God Please! Just One More Time...

I always say, I am in awe of just how responsive God is to our call for help, when it comes from the heart.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I called my Executive Director, Linda, in a panic, the other day. I went off on a two letter word “If” in a real moment of fear, doubt, and confusion. It seemed I entered into an “If cloud.” It felt like it was trying to engulf me. I was taking so fast and coming up with a gazillion what “If” scenarios that I forgot to breath in between all my talking. I was gasping for air and getting over a cold wasn’t helping.

“Whoa, Teresa, stop! Please take a breath. Slow down. You're not making any sense. You know better than all those what ifs,” she said. I began talking about ALL those what ifs, and looking back today, it is pretty comical. I found myself laughing at me. Thank God for my friends who have to be subjected to hearing totally faithless comments when I begin to lose faith.

Linda reminded me of a answered prayer just three months ago in Florida regarding this subject. In fact, I wrote about it on Facebook three months ago. You might even remember it. I had asked God for a sign in the sky. I asked for a rainbow. God sent me a rainbow, a few hours, after I had prayed for one. There it was such a beautiful rainbow, covering one end to the other. Like a complete circle. I was so excited God answered my prayer for that rainbow. It had only rained for a couple of minutes, and the rainbow appeared. It was for sure a answer to my prayers as it rained less then 5 minutes, just to produce that gorgeous rainbow, and answer my, “What If.”

As she reminded me of that rainbow of this past October, I said. “Well, it rained and a rainbow appeared. It was a God answered prayer for sure.” I quickly asked God a question. “God would you be willing to send me another rainbow? But, this time, I would like a miracle rainbow. One without rain.” Would you consider doing that for me, please God?” That was my request the day before yesterday.

God answered that desperate plea for help.

The next day ( that was yesterday) in the middle of the winter in Massachusetts, I was driving, down the street, and for those who live in Massachusetts, in the Boston area, we had NO RAIN yesterday... NO sprinkle, NO nothing. Sunny day. You can imagine my shock, when as I was driving, I heard Ruth say, “Teresa, look, how strange there’s a rainbow in the sky, and we had no rain, and look, there are two rainbows! One on the right, and one on the left.”

I was speechless. God left me speechless. “Wow, God, that’s Your moment and mine. You really answered my prayer.” I whispered to God. It was God and me moment. The moment which left me in tears of His majesty and perfect love for me, so many great things God has done for me, but those rainbows yesterday, appearing with no rain, less then 24 hours, after I had asked Him to give? That was a moment I call between the great God and a mere human, intimacy between God and a person, Me! “Yes, Teresa, I love you that much! I’m giving you your rainbow just as you asked with no rain. I’m throwing in the sky two rainbows. Reminding you, My blessings are double every time you obey, and walk in My ways. Obedience is what I require.”

I quickly called Linda. “Linda, didn’t we discuss the rainbow promise yesterday? Guess what’s up in the sky? It didn’t rain. It’s sunny. Did it rain at your house? Like how can there be two rainbows in the sky, Linda, as we talked about this yesterday with No rain? I asked God to please throw a rainbow in the sky for me, and with No rain. He did it, Linda, He did it! And guess what? There are two!” I mean what a mood swing-from crying and being filled with sorrow, to laughing and overjoyed. That’s enough to give her or anyone a brain freeze!

Anyone on Route 20 would have seen those rainbows yesterday! It the following passage, it seems there was someone else like me, from years past. His name was Gideon.

"Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.' And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground." - Judges 6: 39-40

Imagine, the previous verses Gideon had asked for no dew on the floor. God did as he asked. But, he asked for another sign and this time the opposite way. Now, he’s asking for dew on the ground and not on the fleece. God, answered him twice. He did as as Gideon asked.

Yesterday, it happened to me. Out of a cry of desperation I asked God for a rainbow in the sky without rain. It’s exactly what I got. If it had rained, a rainbow in the sky might have occurred. But a rainbow, without rain isn’t common. Yet, God did as I asked. So why does God sometimes answer us as He does?

I can sum it up this way. “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” -Isaiah 65:24

God is faithful, and He absolutely loves it when we come to Him with a heart of submission, gratitude, and faith. He truly delights in answering prayers. Let me explain my asking for that rainbow without rain. It was about doing the perfect will of God. I wanted to be 100 percent correct in doing what He had told me to do. I wanted to be smack in the middle, the absolute center of the will of God. I believe this is why God quickly answered so I would know to stay the course, to be faithful, and true to his calling, and to continue on the road be placed me in the even “If.” Please catch this word even “if” all my “what ifs” absolutely make no sense. God uses the “if” word too!

Gideon didn’t think he could lead the army into victory. Who could blame him. The possibility of them winning was zero. No chance! They had nothing to believe they would win, the other army was stronger, and bigger. But, they possessed something the other army didn’t have. God, with a purpose and a plan. That plan and purpose was for Gideon and his army to win and possess the land. That’s exactly, what happened. Gideon and his small army won, and God gave them that land. In a non complicated answer, it was the will of God for Gideon to win, and conquer. God needed them to understand it was an impossible situation becoming possible because it was supernatural. Get it?

Gideon, like me, was afraid. He wanted to be sure he had heard right from God. That was actually calling him, not his wishes, desires, or will. He asked God to play with the dew and do the impossible, not once but twice. God, in His mercy, and grace, did as Gideon asked. Yesterday, God did it for me, too. Once when I asked in Florida three months ago. He sent a five minute rain shower to throw a huge rainbow covering the sky from one end of the sky to the other, making a complete circle, and then sent another yesterday without one drop of rain just as I asked.

Listen, God wants to show Himself like this to you too. God is a relational God. He is seeking and looking throughout the earth, looking for a heart fully committed to Him, His way, His timetable, total submission, no matter the cost, to show Himself strong on their behalf. God wants to do the impossible in your life, but yes, there is a “but,” it must be done His way, His time, and not your way.

Are you one of those hearts He can show Himself strong? Are YOU seeking and searching to be right in the center of His will, dead center? I promise He’ll do it for you too. Be sure it’s His will you're seeking and not your destructive way.

Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro

Chief Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Worldwide

Founder & President, Thread of Hope, Inc.

INSIGHT & MEDITATION: Being in the center of God's perfect will requires determination and persistence, but first and foremost, it will require you being committed to following God with wholehearted devotion and unwavering loyalty to Him. Do you have reverence for God? The bible states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." Fear of the Lord is what you need to have to gain wisdom and understanding that comes from Him and also to remain in the center of His will. That fear will keep you steadfast because fear of the Lord will keep you safe and keep you from straying and displeasing God by stepping out of His will. "But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you." (Matthew 6:33) "He is your constant source of stability; he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; he gives all this to those who fear him." (Isaiah 33:6) When you are concerned about the things of God, what the world has to offer will more and more disappear from your view because you are consumed with love for God with an undivided heart. Can God trust you with His perfect will, to carry out the tasks He has assigned you, to remain in the place He has you at right now? God is faithful, and He will answer your cry. He is Your Helper. Search out His will and His ways. Ask Him for His will and not your own. Remain in His Ways, and keep trusting Him.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for being faithful and carrying me this far. You, O God, have been my Source of Strength in all I do because apart from You, I can do nothing. Thank You for hearing my cries to You. Lord, I want to be in the center of Your will, Your perfect will where I know I'm safe, where I know Your provision for what I need is already there. Thank You for trusting me with the assignments You have given me. Be my Counsel and my Guide as I walk along this road. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Executive Director

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