Recently, while in the process of curling my ever-straight hair, I burned my thumb...worse than the normal graze of the iron. I was actually mindlessly thinking during this task as one does, but I began to spiral down into some thoughts that were not going to do anybody any favors. After flirting with these seemingly meaningless thoughts for a few minutes, my thumb lay directly on the 400 degree metal for much longer than I thought my brain should have allowed. Amidst the singe, my first thought was, "If you play with fire, you will get burned!" This was in direct connection with the fact that I was allowing myself to spiral into unhealthy thoughts. And listen, I don't know if the Lord allowed me to burn my finger to prove a point, but I was snapped back in my place real quick.
Another thought that went through my mind at this exact same time, was a story a friend had posted on Insta earlier in the day. She had burned her tongue and was talking about using lavender oil to help heal it. I'm not insanely oily, but I will gladly give anything a shot especially if it smells good. Because I am not super oily, I don't usually pay close attention to these kind of stories, but for some reason this morning, I tucked this tip into my brain. I don't have many oils on stock, but lavender happens to be one that I do have. I put some on a band-aid and nursed my thumb. Long story short, it actually really did help! I was pleased to have my thumb back in quick working order when I thought a blister was surely in my future.
Surely this story isn't a plug for lavender oil?...it isn't. This story is about the character of my good Savior. You see, I had allowed myself to go down into thoughts that could take me to a sinful place. Being the omniscient God that He is, He already knew how this story was going to play out. He knew I would sin. And even in knowing that I would sin and would reap a consequence I surely deserved; He planted a cure He knew I would need much earlier that morning. That's the kind of dad He is. Already knowing the depravity of our heart, the betrayal in our veins, the full blown sinner of our being; He plans a remedy, a cure, a healing ointment. He could have let me feel all the sting of the burn I inflicted upon myself, but instead, I got a tangible visual of grace...His grace. Soak that in, sisters...He's a really good Abba.
