And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
We have a day dog.
We met him on a walk.
He was running the rails wild and free on a cold November evening and followed us home.
We are dog people… so he was invited in the house… and welcomed with a little rotisserie chicken… and some water… and of course, lots of love.
It was a very cold night.
We tried to find out where he lived that evening to no avail.
We put him outside thinking he might go home from whence he came.
He didn’t.
It might have been the chicken…or the fire in the fire place… or the ear scratches… or the fact that we let him on our couch.
As I said, we are dog people.
Not knowing his name and needing to call him something, I called him “Bandit”.
The next day we did find out where he lived and took him home.
His owner is a single working mom of two in diapers, with added responsibilities for her own mom who is battling cancer, and as of this writing, is receiving hospice care.
She has her hands full in spades.
The dog returned the next day and the next day and the next.
(It might have been the chicken… or the fact that we let him sleep on our bed that first night.
Did I mention we are dog people?)
We call him our “day dog” because this extremely smart clown of a dog shows up several days a week and interrupts and inconveniences us and we throw a ball and teach him tricks with treats and walk him, then take him home.
We have gotten to know his owner and her children and her mom.
Our day dog quickly became an ambassador dog forming a new relationship offering us the opportunity to live out God’s love in a place of need.
I share this story because it has made me think of God’s great provision and how so often,
God supplying needs these days isn’t as much manna falling from the sky
as it is someone seeing a need and being willing to meet that need.
Which made me think of this scripture, then made me think of you.
Yes, “my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”
and Church, you are those riches!
You are part of the riches through which God supplies what is needed to:
the broken heart,
the lost wanderer,
the hungry in body,
the growing inquisitor,
the seeking soul,
the young, the old, and the in-between.
You are glorious!
You, your care, your creativity, your commitment, your love, and your welcome, extended through the ministries which you faithfully live out every day, are part and parcel of the glorious riches of God through which God makes good on God’s promise!
You are glorious!
And through the faithful loving work of pastors, laity, and churches, we are all able to become an active part of the answer to so many prayers.
As we worship and live and work and love together, we are able to realize God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven as we share the riches of God’s glorious grace!
Thank you for the many ways you live out and share God’s abundant love.
Thank you for the many ways you welcome those opportunities, convenient or not.
Thank you for your faithfulness which is indeed making disciples and transforming the world.
Thank you for being glorious!
(By the way…when we asked the owner the dog’s name…she said…Bandit!)
Always thankful for you and the gift of serving with you,
Dena
If you would like to view past editions of Grace for the Journey, follow this link: https://fairwaydistrictnc.org/category/from-the-ds/