Six years ago we celebrated a special anniversary. One of our friends gave us a gift certificate to a great local Spanish restaurant. We put the gift certificate away for safe keeping, lost track of it and uncovered it six years later. We weren’t even looking for it. I was long past the idea of having had that gift certificate.
Last week, we had decided to shred some records and receipts, and lo and behold, in the mishmash of papers was the gift certificate. I immediately started salivating, thinking about the tapas served at this restaurant.
Last week, we had decided to shred some records and receipts, and lo and behold, in the mishmash of papers was the gift certificate. I immediately started salivating, thinking about the tapas served at this restaurant.
I called the Spanish restaurant and explained my dilemma. I couldn’t believe they were still in business! They thought it was all humorous and not unusual. They said I likely set a new benchmark for late gift certificates, and they would gladly honor the gift.
Given my ministerial nature, I had to make a spiritual connection to the gift showing up unexpectedly and at that given moment!
This was a reminder of how the Lord works, unexpectedly and on time. That seems like a contradiction of words. If it’s unexpected, it is not on time. But one has to be careful … time from God’s view is not the same as human view. We want prayer answered immediately. We want our finances resolved immediately. We want to live life in microwave spurts, fast and furious.
When things happen according to a different timeframe than you expected, wait upon the Lord and see where it takes you. That may be the purpose of lateness.
My first reaction to the gift certificate was a night out with my wife eating tapas. Now I’m not sure! I’ll keep you posted!
Robert Parlante
May 2016
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