Unexpected Kindness - Mary Ellen Beachy

I put my shopping bag of deals from the Salvation Army Store in my vehicle and then reached to fish my keys out of my purse. The keys were not where I thought they should be. Systematically I emptied my purse. My heart sank. There were no keys. Would I have to call Mark to drive the forty minutes to come rescue me?

Just then I glanced up and saw the man who had been my clerk approach­ing my vehicle. From his hands dangled my car keys. Hallelujah! 

"I found these on the floor, and you were my last customer," he informed me.

"Thank you so much for your kind­ness!" I exclaimed. He smiled, I smiled, and we were both happy. That man looked out for me. l know God did too. 

On a warm summer day, I enjoyed the cool shade in the woods and the meandering creek with grandchildren and a few small friends. Nature is God's gift, and a creek is homespun fun. My three­-year-old grandson was not feeling energetic. He sat on my lap while my feet were cooling in the shallow water. The others energetically built a dam. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and snapped a few pies.

Holding my small grandson's hand, we splashed across to the other side of the creek. I served snacks and juice boxes to the hungry children. 

I reached into my pocket for my phone. It was not there. I could not see it on the other side of the creek where I had been sitting on a mossy rock. It had to be somewhere. I fished through the creek, and suddenly I felt it. I pulled up a dripping wet phone which had been completely submerged. When we got back to the house, I sadly buried my phone in a pan of dry rice.

That evening, I put the same phone on the charger. It was working. I could not understand. Throughout the following days, my phone never stopped functioning. This felt like a gift and a kindness from God. 

Life is not always sweet and simple like that. My son happened to drive over his phone. He found it crushed, not miraculously unbroken.

My friend fell and broke her wrist when she was washing out her garage. When I fell hard on our wet basement floor, I sat there stunned and in pain, but there were no broken bones. Why? 

I pray for protection for my grandchildren. God has answered that prayer numerous times. But what about the parents and grandparents whose child God called home?

In Job 2:10, Job told his wife, "What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" 

Sometimes we pray and find what was lost. Sometimes we do not find what we pray for. At times God answers prayers quickly. Other times we pray for years and years while the heavens seem silent.

Will I believe that God is kind when dreams are shattered, and things don't turn out the way I want?

Will I hold on to Him when my heart is broken and my face is wet with tears?

Will I praise Him alike in storms and sunshine?

Will I grow in trust and faith in my Jesus?

Will I believe the wonderful promises in His Word?

"My kindness shall not depart from thee" (Isaiah 54:10). 

"Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust" (Psalm 113:8). 

--Mary Ellen Beachy