Assisted Living home to collect her belongings. Armed with several boxes, I only brought two inside. It became apparent that many things needed to be discarded, prompting me to request a garbage sack. I carefully folded her clothes and placed them in the boxes, intending to donate them to a charity where someone else can appreciate them. Two apple boxes were all it took to contain her entire worldly possessions. It struck me—this was all she had, all she ever needed, and now she didn’t need any of it.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t take it with you,” but its profound truth resonated with me in that moment. My mom doesn’t care about the stuff she used to collect—the yarn, the fabric, the dishes. Whatever she’s doing in heaven, it certainly doesn’t involve missing her possessions.

The next time you find yourself decluttering or deciding whether to keep something, remember, in the end, none of it holds much importance. You can’t take it with you.