The faithfulness of God is so evident in a place where you're totally dependent upon Him to supply all your needs. The food bank was one such place. And our Christmas tree was one such item!
It was nearing Christmas, and people had been donating some of their old or excess Christmas decorations to the food bank (we seemed to be the place where people would give things they just didn't know what to do with, that was too good to throw away!). We had taken some of the decorations that had come in, and decorated our little space for the holiday.
It actually looked very festive, and as we were standing back, admiring our work, i just casually said,
"You know what we need? We need one of those tiny little Christmas trees, you know, the ones with the little balls, and the little lights, just a little one, just to put in the center of the table there. That would finish our decorating."
I really didn't think about it again, because the day was starting, and we were always very busy in the times around Christmas, so we just entered into the rest of the day.
About two hours later, our faithful little man came in, carrying his regular bag, with his donation in it.
This little man was our most faithful giver. He came in EVERY week, without fail, with a can of some sort, and a box of macaroni and cheese. Every week.
However, this week, he had another bag under his arm.
Very shyly, he asked me, "Do you think you could use this?"
He reached under his arm, and handed me a bag with a box in it.
As i looked in the bag, i almost fell over!
It was a tiny little Christmas tree, with little lights, and little balls, exactly what i'd said we needed!
As i hugged him, and wished him a very merry Christmas, and blessed his generosity, i was staggered at the love of a God who hears us, even when we don't even pray our requests, but even when we just mention our needs.
I was so amazed, and am still so amazed!
Every year i volunteered in that food bank, until i left, i would pull that little Christmas tree out of its box, and share with anyone who would listen, the miracle of the little tree, and the generous little man.
I don't know if that man is still alive, because i haven't lived in that town for ten years, but if he is, i just ask that God would mightily bless him where he is, for his faithful generosity! God is so good!
On a more personal note, over the years, my struggle has been to understand God's personal love for me. I always knew and trusted that He would supply the needs of the people that He had called us to minister to, because i knew that was His heart. There was never any doubt that He would supply for them. i never really realized that God was challenging me to understand that He cared for me in the very same way that He cared for them.
I now am beginning to know and understand His deep love for all of us, even me. I've actually been the recipient of 2 Christmas trees myself! One was a tiny (teeny) tree for my tiny little apartment, that came in the mail from my mom, and another was a great sale on a slightly bigger tree (it was the only one there, the only one i wanted, and somewhere on it was a flaw, so we got it for $5).
i'm so thankful to God, that He is still on the throne, and He still supplies our needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!
And He is still the same, yesterday, today and forever, showing mercy and kindness to us, His people, even when we don't deserve it, and sometimes even when we don't even know it was Him!
