The Window

One day in early May, Christina told me that she had learned to get immediate help when she had trouble.

She said there is a special window—if you put your hand or your staff through it, God gives you immediate help.  If you need peace or joy, you ask God and He gives it immediately.   My sister and I were puzzled.  What staff?  What kind of window?

So, of course, we asked her about the window.  Large or small?  Organic or manufactured?  Do you break glass to get through it?

She patiently tried to answer but mostly just looked at us like we were very dense.  It’s not too large.  But it’s not too small either.  There is no stooping to get through it.  It’s easy.  There is no smashing of glass.  It is always available.

The next day we asked again about her window.  She remembered it and told us she could even get physical things like lattes or smiles.  I thought of how many lattes I had carried into her room and wondered how many answers to her “window requests” they represented.

She also said that she had no need to worry about her motivation for asking for anything.  She told me that God knew her heart really well and He took care of all of that.  She was like a child asking her Heavenly Father for whatever she needed. 

We asked her how she learned about it.  She said, “I watched the other people using their windows and I thought it looked like a good idea.”  I asked her if she knew the people.  No.  They were just other followers of Jesus.

I thought about the window idea.  It did not seem to be a heavenly picture because Christina was accessing it from earth and she suggested that we all should be using our windows.  It seemed that God gave her a visual representation of a scriptural truth, such as--

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  Psalm 46:1

or

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

or

“You do not have because you do not ask.” James 4:2b

or

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  Matthew 7:7-11

Christina gave no explanation about the staff we are to put through the window but it is likely that it represents our faith.   Faith is our gift from God that allows us to talk to Him, to believe Him, and to trust Him.

The lesson I learned, is to ask more of my Father.  Ask for direction.  Ask for advice.  Ask for help in navigating the difficulties in human interaction.  Ask for peace.  Ask for joy. 

He is a good and generous Father.  He loves to give good gifts.  There is no reason to muddle through much of life in my own wisdom or strength.  My strength is limited.  His power for us is incomparable.   

Ephesians 1:18-19a

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”