The excitement at work was growing.  For about two weeks now, since the flyer was posted, all the staff at my place of work has been anticipating what was to happen today.  One of the doctors offered to treat everyone to lunch.  He meant to do it at Christmas time, but you know how busy the holidays can get.  It was to be a combination late Christmas and now Valentine’s treat.  Lunch was going to be brought in from this wonderful deli that makes delicious trays of the best lunchmeats and cheeses with good rustic sandwich bread.  The salads and accompaniments are gourmet in quality as well.

I’m always game for a good sandwich.  Usually, I bring a small snack of yogurt and a drink to work because we don’t even always get a lunch break.  But this was going to be a special big deal.  The schedule was such that we were pretty sure to be done by noon while several people who weren’t even scheduled to work today were going to come in for the little feast.

It was a busy morning.  Around eleven o’clock we still had about five more patients and all of us were getting hungry.  “Wonder if the food is here yet?” someone queried.  I had a free moment and offered to walk over to the break room to look.  Peeking in the door, all I saw was the box with yesterday’s stale bagels on the table.  No lunch.  Yet.

I went back and told my coworkers that, no, there was no lunch.  Yet.

After a few confused exchanges with people and some further phone calls, the final answer was:

No lunch.

🙁

Most of us had brought NOTHING to eat because we had counted on our little feast.  The head of our department made some more phone calls then finally informed us that a mistake was made and the special lunch was never ordered.  Maybe next week.  But because we had all worked hard and had expected a lunch, she saw to it that some pizza was brought in for us.

Now I handled this all just fine.  I don’t go to work for the food!  And I would have been fine with my yogurt – only I didn’t bring one today!  But think about the let-down and disappointment this was for so many!

You come to work expecting lunch.  You were told it was going to be there.  Gourmet quality meats, cheeses, salads, and breads were on the menu.  Some of your friends, who didn’t even have to be at work today, show up for the festivities.  Your stomach starts growling and you start salivating as lunch time draws near.  Expecting a wonderful feast, you walk into the break room and see …

pizza.

Ha ha.  It was a bummer.  But it brought to mind these bible verses:

Matthew 7:7-12
⁷ “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ¹² So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Thank goodness the good Lord hears our prayers and gives us what we need.  There’s no bait and switch; no substitutions.  In sickness, we can pray for and receive healing.  When troubled, He answers us with peace.  When the storms of life get you frazzled, he offers calm.

It was a little disappointing to not get the lunch we anticipated today.  But it reminded me that God never disappoints!

Just Laurel