Grace Grace for a Parking Space

"Grace, Grace for a parking space..." she said.

"what?" I asked puzzled....

My friend responded, "grace, grace for a parking space." She went on to explain that she doesn't like parking a long way from the place she's going and so years ago she asked the Lord to give her a parking space near the door as a way of letting her know that He was with her. It's been 15 years since the first time she asked Him that and now, every time she asks, He comes through.... busiest times of day, rush hour traffic, holiday frenzy... doesn't matter, a parking space near the front frees up. She told me it is the most real way that God says, "I'm always with you, baby". How precious is that?

When I heard that story, something instantly sprang up in my spirit... expectancy... what if we all lived our lives believing and anticipating God to show up and move like that in our lives? What if we expected Him to do the miraculous in the mundane moments? What if we woke up every single day with that kind of expectation? How different would our lives look? How much different would the world look?

My friend is quick to tell you, she ALWAYS asks, she never takes this blessing for granted. She comes to the Father with expectancy... not entitlement. Expectancy is thinking or hoping that it will happen, believing God is with us, that He will show up, that He will be faithful. Expectancy is about what God will do - how we believe He will make Himself known to us... expectancy is very different from entitlement. Entitlement is believing we have the right to this work in our lives, that we deserve for God to show up, grant our requests, and answer our prayers. Entitlement is about us... not about God. The two are very different. James 4:3 tells us: "even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong". My sweet friend asks for the parking space because it's a sweet exchange between her and her Daddy... she comes with worshipful expectation and what is she really seeking? It's not just a parking space my friends, she is seeking Him... seeking to see Him in the mundane - the everyday - she's looking for Him to say "I love you" to be affirmed that He is always with her... I believe to my core that He delights in opening up those parking spaces!!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. What have you asked God for lately? Maybe what you're believing Him for seems mountainous and undoable or maybe it's trivial and seems silly... this scripture in Matthew tells us to ASK... nothing is impossible to the creator of the universe and nothing is silly to Him... He created you and He knows just how to speak love to your heart. That's what that parking space does to my friend and sweet mentor... it's a tangible reminder of His love and constant presence in her life. How do you need Him to tell you that? He cares about the things that concern you... He already knows before we ask - He is waiting for us to ask!

I'm not suggesting that God is some sort of genie that we rub and make wishes to... I'm also not suggesting that all prayers are answered just like we think they should be. I've known deep tragedy in my life when people I deeply cared for were not healed this side of heaven. I've prayed for financial miracles that haven't happened. I've prayed prayers that were not answered in the way I wish they would have been... I'm not suggesting that these things will change. God knows everything and although He always answers, it's not always the way we think it's going to be. What I'm saying is that the God of the universe adores you... He delights in showing His love for you and He desires to walk in constant fellowship with you. Ask Him to show Himself to you in a tangible way... He's faithful - it might not be a parking space near the door but if you look for Him, you will find Him... promise!