Greater Things Than These

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these." John 1:50

From the time I was a young girl with a brown daschund named "Lady", to the present with my sweet beagle Sparrow sitting at my feet, dogs have always seemed to play some part in my life.

Recently the Lord used Sparrow in a very real way in my life to remind me that He is definitely interested in the things that concern me.

Glen and I were headed to an early morning appointment and our daughter, Emmie, now a college freshman, had an eight o'clock class. We had to leave before she would need to get up to get ready. I was concerned she might oversleep because she had been up late the night before working on a project due for class that day.

Trying to let our daughter have some independence in her new role as an adult, we didn't wake her up early just because we were leaving the house. As we traveled to our destination, I felt so concerned that she might be late. I prayed that the Lord would send Sparrow to scratch on her door to wake her up in time.

At the same time, my heart was burdened for my youngest as she becomes independent and as she faces the temptations that challenge most college freshmen. My prayers for protection, guidance and wisdom were fervent and heartfelt. All of this happened around 6:35 that morning.

Later in the day, Emmie called us to let us know she had made it to class on time, and we were both relieved. But that wasn't the end of the story.

Later that night, as I was typing on the computer, Emmie came and plopped herself on our bed (as is her habit to do). She told me that she had made it to class on time, and then told me why.

"Sparrow came to my door and scratched on it to wake me up."

I just looked at Glen.

"What time was that?" I asked her.

"I don't know, about 6:30, 6:40."

That was exactly the time I had been praying for her.

I felt as if the Lord was impressing upon me much the same He had spoken to Nathaniel about his experience under the fig tree. I felt that He wanted me know that though I seemed amazed that He had sent Sparrow to wake Emmie up--such a little thing-- that was just a token of the bigger things for which I had asked.

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." I Peter 5:7