A Full Heart

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”

“Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.”*

 

“Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”  The first time this promise really spoke to me was when I was lying on my twin bed in the mobile home shared with my sister and little nephew. I wasn’t hungry physically, but had a longing in my soul, wondering if there would ever be someone special in my life.

            As a single woman in my early thirties, life seemed to be passing me by. Oh, for a husband and a family! That evening, the desire was so strong and the emptiness so acute that it became a physical ache. The three of us had experienced many wonderful times together, but it wasn’t the same.

Teaching, coaching and my involvement within the Christian community kept me  busy, yet I still felt unfulfilled. “I am the Lord your God…Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”  My stomach wasn’t empty, but my heart was. So, I spoke to the Lord in anguish of soul and opened my mouth wide, asking Him for help. How could I be feeling down with His strong love and presence in my life?

Not long after that my prayer was answered when Al and I met at a singles potluck for young adults interested in outdoor sports. Looking back now, I see how God filled the void in my life with just the right person. Through the years, we have worked together to form a strong marriage with Christ at the center. That has given me much joy and fulfillment, much more than I ever expected.

The same verse spoke to my heart again this week. I was feeling cooped up and discontented with life. My mind was filled with thoughts of  retreating to the ocean or mountains to get away from it all.  Remembering how I had opened my mouth and asked God to fill it, remembering how He has been faithful through the years, I leaned back in my chair and opened my mouth again.

Thankfully nothing flew in…but the discontentment and empty feeling seemed to fly out! “I am the Lord your God.” “I Am”…God is enough. Why didn’t I get that?

When Al and I had our weekly “Exploring the Bible” online session with our two youngest grandsons on Sunday morning, my joy returned. What a great opportunity we’ve had to share our faith and love for God’s Word with them every Sunday morning during the past year. Of course, thanks goes to their mom for taking care of all of the details, including the internet connection which sometimes baffled us!

Later that day, there was time to paint a smooth stone pink, with the words “Back to School” and the names & grades of our two neighbor girls written on it. The intention was to put the rock  in an obvious place the next morning, so they could find it before heading off for their first day of school. Doing something creative for someone else, even  a small project, was like a breath of fresh air.

A bit later, just before dinner, there was a knock at the front door. It was our neighbor, Melinda, holding a container of quinoa salad to share.

“What does it need?” she asked as Al and I sampled a spoonful. “I thought garlic might help, so I added some…”

I could definitely taste the garlic. We laughed. I forgot all about wanting to escape to another place.

God has provided all of my needs abundantly in the past. He continues to do that now and I’m convinced that He will take care of the future. Just as God provided heavenly bread, manna, for forty years to feed the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness, so He is able to provide for us.   

Jesus promised to give us life, abundant and overflowing. “I am the good shepherd,” he said. “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11NIV)

With so many blessings, so much love how could I not be content?  Thank you, Lord!

*Psalm 81:10, Psalm 78:23-24 NIV