Girlfriends in God - July 28, 2008

July 28, 2008
Lassie Come Home
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9 NIV).
 
Friend to Friend
As a child, my best friend was my collie dog, Lassie.  She was my constant companion, committed confidant, and persistent protector. When the veterinarian told us that Lassie had an incurable skin disease, I was devastated.  My dad couldn’t bring himself to have her put to sleep, so he took her to an old farmer for the remainder of her days.  However, it wasn’t too long before Lassie ran away. 

My dad always looked for Lassie when he was in that “neck of the woods.”  Then one day, a miracle happened!  Dad saw Lassie running down the street toward him.  She looked healthier than ever and a flurry of fur, tail wagging, and sloppy dog kisses almost knocked Dad off his feet.  We were overjoyed when Lassie came cruising home in the gray Buick.

Two weeks later, my older brother was out wrestling with Lassie in the yard.  Dazed and ashen faced, he stumbled through the back door.

“Mom, we’ve got a problem,” he said.  “Lassie isn’t a lassie at all.  She’s a laddie!  She’s a boy and this is not our dog!”

Upon closer inspection, we discovered that she was a he…and not our Lassie.  We ran ads in the paper, but no one ever claimed him.  He seemed perfectly content in our home, so there he stayed. 

Have you ever wanted something so badly – hunted, searched, and maybe even prayed – then when you found it, you realized that maybe it wasn’t exactly what you wanted, but it was definitely what you needed? I wanted my dog back.  Laddie wanted a home.  And for one little girl and one stray pup, God’s answer was perfect in every way.

God always answers our prayers, but sometimes it’s just not as we had expected.

Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, thank You that You care about every hair on our heads.  You hear the spoken and unspoken longings of our heart.  Help us to pay attention and recognize those moments when You gently and quietly answer our prayers…perhaps in a way we didn’t expect.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Now It’s Your Turn
Think of a time when you prayed and God said “no.”  Looking back on that answer, can you now see the wisdom of that answer?

Have you ever prayed and had God answer you in an unexpected way?  If so, I’d love to hear about it.  Just e-mail me at Sharon@sharonjaynes.com

More from the Girlfriends
Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon new devotional book, Extraordinary Moments with God.   Come with Sharon as she dusts for God’s fingerprints that change ordinary days into extraordinary moments.  As you explore this treasury of stories highlighting “God moments” in the lives of fellow travelers, you too will begin to sense His presence in extraordinary ways.