The Day God Mailed Us a Check
We once received a check from God. More than once really, but the once stands out in my mind.
In the early years of our marriage, we tried to hide the fact that we were broke. We both worked but Josh was still in school and we were paying college tuition and bills and trying to set up house. I budgeted $25 a week for our grocery shopping which meant coffee creamer was a luxury we could not afford. We could eat for 2 days on $2 thanks to coupons for Tuna Helper. And my mama would occasionally (read: weekly) by an extra box of pork chops from the Swann man and put them in our freezer.
Not to brag about our poverty, but just so you know how bad it was, we didn’t buy a Christmas tree one year or gifts for each other. We were serious about not racking up debt so we just struggled through.
We were determined for Josh to finish his degree, it was our way out of where we were. One summer he had signed up for summer school and the deadline for paying tuition was coming up. I knew we had no money to pay that tuition. I started to research some student loans but really didn’t want to have to borrow money. He knew the same thing but didn’t bring it up because neither of us had a good solution.
So for several weeks we just danced around the subject and prayed an awful lot. We never talked about the lack of tuition money or the deadline the next week or exactly where we could find that kind of money.
One Saturday Josh was at work and I was at home. I’d checked the mail and came back inside tearing up the junk mail and throwing it away. I picked up one piece and started to tear it without opening it but decided at the last minute to see what was inside first.
I’m glad I did. Inside I found a check for almost $2000.
Confusion does even begin to explain my state of mind. I looked at who sent it and realized it came from a former employer Josh left several months earlier. Evidently they had a retirement or life insurance policy they’d put money into and when he left they cashed it out and sent it to us...two days before we had to pay the tuition for Josh’s school. We had no idea it existed.
The company name may have been on that check but I will promise you that check came from God.
I’m telling you this story because I need to remember it. I’m looking ahead at this year and I see some amazing potential and unbelievable opportunities. I want a clear direction and a crystal ball like reading of what to expect in the coming weeks and months. But God doesn’t offer those options. In fact the whole crystal ball/palm reading thing is a pretty strong no-go for Christians.
Why? Because God wants us to rely on Him. He wants us to know He has our back. Will He always send us a check to bail us out? No. But He can. More than sending a check, God sends exactly what we need when we need it.
I need to remember that lesson today. Just because I don’t see a clear direction or solution, doesn’t mean He doesn’t have one. He just may not be ready to show me His hand just yet.
