“I got hungry…you think I may have overdid it?” was the caption of a photo a friend
texted me in August a few years ago. In the picture there were 6 pans overflowing with
barbecued ribs, grilled salmon, smoked sausage, grilled pork chops and grilled Cornish hen.
Even though I’m not a big meat eater, I couldn’t pass up the chance to eat some fresh
barbecue. So, I gladly accepted his offer to come and get as much meat as I wanted. I was
so thankful that I could enjoy some great barbecue and I didn’t have to worry about cooking
meat for a few days. I ate as much as I could for a few days and then put the leftovers in my
freezer. As I added more food to my freezer, I soon forgot that they were there.
Fast forward to a few months later in October when I had a taste for grilled salmon but
didn’t feel like cooking. Just by chance, I started digging in the freezer and what did I find?
One perfectly frozen grilled lemon pepper salmon steak. How awesome for me! I had salmon
for my dinner, and I didn’t have to cook! After I finished eating, I also thought about how God
had, even in what could be considered a small thing, showed me, once again, that he was able
to meet my needs not just in the present but also in the future. God knew that I would want
salmon in October, and he’d provided for it back in August.
It was just a small piece of salmon but a big reminder that God provides for my needs
even before I realize that I have them. Honestly, I sometimes struggle with feeling like God has
forgotten about me and some of my prayer requests. I didn’t know that I’d need lemon pepper
salmon steak in October but God, not being bound by time, knew, and had already provided for
that need.
That is one of the awesome things I love about God: He is still the God of Isaiah 46:10
that says “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will happen,
for I do whatever I wish.” Whether its food, healing for our bodies, or financial needs, God
has already taken care of the need. With such an emphasis on “where has the time gone?” at
this time of the year, we Christians have to continue to trust God’s timing.
At this point in the year, so many of my friends are reflecting on how quickly 2024
seems to be moving along. For some, it was the year of unexpected loss as friends and loved
ones passed away. For others, it was the year of victory as answers to long awaited prayers
arrived. For me, it has been the year of becoming more at peace with God’s timing as I am
learning how, with examples like the lemon pepper salmon steak, to better accept and
understand the timing as well as the movement of God.
Shewanda Riley is a Dallas, Texas based author of “Love Hangover: Moving from Pain to
Purpose After a Relationship Ends” and “Writing to the Beat of God’s Heart: A Book of Prayers
for Writers.” Email her at preservedbypurpose@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter
@shewanda.