It’s all in the details

Long, long ago . . . in a galaxy far, far away . . . when gas cost about 68 cents/gallon . . . as I was driving home from work, I noticed that the gas gauge in my car was desperately trying to inform me that I was seriously way past “empty” – so empty, in fact, that I wasn’t even sure I’d make it home. Thankfully, I was approaching a gas station and pulled right in. A quick ‘purse dive’ later, and I had gathered a whopping $6.00! Definitely not enough to ‘fill ‘er up’ but it would get me home.

A few minutes later, I was pumping the gas and glancing around at all of the folks milling in and out of the gas station/convenience store. Immediately, a certain gentleman caught my attention. He was a giant, slightly angry-looking man about 6.5 feet tall. He was carrying the biggest bottle of whiskey I’d ever seen – in his bare hands (no bag) and a stack of adult magazines.I had a sudden urge to pray.

I asked God to intervene in his life – quickly. I prayed for any woman or children he might be going home to. I prayed for God to shed light on his twisted, distorted view of life and break any spiritual bondage. I asked God to begin healing his deep wounds and to undo what the devil had begun. I prayed for this man to receive a life-changing visitation from his Maker. I prayed for the whiskey to spill all over the magazines. (Cause I’m deep like that.) I prayed for him to meet Jesus in a powerful way. And, before I could pray one more thing, I heard the sound of the gas pump shut off. (Ahhhhhhhhhhh!)

I had been so absorbed in praying for the scary man, I completely forgot that I was putting gas in my car! Before I could force myself look at the price on the pump, I began to try to figure out how in the world I was going to be able to leave that gas station without paying for all of my gas. Scary man was on his own.

Eventually, of course, I looked at the pump. Much to my complete shock, the price was only $6.37. Hope was alive! Surely, the attendant wouldn’t hold me there and call the police for 37 cents! I quickly grabbed my purse to find the $6.00 cash and as I did, I heard coins clanking around somewhere in the unknown recesses of my bag. You can probably guess that there was exactly 37 cents in loose change waiting for me there. Hallelujah! No big-house for me!

That little incident happened over 20 years ago, but God reminds me of it from time to time. It helps me remember that His eyes are always on me. His eyes are always on my details.

On that particular day, my ‘job’ was to intercede for someone who probably would not pray for himself. I have no way of knowing what went on before or after that day in that man’s life. What I do know, is that when I submitted to what God placed before me – intercession – without concern for my own situation (more accurately – I zoned out for a minute), God covered me. I didn’t know that there was 37 cents in the bottom of my purse, but God did. In my fervor, I stopped paying attention to the gas pump for a few moments, but God didn’t. I did not know the circumstances surrounding the scary man’s life. God did. And when I stepped out to do the only thing I knew to do, He moved in and handled my details.

God didn’t have to stop the gas pump for me. He didn’t have to. He chose to. Most people (myself included) might call that a ‘small thing’. Yet I’m forced to realize that the God who chose to create the universe, dry up the Red Sea, deliver millions of Hebrew slaves, raise the dead, and give His life for a people so very undeserving – that same God – chose to stop a gas pump exactly where I needed it. He stepped out of the endless vastness of eternity, into time, to do a ‘small thing’. A detail.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

The God Who has numbered the hairs on our heads and Who knows the whereabouts of every sparrow – that God – knows our details. Our details: the fear, the uncertainty, the loss, the tears, the “what-ifs”, . . . He KNOWS ! And, despite what we secretly believe in the back of our minds, He is Oh so willing to get involved in our details – our ‘small things’.

Let’s shake off the idea that we shouldn’t “bother” God unless we’ve got a mountain to move. He’s not kidding about knowing the number of hairs on your head! Doesn’t that sound like Someone Who might possibly be interested in your details today?

Also posted at Internet Cafe Devotions