Ever wondered, what is my purpose in life? What is it that God wants me to do? I remember having that question After I finished a big job for God. "What do you want me to do now?" I asked God in tears, feeling tired and worthless.
"What's in your hands?" came the answer as clear as though someone was sitting next to me. I looked down and found I was holding a baby blanket in one hand and a needle in the other hand.
At that moment, I was focusing on the needle and thread. Ah, God wants me to sew for him. But what, I thought after I finished that blanket, which was a gift. I had seen a missionary's presentation of their mission to a country where they helped feed and clothe orphaned children. I wanted to put teddy bears in the arms of every one of those children.
I said something to the team about it. "No, we can't afford to take teddy bears there with us," they told me. Their answer saddened me at first. But the images of those children wouldn't leave me, so I prayed about it.
In time, I remembered that the team had taken M & M packages with them to the field. These fit easily into the pockets and stuffed in luggage. Ah, I thought, I will make M & M package size teddy bears to send with them. So I did just that. For about a year I sewed 4-inch teddy bears. When I got up to 66 of them made, my mother helped me make most of the rest. Between the two of us, we made 100, we were told.
Those teddy bears were handed out all over that country the next five years to children who had no toys. Wow, that is great, I thought. But God was not finished with me yet.
What's in your hands? he had said. Not what's in one of your hands? I had failed to look at the other hand where the baby blanket was. But God hadn't forgotten.
"Make me a blanket!" I went to the missionary and said, "God told me to make a blanket for you to take to the field."
"Oh, like a quilt," he asked. I didn't know.I just knew that I was to make a blanket.
He was very excited about the whole thing for, he explained to me, a blanket was a very precious and personal item in that country. People did not share their blankets with other people. I had no way of knowing this when God called me to sew them, but God knew.
In time, God gave me a design for a blanket that could be used in that country. I've been making blankets every since.
"What's in your hands" God asked Moses when he called him to do a ministry. With that simple tool God saved a nation.
Want to know what God has called you to do? Look down and see what's in your hands. It could be children God has entrusted to you to raise for his glory, or a needle, or a business- the list could go on. Start with that, and he will bless it. What abilities and things has God given you to use for his glory? My friend, what is in your hands?
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