11:59.59

It's 11:58 and the need must be met.

Down on our knees we pray.

No pleading, no begging, no whining.

Just pure and simple childlike faith knowing God is faithful.

It's 11:59 with just seconds to spare - the answer.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Do you ever feel that is the story of your life? You have a need that must be met and God waits until the very last second to show up with the answer? I have felt that way many times in my life.

We have just experienced it again.

A few years ago our youngest son applied for disability, something we could have done when he was very young but we waited until he was 21. The process took 18 months. In those days you did receive retro pay but only small amounts every 6 months and one final payment at 1 year. We were very frustrated because we thought we needed the money. But wait was the order of the process.

Fast forward to January 2009 when my husband lost his job and applied for disability due to his kidney transplant and other health issues. There is no way we could make it 18 months for disability and certainly could not continue to support our lives on my income alone.

I bet you can guess what payment came to our checking account 3 weeks later - yes - Matthew's disability payment, 70% of which legally goes to rent and living expenses. It seemed it was the last hour and God came through. He met the need.

However, it doesn't last forever, and even though I took on two more part time jobs and worked as many hours as I possibly could, there still is just not enough to meet our daily needs. (You may be thinking that we live high on the hog but NO. We just have a LOT of medical bills due to the high cost of transplant medications and ongoing open wounds on my husbands legs.)

Continuing in prayer and trusting in God's faithfulness, we waited.

It's 11:59.59 - we need God to intervene - and of course He does.

My husbands disability was approved in 6 months - no retro pay - BUT the first monthly payment arrived on Wednesday - 3 days after I paid bills and depleted our 'surplus'.

Once again our faith was tested and challenged but once again we trusted and God came through. Faith grows in the midst of adversity and we are so thankful it does.

God does not always have us wait until the last possible moment to met a need. Sometimes he meets the need before we even know we have it. There are just times and circumstances when He desires for us to learn, trust, grow and depend on Him more.

Everything seems to go back to my life scripture:

"Consider it all joy, my friends, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Mature and complete is exactly where God is taking us. We are not there yet, but on our way.

What about you? Does God make you wait at times until the very last second for an answer to your prayers? Maybe he is just allowing you to grow in faith!

Considering 11:59.59 with Joy,

Cindy