The Rose Coat

Posted by Tia Ciferno and filed in Encouragement for Daily Living

Friday, November 30, 2007

A few weeks ago I took my baby sister Kate out to lunch for her birthday while my daughter Julia watched Kate’s two little girls. Afterwards my sister asked if we could return a winter coat for her one year old, since it was much too big. We tried, but the store wouldn’t switch sizes for her since she had no receipt. So Kate and I decided to shop around a little before we went home. Scarlett needed a coat and the days were getting so cold.

As we went from store to store in the mall, we were so disappointed … no one had any size “12 month” coats left. They were all too large. It was at that time I heard the Lord whisper, “Ask Me out loud, in front of Kate, to find a coat for Scarlett!” So I did. I prayed right there in Sears, beside my sister, and asked the Lord to help us find a warm coat for my niece. I had a feeling the Lord wanted Kate to see how much He cares for the smallest details of our lives.

As we continued our search, we walked by a big department store in the center of the mall. I mentioned that they can have wonderful sales, so Kate followed me into the store and up the escalator. Not one minute later we were standing by the softest, most beautiful little coat with big velvet rose buttons and a furry hood. Kate spotted it and she was thrilled. “This is it! And it’s her size!” she shouted. The coat was perfect for our “Scarlett Rose”… We then had another surprise when we got to the counter and discovered it was marked down by 75%!

How wondrous. Our God answered the smallest prayer for a little one year old in Warren Ohio. A prayer answered for Scarlett’s warmth, but also for her mama’s heart (and an aunt’s) to see His Care and Character.

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:28-33