Oh, How He Loves Me!

Whom of us do not long to be loved in such a moving way that people notice you are loved?  In Song of Solomon, chapter 2 verse 4, it says that Solomon took his darling lady to a banquet, and the word of God says his banner over her was love...that means the he didn't have to tell everyone he loved her, they knew he loved her by the way he treated her, the way he looked at her...oh to be loved in that way!

Song of Solomon is a written example for us of how our Heavenly Father loves us, and we have the opportunity to relish in His love if we would only open our eyes to see Him.  I had the opportunity this past Saturday:

I will be going out of town later in the week to go see my husband, so our children are going to spend 2-3 weeks with our family in IL and MO.  Saturday I had plans to meet up with our family in Chattanooga to 'deliver' the kids around 11AM.  I had the truck packed Friday night, even down to the flip flops the kids were going to wear the next day, all we had to do Saturday morning is get up, get in the truck and go.  We left the house around 5:45AM.  During the trip North, a couple of the younger kids who had been a little whiny and had fallen asleep.  So, even though I knew it would be close, I did not stop and get gas...I did a mileage calculation in my head and determined that I had plenty of gas to make it to Exit 152 off I-24.  Although a few gas billboards captured my attention a few times, I blew them off and reasoned with myself that we would make it just fine.
We listened to Paws and Tales on the radio, a Saturday morning kids program, while we listened we heard of how God had altered a little girl's day in such a way to save a man's life.  Although she was initially annoyed at the constant interruptions, her grandfather wisely pointed her to the fact that those interruptions are what God had used to save a man's life.  All the while I was asking my Lord, are you trying to say something to me here?
Well, 9:30 came around and we were nearing our exit, I started doing the countdown for the kids, who were rather anxious to get out of the truck!  8 miles I said, 6 more miles...only 3 miles and we'll be there!  Then, ah, only 2 miles left...then uh-oh!  The service engine light started flashing, I tried to accelerate, but the gas pedal did nothing to increase our speed!  We had just had the transmission and motor replaced a week or two prior and I was still a bit weary about the dependability of it.  I felt like the Lord was telling me to manually put the truck in 3rd gear, so I down-shifted it into 3rd...of course it slowed us more, and I was still unable to control the speed with the gas pedal.  Then the steering wheel grew tight and I knew the truck was dead.
We were 1 mile from the exit...we were literally parked beside the sign that said 'Lodging next exit'...I could see Lowe's and Wal Mart and Cracker Barrel!  I immediately began to pray, what would you have me do, Lord?  I have 6 children, I am 1 mile from the exit, I have a double stroller in the back, I still have an hour and a half before I am supposed to meet Darrell...what do You want me to do, Lord?  So, I tried to call Darrell, no answer.  So, I hopped  out of the truck and was immediately overcome with emotions.  I was frustrated because I could not hear what God wanted me to do.  I was not thinking clearly and I needed His wisdom.  I called a friend.  She empathized, then prayed with and for me.  When I hung the phone up, I had a renewed strength, the emotions were no longer over-riding my thoughts, and I could hear my sweet Jesus' voice.  He simply said, I have it under control.
So, I got the double stroller out, pulled it over into the grass and began handing out flip-flops.  Just then my phone rang, it was Darrell.  He had already passed me and was 8 miles from Chattanooga near exit 169.  My Lord sent them out early because He knew I would dismiss His calls telling me that I needed to get gas!!  I put the stroller back in the truck and we waited as the Lord sent two men in His shining armour to our rescue! 
Thankfully, I had simply ran out of gas, as we piled into Phillip's SUV, we headed for the exit to get my truck back up and running, and I saw why my Lord had me put the truck in a lower gear to slow me down.  Just over the slight hill from where I was, construction had been started, there were no shoulders on that part of the road, there were concrete barriers on both sides.  I literally would have had no place to park, and we would have been exposed to the oncoming traffic as they went over the hill.

A couple weeks ago as I was praying I told the Lord that I wanted to know Him more.  As I conversed with Him I related that when I get to know another person, we talk, not only about our past or our dreams for the future, but we talk about what is going on right now, what did you do today.  I lamented to the Lord that I felt like that was where I had a void from Him.  I begged Him, Lord, show me what you do all day!  I had pictured Him just sitting on His throne looking down on us, moving His finger as His will takes place.  Yesterday, Saturday, May 28, 2011, He showed me what He was doing all day.  He spoke to Darrell and Phillip and had them leave early, He spoke to me about getting gas, but I ignored Him, He encouraged me through the radio broadcast that He uses everything for good for those who love Him.  Then most importantly as I drove home and reflected on the day, He showed me that His love isn't most evident when everything is going right and all is well...but when we need Him most and seek for Him.

Open your eyes, ears and heart to Him today...what has He done today in your life?