HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!

 

HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!

Hebrews 13:16 - Make sure you don't take things for granted and go
slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others.
God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship -- a different kind of
"sacrifice" -- that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the
streets. (MSG)

At a grocery store in our town, the shopping carts are locked together,
but inserting a quarter releases a cart. When we are done, we put the
cart back and we get our quarter back. Many times when we are done,
people will approach us before we get the cart back, give us their
quarter, and take our cart. On this particular day as I was returning
the cart to the storage area, a lady approached me. At first, I did not
hear her ask for the cart. Just as I was about to put the cart into the
row, I heard her say again, "I can take that cart." I immediately turned
and said, "Here you go." As she went to pass me the quarter, I said,
"No, that's okay." Her reply was, "Here", and she tried to hand me the
quarter. Again I said, "No, that's okay." Her reply was, "Hey! You can't
do that!" I was about to take the quarter to avoid upsetting her, when
out of my mouth came, "I was bought by a price, and He came for all
who want to receive Him, so please take my cart as a blessing to you."
We spoke a bit more, and then, she took the cart, and I left minus a
quarter but with a great personal blessing.

We know we are to spread the good news of Jesus. At times, we know
what we need to say to people, and then there are the times when we
least expect it that He gives us the words and speaks into someone's
life. I have no doubt that the Lord wanted to speak into this lady's life,
and He used me in this moment. I also recognize again how important
it is to hear His voice or feel His prompting. When I had left home that
morning, I had not planned to be at the grocery store at that time, but
felt something prompting me to go there as my first errand and not the
second, as I had planned.

Philemon 1:6 - I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so
that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in
Christ. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that Your timing is always perfect. Help us
to have more of those moments when we can be vessels to shed Your
light into someone's life. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Julie Bowles <julieanni@rogers.com>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Your emotions are the shallowest part of your nature.
Salvation is the deepest work of God.
He is not going to do His deepest work in the shallowest part.

The story of Jonah

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