Slippers? by Nicky Wilkinson

 

How are you doing? My day started badly. Tears of indignation flowed at the airport this morning while surrendering a sewing needle which should never have been taken. Not the most pressing issue I’ll grant you, but it triggered a realisation that God and I needed to do business about a whole lot of things I have been burying and not acknowledging. My writing suffers when I bottle issues, so I am now sitting on a plane doing essential audit and maintenance with the On High. I am coming to terms with a few post 60yr old disintegration issues, and I am sorry about quite a few things I haven’t previously admitted to. Of late, life has felt like a mini course on waiting on God, which Psalm 25 pointed out and my grandson’s slippers became a useful tool of explanation.

As winter’s chills approached, I needed to sort Timmy’s slippers out. One had been lost over the summer and happily after a serious clear out, came to light. Carefully I placed them in the cupboard under the stairs. Thursday arrived with Timmy and I confidently instructed him to find and apply his slippers. An unimpressed Timmy appeared shortly afterwards with one slipper pathetically proffered in his hand; clearly the other had been a problem. After some sharp exhortation from me, and a limp probing by Timmy of various coats, he returned to confirm the offending shoe racks had not yielded the promised hope. At this point, I bustled into the cupboard: armed with the certainty two slippers had been inserted, I searched with determination and vigour. Our under-stairs cupboard, however, is much used and a portal worthy of any Narnia-esque experience, so despite Ikea’s most inspired efforts, it wasn’t as easy a task as you might have thought. However, I wasn’t giving up: the slipper was duly found! Timmy danced off into his day. 

I felt God say to me: ‘You can be like that: rather feeble in pursuing what I promise is there’. I was reminded of Jesus saying even evil earthly fathers don't supply scorpions for eggs when their child asks. ‘…how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ Luke 11 v 11-13. ESV

As we approach ‘winters’ in our lives, I believe God will provide what we need to walk through them. He didn’t promise to remove difficulties: we lose people, cancer happens, restrictions and grief come. What He did promise was to provide enough supernatural assistance by the Holy Spirit to get through. That is what we most need in every situation: the Comforter, the Oil of heaven, the Inspiration of God easing our passage. Obviously, the Holy Spirit does much more than just salve our difficult moments: He creates excitement, passion and dynamism too. So whatever is needed today to get you through, you have His assurance that the Holy Spirit will help. 

Nicky Wilkinson has been writing MTW blogs for two years. Previously a mum in Prague and a teacher in Zimbabwe, she has settled into granny-hood in Sheffield. She enjoys, running a bit, increasingly playing her sax and guitar and the odd painting. She joined ACW 5yrs ago. Serving on the committee, she got fired up to write and contributed articles to Christian magazines. She is now on the verge of publishing her first children's book illustrated by her mum.