Clash of Thunder

"At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, 'Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me -- a foreigner?'...May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.'"

This was an exchange between Ruth and Boaz as her gratitude became overwhelming, and as Boaz prayed for the receiving of God's favor during this season of her life due to her faithfulness to God. This was also an exchange between my daughter Kristen and her Father five years ago tomorrow.

On Mother's Day five years ago I received a phone call from Kristen while I was celebrating Mother's Day at my parent's home. She called to inform me that my Mother's Day gift was that she checked herself into a detox center and was going to try to get clean. The phone call did not warrant the emotions typically experienced because I had heard these promises for years only to be dashed by the next expanding need for her fix of heroin. The cycle had rolled on and on for years so I told her that I was happy for her and I would take her up to the treatment center at the end of the week. I hung up and continued on with my celebration with guarded hope. I did drop her off at the treatment center on May 14, 2004 with little belief that this would be the "Day of the Great Awakening".

I received a phone call at work the following week from her as she was reduced to tears, despair, and disbelief that she could accomplish this. This call was different than the rest - God laid on my heart that day to tell her to pray a prayer of confession. We both hung up and went to our places of solitude to lift prayers up at the same time. I prayed that the same Father who had claimed me as His daughter would cover her with the same paternal acknowledgment to let her know who she was to Him. She called me a little while later sobbing telling me the following conversation she had with God.

"God, I don't even know what to say to you. I have been here so many times before and everything has been said. I cannot do this...I don't know what to say..." At that point she heard God say the beautiful words of acknowledgement every child needs, "You are MY child". It was at that moment that she confessed, accepted her belief that He could do this for her and started down her path tucked under His wings of refuge much like Ruth. Because of her belief in God's faithfulness He has richly rewarded her for her faithfulness.

Kristen didn't know how to pray at this point in her life but knew to whom she had to pray. He knew the words that needed to breathe life back into this corpse and He said them with a resounding thunder. I praise God this morning, and all mornings, for this experience much like Ruth did - bowed down with my face to the ground. Never lose your humility for that which God has thunderously brought to pass!