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Listen while you read: "Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory"1 (Lyrics) |
It was a very warm day in the desert southwest of the United States. My friend and I had just finished lunch after attending church. There we stood in the restaurant parking lot, dressed in our best Sunday clothes, with the engine lid open, wondering what we would do with my car, which would not start. On occasion, I had been known to fiddle with the carburetor to resolve a minor hiccup in the engine of my Volkswagen Beetle. However, my usual manoeuvres did not resolve the problem.
Within a few minutes, we were approached by a young woman who asked if she could help. I was reluctant to trust a stranger whom I had just encountered. Sensing that I was wary, she proceeded to let us know that she had come to the desert from Los Angeles to get away from her work; she was an auto mechanic specializing in assisting women whom she felt were often misled about what their cars really needed in the way of auto repairs. Then she volunteered to look at the engine, and I agreed. After a few minutes, she declared that I needed a fuel pump. She suggested that I go to the auto parts store across the street to purchase one, and offered to install it. Trusting the woman's judgment, I went to the store and picked up the part, while my friend stayed with the car. On my return, the mechanic replaced the part, refusing to allow me to pay for her service.
Although some may view this experience merely as a coincidence, I am confident that it was a demonstration of God's divine providence in my life. It was a Sunday, and what a miracle to have a parts store right across the street and open that day, and to have a mechanic offer to help, let alone a woman mechanic who specialized in helping women in distress!
Psalm 91:14-15 – The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honour them." (NLT)
God intervened by placing this person in the right place at the right time. Can you remember a time in your life when someone was sent to you by God? How does that memory encourage you today? In what ways may God have used you in someone else's life?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to You with thankful hearts for the ministrations that You provide us in our times of need. We praise You, Lord, for Your love and faithfulness. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Wonderful story of encouragement Parise.
Praise you Father, for divine providence. You never cease to amaze me.
Thanks for sharing that beautiful example of the LORD’s provisions. How great and compassionate He is!
Parise, what a God-incident that was! Yes our Lord does send us the appropriate fix for all our situations. Thanks for the reminder. Blessings.
Wow… an amazing tale, Parise.
I would say it was most definitely God. Thank goodness. It could have been a scary time otherwise.
By the way, I had a Beetle for a number of years. Loved it!
Dear Parise,
Thank you for this encouraging message of God’s divine protection and care. I enjoyed hearing your story and the wonderful way God intervened to resolve your car troubles. What a great testimony!
Looking forward to the next one.
Blessings.
Greetings!
I enjoyed your devotional. We had a minister who called these divine coincidences.
He told one story of when he was a youth director. He had a car full of youth driving down a country road when his car started giving him problems. He wondered what he was going to do out there in the middle of nowhere.
Then as his car quit he saw a Ford dealership and his car was a Ford. Imagine having a dealership out there in the middle of nowhere just when his car quit.
Dear Dee,
How good it is that you have gone back to necessities and explained the way of salvation (A) and the subsequent steps of growth as a Christian (B). This is all so necessary.
A. Recognize ourselves as sinners; Confess our sins and ask God to forgive us; Accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
B. Allow ourselves to be changed, to become new creations in Christ; Follow the teachings of Jesus as found in the Bible.
Keep writing.
I will add a step: Keep using the Bible for as the guide, and trust for further growth — for none of us will ever be perfect.
Hi Parise.
I like motor car stories having had a 1940 Buick for which I won a first prize in category and two seconds later at the Minter Gardens Concourse D’Elegance. Growing up when and where I did I am a bit of a dab hand at fixing cars.
I always admire people who volunteer to help others in whatever way they can. I’d have loved to see our Saviour as he went from place to place restoring the health of the sick and feeding the poor. In the same way I have the greatest respect for people who devote effort to bringing water to places without it, feeding the poor in food banks and soup kitchens or stop to help stranded motorists. Nor should we neglect praying for them.
Blessings.
Dear Praise:
I loved your devotional.
How amazing, our Lord sent the right person to rescue you at the exact time of your need.
God is faithful, merciful and so very kind. Over and over again I see His marvelous Hand of mercy and guidance touch my life as I journey through the highway He has placed before me.
Thank you for your beautiful story. Again we witnessed the Hand Of a loving and caring Father at work.
Dear Parise,
Yesterday I shared with a friend that I had been told there was no such thing as a co-incidence. That when we experience a co-incidence it should be called a “God-incidence.”
Upon reflection she agreed that made perfect sense. She shared that her husband, who had recently died, loved chocolate. On the other hand, she wasn’t interested in sweets. While her husband was in palliative care, their daughter came to town to see her dad. While visiting him the daughter needed to go shopping. She asked her mom if she wanted anything and my friend said asked for a “Kit-Kat” bar. Receiving the chocolate bar she put it in her purse. Neither she nor their daughter understood why she had made such a request.
The following day at the palliative centre, she asked her husband if she could do anything for him. Barely having the energy to speak, he pointed to his mouth and formed the words “Kit-Kat.” He was able to receive two small bites.
He passed into the healing arms of Jesus the following day.
Thank you for sharing your co-incidence (God-incidence); I hope you are blessed by my friend’s story.
God bless you.
Yes, I can remember quite a few occasions when God intervened!
Great word today Parise. I remember a time when my daughter and I were driving from Saskatchewan to Ontario and our van began giving us problems. We prayed that we would make it to the next town as we were in Northern Ontario with very long remote areas between places. We hit Thunder Bay and the van literally coasted to a stop right in front of the local Dealership! It was very early morning and they were just opening. The head of the Service department was so nice and lo and behold they had the very part we needed, the last one. He let us stay in their staff waiting room, along with the dogs we were traveling with while they fixed it and then he took it out for a good run to make sure everything else was okay before sending us on our way. He also gave us instructions as to how to get through the city to where we needed to go. We both believed that God had intervened on our behalf through this kind gentleman.
Thanks again and blessings.
I greatly appreciated your devotional that you shared last Sunday on the PCC page. I would like to share it in a sermon.
Divine Care, I can tell you that the Lord gave me the job I have now by divine care. 96 other people applied for this one job and because of a good friend’s word I have that job today! Thank You Parise for reminding me of God’s care for us. He never sleeps or slumbers.
Thank you Parise. My first car was a 69 beetle and God was always with me. It was so reliable, I drove it all over the country and it just kept going and going. I know now that it was the Lord who kept us going. God bless you.