A New Bag

Yesterday the handle to my bag broke. It was annoying to me because it happened late at night. We had a conference at our church and I was busy all weekend. I wasn't sure when I would get the opportunity to buy another one. I usually get the same style or color bag every time. As much as I vary in my tastes in so many areas of interests, I usually get a black or brown bag. It must have a separate compartment for my cell phone and at least two major compartments for other stuff.

Today after church Tom and I had to make a quick stop at Wal-Mart. While there I asked him if he wouldn’t mind me looking at the bags. He was kind enough to humor me. So I made a bee line for the same exact style and color bag I have now. My dear hubby comes over to me and says, “I believe God has a new bag for you.” At this point I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. I just didn’t have a brain to think or to try to hear God. At our church we teach classes that have to do with the Art of Hearing God and dream interpretation. One of the exercises we do is to let God speak to us through an object. He saw the frustration I was feeling. He went on to say, “I think it’s red and God will speak to you through it.”

I’m thinking to myself okay I’ll give this a shot. So we look around and I find a red bag and it’s something I never would have bought for myself. (See picture above.) It’s pretty but I’m not that bold in the bag department.

I took my new bag home and as I started to transfer the stuff from my old bag into the new bag. It started to speak to me. I took some time to pray and when I look at my new bag this is what God spoke to me –

It’s a one zipper bag instead of two because my role will be more defined. There is a snake skin pattern on it. A snake sheds its skin and there is a new one underneath – God’s shedding my old nature and a new one is waiting underneath. It’s like new wine skin for the new wine He has for me. The red represents passion for Him and for life that I once had. It also stands for His blood that was shed for me to have that new life and have it abundantly. The bag is bigger than what I usually get because the new thing is bigger than what I’m use to. I felt He told me that passion, freedom and hope is mine – that is His promise to me. That I will have renewed passion in my love for Him, my love for Tom, my love for my children and my love for His people. I will have freedom to express myself in the call He has placed on my life – freedom to worship Him, to love Him, to be creative and be one with Tom. I will have hope that these are not mere words on a page but a promise.

So thank you Lord for your encouragement to me today. I will look upon my bag daily and be reminded of your love and promise for me.

© Nadine Z. 2007