God Counts To Ten

By Martha Noebel
CBN Staff Writer

CBN.com -- I just love how God uses practical everyday moments to show me spiritual lessons. He certainly sneaked up on me the other day.

I was in the grocery store line trying to check out when I began to notice a small child dancing around her mother. The young mother was obviously over it with this precious one who must have been this wound up all day. Her looks and tone of voice as she tried to guide the child to please stand still were ignored. I thought to myself, she could use a gentle pop on the bottom (my mother would certainly have chosen that option when I was a child).

Instead, this patient mother simply replied, "I'm going to count to ten!" I thought to myself, Ten! This little girl could have knocked over several rows of boxes and cans, and been out the door by then. And don't think she counted fast. As I passed by her she said, "One … two " -- all real slow. I could not bear to watch. My mother would do the counting thing too, but she never went past the number three. I did see the mother and the daughter walking out of the store as I pulled out of the parking lot. So somehow, the little girl knew to respond.

The real shocker to me was later that day. The Lord reminded me of the story and spoke to my heart. He said, "I count to ten too." He reminded me that He is a patient, kind, and loving Father. He does not count to three and then pop us with something to get our attention. He waits and gives us every opportunity to respond to the gently voice of the Holy Spirit -- Who is trying to get us to slow down and stand still.

There are some of you who feel like the Lord is just waiting for us to mess up so He can zap us with some bad thing. But God is not like that. God counts to ten real slow, just like that mother in the grocery store. He loves us and does not harm us. He has good plans for our lives.

For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29: 11 NLT).

Trust Him with your life today. He is always there for you, no matter what may come your way.

Martha welcomes your responses at dvtd2hm1@aol.com

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