God Cares About My Lunch

I received an unlovely parting gift from living the last two and a half years in the African bush – a whole mouthful of necessary dental work. Last night I spent nearly three hours under the drill for two restorations and six cavities, and I’m feeling it!

To say my mouth is sore is putting it mildly; really, I can’t chew at all. I brought my usual meals to work today – yogurt with berries for breakfast, apple for a snack, salad and veggies for lunch – and shortly into the day realized there’s no way I’ll be able to eat anything other than the yogurt.

It’s okay, I rationalized. Yes, I’m in recovery and skipping meals is technically not an option, but today it’s okay, right? I can’t eat what I brought and I can’t afford to run out and get something else, so I’ll just have to be okay not eating today. Ed’s voice whispered confirmation to me that yes, this was a fine option, it’s just for today anyway, tomorrow my jaw should be healed, right?

Then… God. He loves me, yes, and cares about my recovery; those things were never in question. Today, though, He showed me in such a personal and powerful way that TODAY he even cares about my lunch.

We had a bunch of VP’s of my company visiting the office today. Our assistant ordered a catered lunch, as usual, except that it wasn’t usual; today’s lunch included soup. Catered lunch has never before included soup. When the caterer arrived to set up the line, she realized that both of the soup containers she had brought were broken and spilled out into their bags, and had to run back to the restaurant and get two more new containers. Who gets the half-full containers of spilled soup? Me.

I nearly started crying at work. God cares so much about my recovery that He wouldn’t let me rationalize away skipping a meal. He orchestrated it days ago as the order was placed to include soup, and then today for both containers to break leaving me with the leftovers. Today of all days, the one day in ten years that I require soft food. He cares that much about me. Thank you, Jesus.

God loves you, your flaws, struggles, joys, and pains, every minute of every day, even when you aren’t listening or asking or wanting. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8