GOD MONEY

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

Tomorrow starts another chapter in our family's journey.  I will begin my divinity studies at Multnomah Seminary.  I though it might be interesting to document our journey on this blog.  I won't promise to write every day, but maybe once a week so follow us on this great path.

It is Sunday evening before the first day of class.  Today was a long day.  We had service this morning, and I just felt off because the worship team was forced to stop rehearsal before we were finished.  I felt disrespected, but I was able to let it go.  After church we had to take our family dog Rocco to the Oregon Humane Society, because we are not allowed to have pets in campus housing, and we were not able to find a home for him on our own.  The nice thing to know is that the OHS is a "no kill" shelter, and if they accept your pet, they will care for it until they find a family.  Rocco was like our first child, and it was very hard to see him go.  

When we got back to our new place (after drowning our sorrows in Yo-Cream) I was sitting outside doing some work for my church job when I was reminded by one of our neighbors that there was a free dinner for all the Family Housing residents.  FREE FOOD!!!!!  We were able to meet some of our neighbors, and Aurelia got to play with a lot of the kids.  

When we got back to our apartment Emily was sitting outside watching the kids while I unpacked some of the boxes inside.  The door was open and I could hear one of the other residents introducing himself to Emily.  I went out to say hello, and just as I reached the door I heard the neighbor say "I don't know why, but I feel like God is telling me to give you this." He handed Emily some money (a lot of money actually) and walked away.  I was stunned.  I had been on the other side of this situation, feeling the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do something, or say something to someone, but I could not remember a time that I was on the receiving end of it.  I pondered why God would want a total stranger to give us $100, and I thought about it through several boxes of fragile china I was putting into the cabinet, and I think I came up with an answer.

In the bible, when Jesus did a miracle, it wasn't because the person needed to be healed, or the people needed to be fed or so on.  Jesus did miraculous signs and wonders for one reason; to prove that he was the Son of God.  Period.  That is also why this guy gave us the money.  It was God speaking to me, telling me "Daniel, This is God, I am going to provide for you."  

Even though I have been amazed at the doors that have flung wide open to get us to where we are right now, I have continued to doubt whether or not this is really what I should be doing, especially because of the financial factor.  I don't really want to take out $60,000 in loans over the next 3 years, but I believe that by that stranger handing us money, God has assured me that He is Jehovah Jireh, my provider, and that I only need to cast my cares on Him, and allow God to do "Godlike" things for us.

Daniel A. Burnett-8/26-2012