An early walk with our two dogs and Jemima in tow, a soft breeze rippling the field of barley that’s not long to stand, an undiluted blue sky overhead dappled with benevolent clouds.  The shelf-life of these carefree summer days is limited; the crop is soon to be harvested, autumn routines begin to encroach and a health problem niggles in my joints and my mind.  Yet the routine of walking is good for us, and my spirit is alive to the wonder of another miraculous day.

A Border collie comes bounding towards us from the woods, then turns back on itself.  We follow it through the path in the barley, and there, just inside the woodland, is its owner, a kind lady who is filling up a natural basin in the tree roots with a bottle of water.  ‘It hadn’t occurred to me that anyone actually fills that up,’ I tell her.  ‘Our dogs always stop for a drink here.’

‘Most people don’t realize,’ she says.  ‘I do this when I walk through each day, morning and night.’

The neighbourhood dogs and resident wildlife all benefit, and it sets me thinking…

I wonder just how much God does on our behalf that we’re oblivious to?  Sometimes we know that he’s at work for us, but we don’t stop to acknowledge it.  That well that we stop to drink from – if it’s wholesome then he is behind it, if we look hard enough.  How often we overlook what he provides and what he does.  I’m sure that we’d be astounded if we knew just how many crises he’s averted, and how often he’s stepped in to orchestrate events for us.  One day he may tell us. He’ll explain the suffering too.  He will wipe tears from our eyes and hold us close, revealing to us why we went through what we did, how it grew us and made us more like him.  The Bible tells us that he prays on our behalf and we’re forever in his thoughts.  David Wilkerson, most famous for his book, The Cross and the Switchblade, writes, ‘The prophet we see standing on the hill with his hands raised up is our risen Christ.  And his banner over us is intercession.  Right now, he stands before the very throne of God, pleading our case.’[1]  He goes on, ‘If our Lord’s prayers prevailed while he was on earth, how much more will his prayers be effective for us in glory?  He has already assured us, “None of my children will be lost.”’

So be encouraged today that whatever your problems, God is one step ahead and he’s pouring out what you need, in intercession, in acts of mercy and in sheer abundant blessing because he loves you and he delights in you.  Ask him to make your spirit sensitive to some of what he does on your behalf.

‘Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.  He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.’  Hebrews 7:25-6.

[1] Wilkerson, David.  Hallowed be Thy Names.  Rickfords Hill Publishing, 2001. Chapter 3: Jehovah Nissi (God is my banner).