When We Experience It Ourselves

It's amazing how we sometimes find the outcome of an experience surprising. It's something we've heard over and over but have yet to experience it. And when we do experience it, we're quite surprised.

A few years ago my daughter had her first opportunity to make dinner for her dad. She's done lots of baking and some cooking, but this was the first time for her to cook an entire meal without me around to answer her questions and reassure her that she was doing fine. After a quick phone call to ask exactly how to coat the chicken, she was on her own, and her dad said she made a fantastic meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas. And it all got done at the right time, too, which is more than I can say for many of my meals as a young woman!

A few days later, Beth said to me, "You know how you've always said that when the chicken's done, the juices will run clear? Well, I kept cutting into that chicken, and it would look kinda cloudy, but then I cut into one piece . . . and the juice was clear!" I laughed right out loud! Had she doubted all this time that I knew what I was talking about? That maybe only the chicken that I cooked would miraculously have clear juices, but no one else's ever did? My response to my daughter was, "All you had to do was experience it yourself to find out that I knew what I was talking about!"

When We Experience It Ourselves

This teaching moment reminded me of how often we doubt that God really knows what He's talking about.

"Give and it shall be given unto you . . ." Luke 6:38


"Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew 7:7

"Believe . . . and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24 (I discussed this and similar verses and some people's "genie mentality" on my personal blog last week)

"The just shall live by faith . . ." Hebrews 10:38

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse . . . and prove me . . . if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing . . ." Malachi 3:10

No. It's just too simple, and besides, God wouldn't really do that for me . . .

And then we are surprised when we give unselfishly and we receive more than we gave away. We pray about something and God answers. We give 10% and God blesses us in some way, financially or otherwise.

We're absolutely amazed that God actually means what He says!

All we have to do is experience it for ourselves to know that God's Word is true, that He does care and that He does keep His promises.

Have you experienced God's fulfilled promises?

He has set the table for you; experience His goodness for yourself!

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8

Susan Hutchens, ByGrace
Missionary Wife
Kelowna, BC, Canada