You are invited to join us as we begin offering “A Course In Miracles” beginning Wednesday, Jan. 14 and then every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. in our Community Room on the first floor, right off the parking lot next to the church. The admission is free.
I love a story from the Hebrew Scripture. It’s a story about obedience, faith, action and abundance!
This dear woman in our story is in a pretty big mess. Her husband, the sole provider of the house died, leaving her with two children and a debt that she can’t pay. She’s at her wits end, and right in the middle of despair and seeming impossibility, a miracle of God’s abundant provision takes place.
I have a book in my office by Rev. Tommy Barnett and using this story has come up with his version of the 10 Commandments for the “making of a miracle.” Let’s get started.
Know where to go when you don’t know what to do.
Here’s this widow, she wasn’t left with a huge life insurance policy or any inheritance, and she was left with no food and no Social Security. In the midst of her struggle she turned to God. She didn’t just say, “If only!” She turned to God who says, “I already!”
Where we place our expectations determines our outcome. How many of you have been disappointed by people, even well-meaning people? If we keep on looking to other people to meet our needs we’re going to be disappointed over and over again. Look to God to meet your needs. Quit rehearsing your complaints to others and turn your anxiety into prayer. (My life verse.)
Look to God as your source.
The prophet Elisha’s response might have surprised this woman, “What do you want me to do about it?”
I think he was refusing to let her put her faith in him. Why? So she would keep it focused on God. Elisha pointed her to the source of her miracle. God’s wisdom and help will far surpass what anyone else can do for us.
Find out what’s in the house.
Like the woman in need, we get so caught up in what we don’t have that we fail to see the possibilities of what we do have. Lyn Malone in a staff meeting said, “We have everything we need right here in our congregation.” A prophetic message.
This widow’s faith started in Elisha, and he quickly redirected her faith by asking, “What do you have in the house?” What a great question! God had already given her the beginnings of her miracle!
Don’t be blinded by negative thinking.
Her first reaction, like many of ours in crisis is, “Oh me! Oh my! What am I going to do now?” That was the widow’s frame of mind when she said, “I have nothing in the house except this little jar of oil!”
She started out negative, but quickly moved to the positive.
Read Part II of “There’s a miracle in your house” at LGBTweekly.com next Thursday, Jan. 15.
