by Dona Hake
The Lord is preparing us for His use, and He is wanting to display His love any way He can! Have you ever wondered at the beginning of the day, and ask Him “Lord, how will You use me today? I do not know about you, but I ask the Lord this question a lot. I desire with all my heart to be used by Him. Sometimes we may have ideas in our own minds how we will be used, but sometimes I think the Lord uses us in ways that we may never expect. Sometimes He may even use you in a way that you thought to be impossible. “Now unto Him, who is able to do above and beyond all that we dare ask or think…” Ephesians 3:20
Have you ever needed a word of wisdom or a word of encouragement, and it seemed like God provided the person to walk into your path and the timing could not be any more perfect than the moment it happened? Yesterday I shared with you that God is the potter and we are the clay. He molds, He works within us, He sees where we need to change, and it is vitally important that we permit Him to work on our hearts. Then there will be times where He may call upon us to be used by Him, to be His appointed vessel for a specific reason.
Today’s devotional has been inspired from something I read last evening. This is a little testimony of a precious couple that I know, and I had the privilege of photographing their wedding day. Now they have a precious and beautiful baby girl. What a delight and joy she has been to them. I asked this young lady for permission to share this with you, and I pray that it will bless your heart as it touched and blessed mine. This young lady shared that they were out celebrating her husband’s birthday last evening. Never were they expecting their evening to turn out like this…
“Pretty sure Matt had the most amazing Birthday dinner tonight…
We went on a dinner date with Bella to Mitsuru. At the table next to us was a frail woman with her son.
The whole dinner, she stared at Bella, smiled, and asked me about what she liked to eat. Bella was
being her loud, flirty, Italian self that she normally is when we go out! She kept looking at them and
busting out smiles. I guess it didn’t click until the lady asked me the same question 3X, she continued
to stare, and I noticed how frail she really looked. After they left, we were told our entire meal was
paid for. The son told the waitress to add our bill to his because he takes care of his mother, who has
Alzheimer’s, and he hasn’t seen his mother smile in years… Until tonight. Not only did she smile, she
laughed.”
I totally relate to this story for I saw the affects on my own father from Alzheimer’s. To watch someone you love lose their memory, and the ability to smile and laugh is so very painful. I was touched to know this precious child brought a smile and laughter to this woman stricken with this disease. I am equally blessed for her son that is caring for her. This could have been the encouragement that he needed to strengthen his heart. Experiences like this can minister to one’s heart, and we may never know the extent that the Lord used this precious child. This young mother shared with me, “Matt and I are still speechless! I feel so encouraged now because you never know when you can change someone’s life!”
I think this is so precious, and I feel blessed to be able to share this with you today! May we be reminded through this that we are called to carry life, light, and joy. we are called to touch the lives around us. Interesting isn’t it how we just never know how the Lord may intend to use us as we go about our day. Sometimes we may never know how being at the exact place and the exact time could maybe be for a specific reason and purpose. May we walk in an awareness that He desires to use us as vessels for His purposes for great and wonderful things!