Last Minute Miracles
One of my all time favorite seasons in my relationship with God was when I was single after divorce. Bear in mind this was after 13 years of marriage. I had two young girls and had been a stay at home mom for seven years. I faced the insecurity of going back to work to try to support myself, and at this lonely period many of my church friends had deserted me. But, what should have been a dark, gloomy time turned into the greatest season of blessings of my life. How is this possible?
I saw the last minute miracles. I learned more about God’s character as my Protector and Provider in those two years of being single—when He was my only hope—than I ever had in the 32 years before when I always had a backup plan.
One of the first miracles happened with a car. My ex had taken our newer large family car and left me with an old two-door clunker that was neither practical nor particularly safe for carting around two small children. I prayed about it for a few weeks and one day felt God direct me to a used roomy Ford Explorer in the classified ads. The only catch was that I did not want to be in debt but I had to take out a short-term loan until I could sell my other car to pay off the newer one, and the loan would be due in 30 days.
During the first 29 days, I put ads in the paper, signs on the car windows, and tried everything I could think of to sell that car. Nothing. Not even one phone call inquiry. On day 29, I told God, “You led me to buy a better car. You also promised You would take care of me. What are you going to do to sell this car by tomorrow?”
That evening, at 8:00 p.m., I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find my neighbor from across the street, an elderly man, explaining that he wanted to buy my car. No he didn’t want to test drive it. No he didn’t want to haggle over the price. I couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t said anything for 29 days, and here he was, holding out a check for the full selling price. “Lord, my neighbor is buying this old car. You better keep it running!” That was 10 years ago, and do you know, that dinosaur is still running!
The second miracle came when I had all of five dollars in my checking account and needed a mortgage payment by the end of the week. I was only working two days a week at the time as a hair stylist, and I had serious doubts that I would be able to get enough clients in two days to make my payment. Besides, this was early on after the divorce and I didn’t even have a regular clientele built up yet. I called my boss before heading into work to see what was on my schedule for the day. She told me, “It’s been really slow! You don’t really have anything on the books today—sorry.”
I hung up the phone and prayed once again. “Lord, you promised! What are you going to do to solve this financial need before Friday?”
As soon as I got to work, my boss announced excitedly, “I don’t know what happened, but as soon as we hung up, the phone started ringing off the hook. You are completely booked today…I hope you brought your running shoes!”
You can guess what happened from there. I made just enough to pay my mortgage in full that week.
I had many such miracles and reassurances those two years of being thrust out on my own. Because of that, I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. God became more real to me than ever, and His provision became an understanding between him and me. In the years since, I have a foundation of simple trust that He will take care of me during difficult times. I would never have this trust had it not been tested and had He not had the opportunity to prove Himself.
I encourage you to think of your single years as one of the greatest times of opportunity to grow in intimacy and trust in your Jehovah Jireh (provider). If you take your needs to Him, you will learn God’s character like never before. It would be contrary to His nature not to provide for and protect you when you ask. He wants to show you who He is. He wants to become real to you through last minute miracles.
~ Julie