Sometimes I forget that the gift of God is the gift of His loving, involved presence in lives. It is such a joy to see evidence of God’s awareness of our desires—of His involvement in the lives of individuals. Serving others in the name of Christ, investing your time in reaching out to others that they might feel the goodness of God puts you on the front row to see HIM at work.
In the book of Isaiah, we read the beautiful prophecy:
All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14 NLT
It is easy for us to be blind to the gifts of God. We think that the things that happen are just happy coincidences, but that impoverishes our spirit. It robs us of seeing His glory.
Join me in celebrating the generosity of God in these little snippets. All occurred in the last few days.
A Warm Coat
Many of us take a warm coat for granted. Indeed, we’re likely to have a few coats to choose the one that fits our “need” on any given day. But that’s not everyone’s reality.
Coat drives are common in most areas, and a free coat is usually readily available. This year the hurricane devastation in the mountains has diverted many of the usual resources. The weather in the south has been unusually cold for this time of year. Both of these situations sent me on the hunt for a coat for a young lady. The power of social media delivered an answer in less than an hour.
“I have two coats I can bring so she can make a choice,” was the ready reply. “I’ll bring them today.” Before she could deliver the coats, a second call came into the office. “We have a client who is homeless – and wearing only a t-shirt. Do you have any coats?” God saw this need — and met it before we even knew about it!
God’s detailed orchestration of events never ceases to amaze me. But He didn’t stop at just ‘provision.’ When the first young lady saw the coats, she exclaimed, 
“I’ve always wanted a coat like this!” She saw God at work and said, “God did this, didn’t He?”
God wants to reveal Himself to each of us. That is a wonderful reality! And He does it in the most unusual ways. Look at this:
A Candy Apple
Have you seen those beautiful (and expensive) chocolate candy apples? A little girl had seen one when shopping with her grandma. But the cost was more than Grandma could afford. In fact, their family relies on the local food pantry to meet their needs. There are no extra funds for frivolous purchases. As they came together to the pantry for their December pick up, a bag caught the eye of the grandmother. “What is that?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s just a candy apple,” was the nonchalant reply.
Grandma’s eyes teared up – and so did the volunteers when she shared her granddaughter’s request. The goodness of God astounds us when we embrace the privilege of glimpsing Him at work!
A Calendar
One final sweet story of God meeting a wish within the hour of its expression. In a ‘family meeting’ at our transitional house, one resident saw a calendar another was using. “I need something like that,” she exclaimed.
The meeting concluded and the ladies went on to a Christmas gathering. The typical gift exchange ensued, and I’m sure you can guess the results. The gift she received was a calendar just like she had seen.
God IS with YOU!
God cares about the details of every life. Ask Him to give you vision. In Deuteronomy, we read that the Israelites did not see the blessings God gave them as they wandered in the desert. Their shoes didn’t wear out. They did not lack food or water. Too often, we are like the Israelites.
We focus on the struggles we see and miss the signs of His presence. God is with us. He is all-powerful. He is generous. Help others know His goodness. You will be blessed.
And if you are in a desert period, look for the blessings He is giving. Know He has good things planned for you. Don’t let what you see blind you to His presence. We walk by faith—that is the only way to please Him. God is with you. Rejoice!
