God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. – Proverbs 30:5
These were the first words I read today when I woke up. And I could not help but praise and thank God once more because He has answered my question yesterday after we heard Mass as a family (one of our simple ways of celebrating my husband's birthday aside from sharing a meal as a family and painting).
The priest's homily yesterday struck me. He shared about Mama Mary's possible struggles or challenges as the mother of the Savior. He reminded us of the difficulties and sorrows that Mary experienced. He also said that she must have asked herself "Is this really the Son of God?" a number of times as she witnessed and experienced painful events unfold in their life as a family. His homily yesterday inspired me more to follow Mary's example and encouraged me to keep on saying "yes" to God every moment of my life. Just like Mary who said "yes" to God repeatedly even during the most sorrowful times of her life with our Savior, I prayed for grace and faith to persevere and to trust God with my life and our family's future.
I found his homily striking because I could somehow relate with Mary's experience. I recently said yes to God once more in a big way. I said yes to God's prompting to reserve a house and claim that God will enable us to buy that house. For me and my family, this is a big leap of faith because we reserved the new house even before we have sold our condominium units where we are currently residing. We did not even have any extra funds as contingency in case we experience delay in finding a buyer or buyers for our condominium units. It was irrational and if we only considered reason in our decision-making process, we would definitely not pursue that course of action.
But God's voice was so clear to my heart and His prompting very strong that I could not deny His message. You may read here how God spoke to my heart to make this decision months ago.
Months passed and here we are still looking for a buyer for our condominium units. Every end of the month since we made that choice, we keep wondering how we are going to tell our developer that we can't pay the full downpayment yet because we are still waiting for our condominium units to be sold. Time and again, God provided a way and an answer and He keeps on moving our developer and his staff's hearts to extend their consideration to us. All throughout this time, I had been experiencing mixed emotions. Like Mary, there were times when I would pause and wonder if this new house is for us. God's grace however is more than enough to always help me emerge victorious during those moments. I get to surrender my expectations of how God would deliver us and answer our prayer every time.
Yesterday, the priest said in his homily that we should always be ready to give up our plans and expectations to God and just let God show us the way. We may have plans but God can anytime change our plans and bring us to a new path. He cited again examples in Mary's life. It's true. Mary might have plans of living single said the priest. But she gave up that plan or thought to make way for God's plan for her which is marriage and to have a family. When she was finally betrothed, she must have imagined a peaceful, ordinary family life. But they had a far from ordinary experience as a family beginning with her pregnancy with Jesus. The priest said that Mary might have asked the question "Is this really the Son of God?" many times until she reached the foot of the cross and the tomb of Jesus.
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| Photo source here. |
What is admirable in Mary, the priest pointed out, is that she just kept believing and responded to each situation with all the faith in her heart. That's what makes her a great disciple of the Savior.
I reflected on these things and pondered them in my heart just as Mary did with her circumstances. The priest's words yesterday affirmed me. He said that time and again God showed Mary that Jesus was and is the Messiah and His Begotten Son. He showed Mary that she has indeed given birth to the Savior (physically) and to the Church or Christ's Body (mystically). God showed her gradually His perfect plan of salvation.
I thought about our current family concern and I couldn't help but feel God's loving assurance to me that all shall be well and that He is in control. I took His words through the priest both as a promise from Him and as a declaration of His provision for our needs. Yesterday, during the Mass and my visit to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, I declared my own fiat once more. I chose to believe and abandon my plans and expectations again. I surrendered to Jesus my burden and my concerns. Like Mary at the foot of His cross, I looked up to the heavens and asked God to show me that what my circumstances show me now are temporary setbacks and that these are all part of His grand and perfect plan for me and my family.
So, today when I read the Bible verses from the devotional that I use during my prayer time, I knew that it was the Lord speaking to me again. I was also amazed that the title of the reflection for today is Great Expectations. I felt God telling me that it's alright for me to have great expectations of Him being my heavenly Father.
Then, as I checked my email today, I saw a message from one of our potential buyers who saw one of the advertisements I posted online negotiating for a payment scheme. This is the Lord, I thought.
Last night, when we got back home and found out from our maid that an agent and a potential buyer went to our condominium to inquire and request for viewing, I knew that it was the Lord honoring my declaration of faith during the Mass and at the Blessed Sacrament adoration chapel.
Some may call these developments coincidence but I call them God's miracles. I continue to believe that God can move or bring a buyer to us anytime if He wants to. He can either meet my great expectations or surpass them just like what He did in my life many times in the past wherein He answered my big problems or concerns in an amazing way, exceeding my expectations. I just need to keep on believing and let God be God in our current situation. So, I did my best to communicat with our agent and to answer the inquiry I received through email while waiting for God to hand me and my family His best answer to our concern. May God's perfect plan for our family unfold before our eyes and may His Name be glorified! May His deliverance for us happen at His most perfect time!
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