Tis so sweet...

In Camden the other day, I was sitting for a spell, listening to Father Steve yap w/ one of our interns about theology. As my gaze wandered around our little storefront site, I noticed an icon up towards the ceiling. Father Steve places these in various locations but I hadn't seen this one before. "Is that new?" I asked. "That's been up since the day we moved in!" he laughed. Duh on me for not seeing it! "It's different..." I remarked. "It's from Ethiopia...not like the Greek ones"..."Yeah, the eyes are different", I said and studied it a bit. It gave me comfort to know that the little icon was staring down at us, at our kids, our building...

A little while later we had a scheduled donor visit, something I've recently been specifically challenged to do more of...and something I'm not great at doing.  Still, I'd called this guy out of the blue and invited him to our site for a visit...and he had agreed! He arrived, we shared and chatted....He met the kids and the staff and told his story...In the midst of our conversation he indicated that he'd be willing to provide some funds outside of his normal giving should a specific need arise (really!?)...and as we walked him to the door and said our goodbyes, he said, "I'll keep giving as I have been...and maybe now that I've been here and seen what you do, I'll give a little more". (REALLY!?)

In a perfect development world, that's the kind of thing we want to have happen all the time. For those who have been investing their "treasure" to become closer connected with the day to day, to see and meet first hand the kids their monies are helping...to talk to the staff who's salaries they keep steady...to sit in the site in which their gifts contribute to the rent...and, as a result, give more. (I have a difficult time with this concept, for whatever reason...but I do as I'm told and pray that God blesses my obedience to those in authority over me) I had rarely, if ever actually, had this happen...so it was a nice affirmation and answer to prayer.

I got in the car to drive back to Atlantic City and a song started on the radio...a country-ish version of an old familiar hymn...An overwhelming feeling of "Yes! YES!" came over me as I started to emphatically sing and pound the steering wheel:

"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word

Just to rest upon His promise, just to know, 'Thus saith the Lord'

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I've proved Him o're and o're

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus...Oh for faith to trust Him more!"

Until I realized that the last line was "Oh for grace to trust Him more!" (personally, I want more faith!) It was such an affirmation of my prayer for the visit, for this work that I'm trying to keep focused on the Kingdom rather than the pursuit of moneymoneymoney, for all the phone calls to donors that had resulted in hang ups, fax machines, wrong numbers, and, "Don't call me! I just want to send my check!" Even if the visit had gone terribly wrong or resulted in nothing, I'm sure this old refrain would have spoken straight to my heart.

This morning I looked up "Thus saith the Lord"s in my concordance--there are hundreds! But I found one that gave me encouragement and comfort:

Isaiah 43:

But now, thus saith the Lord—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

Oh, for faith to trust Him more!