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It was Sunday morning. I had just played piano for the first worship service (one of two) when I received a text and photo from my husband. Our basement is flooded. It had already been on my mind, because we had noticed the night before that we were getting water. I am staring at a picture of our wet basement, and I feel guilty: guilty that I am not there helping him clean it up, guilty I can’t help with the kids, guilty that I am in the church’s building and he is at home.
God gently nudges, “Is My arm not long enough?” I had read the Scripture that morning. (Numbers 11:23) One translation says, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” God is responding to Moses. Moses just told God the people are tired of manna. God says He’ll give the people quail. Moses argues. Doesn’t He realize they’re in a desert? Does He have any idea how many mouths there are to feed? God responds with a question, like so many times in Scripture, “Is My arm not long enough?” In other words, He asks, “Am I not able to handle all you’re dealing with? Won’t I reach my arm to everything that is needed?”
The first time I read the Scripture, I pictured God dressed as Inspector Gadget, reaching His arms across the universe, grasping exactly what fulfilled His purposes. In this case, reaching across a desert to a forest where quail lived in abundance and dropping them back down in the aforementioned desert. In my cartoon imagination, His white gloved hands would pat the heads of the quail before retracting back into the sky. I laughed at God’s question that first time reading. Of course His arms are long enough! He’s God! Duh, Moses! Really? You challenge God?
Now He’s asking me, “Elizabeth, is my arm not long enough?” and I argued. “Lord, my husband is alone. We don’t know how much this is going to cost. We were hoping for a vacation. There goes that. Am I even strong enough to help him get this done? You know how I am! I love starting a project, but rarely do I finish one. And now the intro music for the next service is playing! I want to worship You, but I have so much in my head…”
We’re leading worship now, the band and I. I’m playing piano, but my brain won’t stop. It’s reeling with all that will need done that afternoon. How will we manage, with three kids needing supervision?
“Elizabeth, is My arm not long enough?” I think He spoke it with a little more emphasis.
And while I’m playing, and while the music swells, my brain finally stops and my heart yields, “Yes, Lord, Your arm is always long enough.”
He floods me. We may have a flooded basement, but He floods me with His love. It was like a surge of liquid love was coursing through my entire being. He overwhelms me with His Spirit and I am shaken, physically and metaphorically, all while somehow still playing piano (though I may have hit a wrong note or two, as I’m now playing through tears).
And I finally get it… at least for that day, in that moment.
God asks questions not to set our minds reeling, not to be rhetorical (as I often interpret it), but because His deepest desire is communication. All He wanted was an answer, knowing that in our answer, we receive. We receive peace and comfort. We receive joy. We receive strengthened faith.
RESPONSE
LORD JESUS, YOU know that I walked offstage and bawled my eyes out, startling both the worship leader and head pastor. Those poor guys. I can just imagine the looks they were giving each other as I am a pool of snot and tears, ugly crying, unable to control myself for a few minutes. They prayed for me, not really knowing what to say, because I couldn’t do anything but blubber.
YOU also know that we came home, and we cleaned the basement for the rest of the day, while our children watched movies. And then, about 8 pm, we went out to eat, exhausted, but happy. The basement was clean, and my husband and I had done it together. YOU turned a hard day into one that drew my husband and I closer.
Over the next week, the problem was completely fixed and we still managed to take a vacation later that year. What can I say? I spiraled. Thank YOU for YOUR patience with me, LORD.
PRAYER
FATHER, just as this song states, YOU’re never early, YOU’re never late. Thank YOU that before this day starts, YOU know what is going to happen. No matter how ridiculous it seemed to bring quail into a desert, YOU had it all figured out. Just like Moses, I just need to trust YOU.
YOUR arms are always long enough, long enough to shield, to reach where we can’t reach, and to pull us close as YOU listen to our every word. Thank YOU, LORD, that YOUR help is always on the way.
One more thing, readers! Don’t have a Bible? Want a simple way to look up Scripture? YOUVersion app is great for your phone, your tablet, your laptop. One of my favorite features is the audio feature. I can have Scripture or reading plans read to me while I do dishes, work in the garden, or fold laundry. I’m hands-free and still learning. Here’s the link: https://www.youversion.com/
Did this story remind you of one of your own? Tell me about it! Email me at [email protected]. I can’t wait to learn from you.
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