CAN'T FIND IT? WHY NOT?

Lyn Chaffart is owner and writer of The Nugget

Lyn have graciously in time past allowed us to use her material on the Gates of Jerusalem,
hopefully time permitting I will find in our archives and be able to share once again in our new home.

CAN'T FIND IT? WHY NOT?
The other day I lost one of my baby birds. We searched everywhere, to no avail.

"Help me find that baby bird," I prayed. About then I went into the laundry room to throw something in the washer (it's amazing how much house cleaning happens when you are looking for a missing bird!), and for some reason, I felt compelled to look at the shoe rack by the washer. Sure enough, in the back, on the second row was something green. I knew we didn't have any green shoes! The lost was found!

"It's a miracle!" I cried.

Two days later my mother called to say she had lost a large, very important computer document that she had spent the last year working on. She had had it up on the desk top of her computer and it had simply "disappeared"! And what made her feel the worst was that the last back-up of this particular document was over a month old, missing a month's worth of revisions.

Needless to say, she was sick about it. She eventually called someone with computer savvy, and he was able to help her find the computer command to show all hidden objects, and there was her document, safe and sound.

"Thank You, God!" She exclaimed. "The lost is found!"

"Don't thank Him!" Was the response. "Thank me. I'm the one who found it for you!"

Now don't get me wrong. I'm a firm believer in miracles. But when I heard this story, the first thought through my mind was this: "Well, he has a point!" After all, the document WAS safe and sound all the time. The only problem was that my mother didn't know where it was! What part of this was a "miracle"?

Then I remembered my lost baby bird. She had been there all the time as well. She hadn't been in any kind of danger, the only problem had been that I couldn't find her! What part of that was a "miracle"?

That question continued to haunt me the rest of the day, so I took it to the Lord in prayer. "Was it really a miracle, Lord?" I prayed. "I mean, I'm not doubting Your ability to perform miracles, but were these two things REALLY miracles? Maybe he DOES deserve the praise! Maybe I deserve a little praise for finding the baby bird! Forgive me, Lord, if I am taking Your glory, but can you help me to understand this?"

Friends, God isn't put off by questions about His power. He doesn't punish us for our disbelief. Instead He reaches out His hand and lovingly does whatever He needs to do to help us understand.

And that's what He did for me.

Suddenly I realized something huge. There are no "little" or "big" miracles in God's eyes. There are no "little" and "big" problems either. In fact, there are NO problems, and NO miracles! Why not? Because He sees the beginning from the end! He knows all the solutions, long before we can see them! It doesn't matter if it's a lost bird or a lost computer file or a lost job or house or life. God sees the solution! In fact, He holds it in His hand! In His eyes, there are NO miracles, only solutions! This is what He meant when He said: "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Cor 10:13 NIV)

So wherein does the "miracle" lie?

Friends, the miracle lies in the way God works to put that solution into OUR hands. Sometimes He uses simple things. Things like sending someone with computer savvy to "unhide" the file. Things like impressing upon the mind where to look for something lost. Sometimes He uses the hands of the medical professionals or other professionals. Sometimes He uses His angels, and sometimes He uses you and me or the drunk on the street. It's all the same to Him! His purpose is simply about putting the solution into our hands!

I don't know about you, but that boggles my mind! No matter how big our problems, God holds the solution! Our place is to simply believe that He will put that solution into our hands when the time is right! And just like He protected that computer file and my baby bird, He will protect those in need until it is the right time to present the solution.

Two days later, I lost another baby bird. I wish I could say I had learned my lesson, but I can't. I didn't panic right away, but after 20 minutes of frantic searching, I began to lose my grip on sanity. That baby bird was supposed to go home later that same day. What would I tell the people who were coming to pick her up?

About this time I was overcome with the sense that I needed to abandon the search and have morning worship with my boys. I dismissed it. How could I simply "abandon" my baby bird???

Twenty minutes later, no baby bird was forthcoming, but the feeling that I needed to abandon the search and have worship was stronger than ever. Finally I obeyed. I went to the little cubby where the worship book is kept, and when I opened the door, out came my missing baby.

I sat back and shook my head as the lessons of the previous days came to mind. Where was the miracle in this? Simply put, God used a very creative way to hand me the solution!

He could have just said, "Go look in the cubby where the worship stuff is kept." Instead, He chose to teach me a lesson in obedience and faith. And this is why we are allowed to suffer trials in the first place, isn't it?

Think about it!

In His love,

Lyn

Provided by Answers2Prayer