A Ring and Promise
Emerald green has always been a colour that I loved. My matric dance dress was emerald green, and my eyes are green, so I figured this colour and I work.
A while back, while at a gifts market with a friend, I happened to come across a stall selling jewellery made with precious stones and gems. I peeked at the rings and saw a very unusual green stone. I enquired and was told that it was a rare, uncut, rough emerald. Very hard to come by. I thanked the stall owner and left to browse the rest of the gifts on offer.
However, this emerald ring was stuck in my thoughts.
Another day, back at the gift market, my friend had wondered off and then came back with an exquisite moonstone ring. She had bought if from the same stall where I saw the emerald ring. I asked her if she had seen the emerald, and she had told me that it was still there! I hurried off to have a look at the ring again (and the check out the price).
Now, to put this story into context, the day before this all happened, I had paid all my monthly expenses and was left with a very sad and measly amount of money to use for the whole rest of the month. And when I say sad and measly, I am definitely not over-exaggerating. It was dire.
And so I had an evening filled with tears and feeling sorry for myself. An evening filled with worrying and faithlessness and selfishness. I lamented about the fact that I work so hard and yet at the end of the month and all the hard work, there is not even enough left to treat myself, or buy just a little something pretty. Thankfully, I am married to a man who has much perspective and faith, and so we spoke it out, and prayed and left it to God.
And our God is faithful. Which is what I learned in a big way over the next few days.
Back at the market, I peered around for the ring and found it. The stall owner, a wonderful lady named Sharon, had recognised me from my prior visit and encouraged me to try the ring on. Not only that, but she took off the price tag and told me to go outside into the natural light to get a real feel for the gem! Seeing this rare, unusual ring on my finger was something quite special, but knowing that I couldn't afford it at the time was a bit of a downer. However, I sucked it up and went back inside to say "thanks, but no thanks."
Now Sharon is not any ordinary shop owner. I told her how beautiful the ring was, but that unfortunately I couldn't afford it at the time, and if it was still there on the last day of the market, maybe I would come back and who knows? Sharon, however, does not believe in "who knows" and "maybe's." She told me that this ring belongs to me, and that she was going to take if off the shelf and keep it for me until the last day of the market. On that day, we would make a plan. Bottom line, she had decided that the ring was not going to anyone else but me.
Some of you might believe this to be a very clever sales pitch, but right at that moment, my God spoke to me and told me that that ring had my name written on it. I left Sharon, overwhelmed by this promise that God had just whispered to me, and the tears fell. In those next precious moments Jesus once again reaffirmed that He KNOWS the desires of my heart. The desire for beautiful things, things that most people would deem frivoulous and unnecessary, but things that He knows bring me joy.
He spoke to my heart and told me that that the emerald ring would be a constant reminder of the fact that He loves me THAT much, that He would shower me with beautiful adornments all because I am His child. Nothing I do is deserving of that kind of lavish blessing. The ring was a promise of His faithfulness in every circumstance (good and bad) and a constant reminder of the lesson He had just taught me. The lesson that He will provide for all my needs and desires if I only trust Him.
In that moment I knew, with absolute certainty, that by the end of the market, I would have that ring. In the days that followed, my sister blessed me with some money towards the ring and my wonderful hubby had sold enough leather products to make up the difference.
God made a plan!
On the last day, I went up to Sharon, with an envelope containing the full amount that the ring cost, received my ring and a big hug from the very special stall owner.
I am not sure if she knew how integral she was in God's lesson for me that week, but she played a huge part. A ring might not mean much to you, but a ring with a promise from God is something to be treasured. Now, whenever I feel like I don't have enough or when I begin to worry, I am reminded by my God's personal and visable promise to me. That He loves me, that He knows all the desires of my heart and that He will provide for my every need.
He is faithful.
I hope this little story encourages you and reminds you that our God cares deeply about every single detail in your life.
xxx
3 comments
Oh my friend!! I know Ive heard this story first hand but reading about it really moved me!! Thank you!! XXX
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story. I have had many similar experiences and do truly believe that God communicates with us in many different ways - we just need to be open to those messages. The ring is so beautiful and Sharon's generosity in keeping it aside for you is very touching :)
ReplyDeleteThe ring is beautiful - I love the uncut natural look!
ReplyDelete