The Giants of Life

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, with the semester coming to an end I have a ton of stuff to do right now. I keep coming up with things I would like to share, but hate to stop & take up the time with posting, when I should probably be doing homework. Today in Chapel however, the message provoked thoughts that I really felt were worthy of sharing. The speaker today preached on David & Goliath. I know...I know, that's kid's stuff, but is it really? At this time, with all my papers, verses to memorize, then end is just around the corner with finals looming in the shadow...I have a lot of Giants, that humanly speaking seem impossible to defeat. These verses particularly, seem impossible to get done on time. I should have been working on them more throughout the semester, but other things kept coming up so I pushed the verses off, 'cause they weren't due 'til the end anyway...BAD IDEA!!! Anyway, our speaker in Chapel took us back to Deuteronomy, where over and over God promised Israel that although they were about to encounter nations '...greater and mightier than yourselves...' (Deut. 9:1) 'When you go out ...and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own,...' (Deut. 20:1a) Both of these passages go on to say that when this happens they had no need to fear, because God would be right there leading them. The same God who brought them out of Egypt. But when we get to 1 Samuel 17, and the Israelite were faced with the Philistine Army, they were afraid, because humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to defeat the Giant Goliath. Then David, coming to the rescue, reminded them that God is bigger than any Giant. God was with him when he defeated a bear, and a lion, God would be there to help him defeat Goliath. David had such confidence that he even told Goliath to his face that God '...will give you into our hand.' (1 Sam. 17:47) So, if God can help David defeat a Giant in battle, with nothing more than a sling and a few stones, can he not help me with some verse memory (that I have due in 3 days even)? What about you, do you have some seeming impossible tasks in front of you? Maybe it is homework that needs to be completed in just a few days, or is it bills that are due and you don't have any money left to pay them? Remember that God knows exactly what it is that you have to do. He allowed each and every task into your life, and he will not allow anything into our lives that we do not have the ability (through him) to conquer (1 Cor. 10:13)

Even the 'Little things'...

So, I really wanted to share with everyone the BIG BLESSING I received today. This weekend in the Fall play here at NIU, and I've really been wanting to go but haven't had the money to buy a ticket. Tickets really aren't expensive, but when you have 35 cents to your name, it can't really buy much. I had mentioned to a friend, and to my mom on the phone that I wanted to go, but...I had also been praying that a way would be provided so I COULD go. Time got really close, and I just started thinking that I wasn't going to go, 'Oh, Well...' It really isn't that big of a deal, and it is such a little thing, but I'm not coming back to Northland next semester. I'm still thinking about whether or not I will be coming back in a couple years, after I finish an Associate's at another school, but that idea is still up in the air. Anyway, I guess God just had another plan for my weekend...
I went to check my mail today, I don't check it everyday and it just seemed like a good time to look. I was on my way to chapel, and I looked in my box and found an envelope with Northlands logo on it...I was really not sure what it was, it looked like it was maybe from the business office? I opened it, and pulled out the slip of paper and to my astonishment found a coupon entitling me to a FREE ticket to the play!!! I started thanking God immediately, because whether it is a friend who did it, or just someone who heard that I wanted to go & paid for the ticket, God answered my prayer for a way to go!!!
It brought me back to the lessons I've been learning throughout the semester about the greatness of God's love for us!!! I'm just a little speck in this great universe, but God loves me enough to provide a little ticket to go to the play because it was something that I wanted to do!!! I can't understand how I EVER doubt his love & care for me, at times like this my perspective is all brought back into alignment with Who really matters!!! I have heard the comment several times, 'It doesn't matter Who I am, but Whose I am.'
How about you, has God provided a seeming little thing for YOU today? Could it have been simply to remind you that even the little things in your life matter to Him? Whose are you?

Hope this 'little thing' has been an encouragement to you, remember God cares about even the 'little things' in life!!!

Jenn