For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:14-16
After college I worked at Park Street church in Boston and lived in a turn of the century building in Brookline, Massachusetts. My roommates and I enjoyed deeply discounted rent for the spacious and beautiful apartment in exchange for pledging “no men, no parties”. In spite of our good fortune, we had an expensive problem: A previous roommate had taken most of the furniture when she vacated, leaving the well proportioned dining area empty and unused. We ate and socialized standing up or sitting on our only piece of shared furniture, the sagging sofa, and had no budget for replacements.
On a Sunday afternoon, I let it be known I’d be praying for what we needed. One roommate found this shockingly inappropriate. Apparently, “only missionaries” were supposed to pray for this kind of request. Undaunted and defiant, I prayed without shame. The very next day my boss asked — “Do you need any furniture?” A member of the congregation had donated replacements for the church’s circa 1920’s library furniture. A sturdy oak table with chairs were free for the taking, and friends helped me move them within the week. What a quick and incredibly precise answer to prayer!
I treasure this memory — but not just because my prayer was answered. First off, I have no doubt that God has a sense of humor. Thinking of my roommate’s reaction still makes me tear up with laughter. I love that God provided exactly what three young women needed at just the right time — in spite of our lack of missionary status. He met our need for a place to rest at the end of a long day, a place to write, and where we might host friends — even if not all of us wanted to admit our need was worthy of His attention! What especially sticks with me is the priceless realization that prayer gives us Someone to thank. It’s likely the furniture would have been offered whether or not I had prayed; I might have seen this opportunity as just a lucky break. Praying strengthened my connection to God and His answer made me feel utterly grateful. Through this experience, I realized in a deeper way that God pays attention to us, cares deeply, and can be trusted.
When I moved out, I left the beautiful and symbolic library and dining room furniture with my roommates. I would not be surprised if it continues to provide a place to write quietly and to socialize well past its 100th birthday! I know with certainty that the gratitude I learned when it appeared — so unexpectedly and perfectly — is as anchoring now as it was then.
Application: Take a moment to be grateful and conscious of your breathing as you meditate on God’s attention to every detail of your life.
by Sherry Sommer
