Oil and water do not mix. No matter how hard you stir or shake, they will not stay blended. You also cannot clean oil from your skin, clothes, floors, or other surfaces with water alone. A third ingredient must be introduced if you ever want to remove this greasy substance from where it does not belong.
My mother and I had one of these oil and water relationships. I could not be in her presence long before my best intentions were gone, and my flesh took over, causing all kinds of angst.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” Psalms 91:1, 4 NKJV.
In 2012, Mom was to come up from South Carolina for a week. I was throwing her an 80th birthday party with family and friends she had not seen in a long time. Her short visit was to turn into a month.
Three weeks before the party, my cousin Paul called, “If your mother wants to see her brother one last time, she should come up now.”
Frank was terminally ill. He had taken a turn, and hospice had stepped in. My son, a senior in high school, responded to the news with, “Let’s go get her.”
We quickly packed a little clothing, the dog’s food, and snacks, and hit the road. Arriving in SC at three am, we napped for three hours and drove back to NJ. Fortunately, Mom got to say goodbye to her brother.
The first week of the visit was not good. No matter how hard I tried, I could not stop the bickering. I realized at 80 years old she was not going to change. Her stress level was also understandably high, which added to the tension between us.
Nothing I said or did helped. I begged God to show me how to fix this situation. I could not imagine another three weeks of it! In the most unexpected way, He came through. For the rest of her visit, the Holy Spirit shut my mouth. Any time she said something negative or derogatory, the only thing that came out of me was “uh huh”. But God! I was stunned and so grateful, as I could not have done that in my own strength.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7 NKJV
I desired a harmonious time with my mother. I asked, and God gave me the most precious gift. Through His power and strength, the rest of her visit was lovely.
As Psalm 91 tells us to do, I placed my trust in Him and He placed me in His shadow. He covered my mouth with His feathers. His truth was my shield and buckler. Under His wings I found my refuge. I give Jesus all the glory for the success of that visit.
No matter how hard I tried, my mess did not get cleaned up until I added a third ingredient. God was the soap I needed to turn this slimy situation into a shining testimony of His love and care for us.
Our Father waits to bless us. He hears our prayers, and he wants to help us. His way is ALWAYS better than ours.
Lord, thank you for rescuing us in our times of need. Thank you for the opportunity to abide in You. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the blood you shed for our sins. Thank you for making our crooked paths straight. Amen
If you have a desire today, ask. The Lord is listening.
Janice S.