I bought a car! It all came together very quickly and in a way that was very encouraging in showing Jesus' provision for me.
My old car was a '99, and I had been thinking for several months about whether or not I should replace it this summer/fall or try to stretch it out another year. I knew I wanted a used car, had done a fair amount of research, and had my short list of likely models that met my criteria and I could afford. Still, I hate the process of actually buying a car, plus I thought it would be nice to get another year out of it so I could save more money, so I hesitated to take the plunge.
Then in early August my transmission did a couple of strange things -- things that anyone else might not have noticed, but that stood out for me since I know the car so well. Even so, I was wondering, Did I just imagine that? Or should I be looking for another car?
Then about a week later, two of the four fan settings suddenly stopped working. It was a minor thing, but the timing was such that I felt like, yep, this is the time. So I prayed, as I did for my last car, that the Lord, who knows I don't enjoy the process, would simply clear the path between me and the car that He had for me.
As I was praying about it, my sense was that the Lord was saying, You get the money in place, and when the money is in place, the car will be ready. It took a bit of time because I had to cash out some savings bonds, move money from one savings account into my checking account, etc.--and do it all around a fairly busy schedule. Nonetheless, I kept getting onto the Internet at night, double-checking my options and looking at dealer inventories.
I finally felt like I had to stop wasting my time researching any further because I knew what I was looking for and the car wouldn't be ready until the money was in place--but it was really hard not to check "just one more place." By the night before the last money transfer would be completed, I had to not go online at all because I knew I wouldn't be able to resist car shopping! I could almost hear the Lord Jesus gently chiding me for running around online saying "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to drive?" :-) It was like He was saying to me as He did to the disciples, "Your Father in Heaven knows that you need all these things."
As I was praying on Wednesday, the day the last transfer completed, a dealer came to mind that I hadn't thought of looking at before. After checking Wednesday evening to make sure that the last transferred money was in place in my checking account, I looked up their Web site, checked their used car inventory, and saw a car that met my criteria, so I sent an email asking about it.
On Thursday morning, I got a reply that the car I saw had sold Tuesday afternoon. The sales rep apologized, saying it takes the Web site 24-48 hours to update. However, he said that one just like it, except for the color, had arrived on Wednesday. "No fooling!" he said. I was sure he wasn't. :-) They were open late on Thursday, so I test drove it after work, put down a deposit, and brought in the bank check on Friday. It's a 2007 Ford Focus SES, black, four-door with hatch, very good condition and under 50,000 miles. God willing, it will last me many years.
In addition to the fact that I'm grateful to be done, I also experienced it as another very personal sign of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit's guidance and provision for me. It wasn't like I heard an audible voice or anything. It was just a "sense" that when the money was ready, the car would be, too. It was so encouraging to know that, yes, that is what God was saying! Plus the car has a couple of extra "perks," like an MP3 player, that weren't on my list, but that I'm experiencing as little extra signs of God's love and care for me.
Thank you, dear Lord, for all the ways that you care for me, most recently through this car. Help me to remember that this is not a one-time thing. Rather, "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." Just as You met my need for a car, so I can trust that You will provide for all my needs, now and forever. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment