My Proverb

So many things have been on my mind this week, I don’t know where to begin.  I’ve spent a great deal of time in reflection as I realize I am the age I considered old as a child.  As a matter of fact, I am the age I considered old as a young adult.  Today (Jan. 16) I celebrate my 45th Birthday.  Like my 40th birthday I wanted to spend it in Hawaii, but circumstances didn’t support such a trip.  Five years later we plan to be adventurous and eat dinner inside at a restaurant to celebrate this milestone. 

As the day has been approaching, I’ve been thinking.  First, it is an awesome act of God to even still be alive.  Most recently, I’ve survived months of a pandemic without becoming sick.  I’ve had high blood pressure for years, I’ve been overweight for years.  I’ve reached a point in which I can maintain my weight, but have difficulty with losing it - but, for me, maintaining is a huge step.  There was a period when I thought my vehicles were magnets attracting other cars into wrecks and I was afraid to drive.  I have survived a divorce and the suicidal thoughts that came with it.  To be “old,” I’d say I am in overall good health-no major aches or pains.  My feet hurt first thing in the morning.  I can no longer walk around barefoot, I must wear my slippers.   I sometimes can’t recall names of people or the specific order of events as I tell a story.  My coworkers laugh at me for drinking hot water.  I finish my coffee then refill my cup with water and heat it in the microwave - I don’t know why I like it, but I do, twice a day!  The only thing that has really become a problem is my vision - or shall I say, my eyesight.  I have Dollar Tree readers and Blue-Light readers stashed everywhere, and two pairs of prescription bifocals.  I’m at the point where I can’t even recognize myself on a Zoom screen without glasses.  My vision, however, I think is strong.

On Friday, I read my Proverb to be reminded of the Scriptures written just for me.  There are 31 chapters of Proverbs, one for each day of the month, so your Proverb is the one for your birthday.  Immediately, I know Proverbs 16 is for me.  Verse 1 and verse 9, “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.  9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”  I am a planner.  I am a thinker, I like to do the research, do the calculations, and work out all the details.  I struggle with allowing things to “just happen organically” or leaving things to chance - or leaving things to the Lord.   I pray without ceasing, but I also think without ceasing, and when His answer is not obvious to me, I fill-in with my own plans.  If I don’t hear from God, I assume He is telling me to do it my way.  And that must stop.  My Proverb continues, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.  3Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 4The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. 5The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”

This past week we studied Genesis 24.  In this chapter, Sarah has died and Abraham is old.  He asks his servant to travel 600 miles to his country of birth to find and bring back a wife for his son, Isaac.  As I read this, I found myself in the servant’s question, “5The servant asked him, ‘What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?’”  Abraham responds, emphatically NO.  He tells the servant that God has sent an angel before him to make the process simpler when he arrives.  The servant prepares the camels and they make the trip.  When they arrive it is almost evening, but probably several days later.  It was at the time when the women came out to fill their jars with water.  The servant climbs down from his camel and begins to pray.  He asked the Lord to make the trip successful.  He asks the Lord to make it such that whichever woman he asks for water, if she also offered to water his camels, then that be the wife for Isaac.  ​

---

15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

17The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

18“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

This passage made my whole spine tingle.  Before he had finished praying - his prayer was answered. The God the servant prayed to, the God of Abraham, the God who sent an angel before him to make the journey successful, is the same God to whom my prayers are directed.  The servant proposed a plan, but presented it to God, apparently God agreed and it was so.  I am so inspired by this story.  In the words of Tye Tribbet, “If He did it before, He can do it again.” 

During my 45th year of life, I want to renew my prayer life.  I may start a prayer journal to put my prayers in writing.  Our family started the year with a big prayer.  Well, it's big for us, but it's not big for the Lord.  It’s a process, we know, and He is working.  We have already seen His hand at work.  I’m trying not to worry, but I’ve done calculations and have considered plan B, C, and D, but I try to remain patient, as He knows my prayer.  I prayed to the most high God and He will answer in full, I am sure.  Once He does, I will share the testimony and praise with you.  AMEN.



Thank you for reading!
Read your Proverb!
Kim