$15,000 is quite a bit of money to raise.
A new car, five years of groceries, or the World Race. That's a good chunk of change!
It's hard to live life on $15,000 a year, but Racers manage to live an extraordinary life on that kind of budget.
They live out of a backpack,
sleep on floors,
and trust God.
When Racers, parents, and supporters hear they have to raise fifteen grand, it doesn't matter that in reality Racers live simply on the bare minimum – it just sounds like a lot of cash.
Cash that they don't have.
But cash that God wants to provide.
So often we believe God cares about us helping orphans, feeding the hungry, and freeing the trafficked – but does he forget about the cost to get us there?
God does not only care about your support raising process, it's not at all daunting to him. He's Jehovah Jireh – our provider. And lately we've had front row seats to how he wants to provide for his kids as they set out to change the world.
Recently, there were a few Racers in danger of being sent home due to lack of funds – something we never want to see happen. It was down to the wire.
One Racer needed $2,500 to show up immediately. Faster than immediately. Now. Or she'd be on a plane to America within the week. It felt like God had forgotten about her, but in fact, God had remembered her.
In Genesis, we read the story of Noah and his ark. The entire earth was swept away in the flood, but Noah and his family were saved. They were following God and expecting him to show up – expecting to step out on dry land. But they were stuck on the ark for way longer than planned. Where was God? Read chapter eight verse one.
"But God remembered Noah."
Wait, what?
Did God forget about Noah before that moment?
Not to get too academic, but the Hebrew for "remembered" in that verse is a continual remembering.
i.e., "But God had been remembering Noah." or "But God didn't forget Noah."
God remembered Noah. God remembered this Racer. God remembers you.
Sometimes he likes to wait until the last minute so we can't deny that he's the one doing the providing. He likes to show off for his kids. And just like that, faster than immediately, $2,500 anonymously showed up. She could stay on the Race. In the same 30 minutes, another check was anonymously sent in for $6,000, keeping three other racers on the field as well.
When we don't see God's hand, or we feel like he has forgotten us, let's remember Noah.
Let's remember this World Racer.
Let's remember that God shows up.
Will you expect it?
