The Need I Didn't Know I Had

              The morning dawned on a spring-like winter day. I considered a spring-like winter day a gift, an opportunity to prepare. So often during this winter season bitterly cold, harsh and truly wintery days followed on the heels of the boon of the spring-like winter day.

            Having fed the cats, I noticed a screen door slightly ajar to the old freezer room. Normally, I would never have spotted this partly open door. With blowing snow and frigidly cold temperatures approaching, that door needed to be secured. It appeared a slight adjustment was needed on the latch. Prayerfully, I chalked this up as an early morning blessing.

The latch catch that
 needed an adjustment.

            I mentally made note of the need to locate a hammer and alter the latch catch to secure the door before the spring-like winter day ended. Then the second blessing occurred. As I entered the enclosed back porch, I noticed Dad’s old red hammer lying clearly in my view. (A picture of the vintage hammer can be seen at:   https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2021/01/dads-old-hammer.html )

Something on that spring-like winter day propelled me to pick up the vintage hammer and with a few strategic taps the screen door catch was back in service, holding the door closed just hours before the winter storm was scheduled to hit. I could hardly believe the blessing just minutes after awakening with a slight depression hanging over me.

David was inspired to write in Psalm 34:17 – The righteous cry out and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. But I had not cried out to Him. I had just briefly prayed earlier that morning, “Lord, I need You.

David also wrote under the inspiration of God’s Spirit in Psalm 40:1 these words. I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. Yet again I had not “cried” to the Lord so had no “waiting” on the Lord.

I did not know the need I had, but God did. The phrase spoken by Jesus in Matthew 6:8 affirms this. He said, For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 

Moses, under the inspiration of God, penned these words, And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. The scripture from Deuteronomy 31:8 so aptly described my situation that morning. God had gone before me. His presence and blessings that morning pointed me to the path away from dismay or anxiety. 

An awareness of His presence always refocuses us on Him and His promise to never leave or forsake us. In our unpredictable world, I cannot think of a better promise to redirect my thoughts.