“…Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8) “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:30)

On Thursday evening of last week, Sulojana and I decided to use a 2 for 1 cappuccino coupon at McDonald’s.

As we were waiting for our order to be fulfilled, one of the other workers asked: “Would you guys like to take this oatmeal? We just made it and no one wants it. You can have it for free, otherwise we’ll just throw it out.”

Oh, did I mention that it was now 8:15 p.m., which was breakfast time in Malaysia, perhaps, but not in Canada?

Regardless, a freebie is a freebie. I meant to say, God’s favour is God’s favour. How dare we turn down this token of favour, especially when it was free?

The oatmeal came with a small supply of raisins and diced apples, as well as a package of brown sugar. But they offered no milk.

I mean, how do you eat oatmeal porridge without milk? So, I asked for some. The employee looked at me kinda funny, as if to say: “What do you need milk for? This should be moist enough.”

Regardless of his misgivings, he offered me two choices—buy a small carton of milk or take a few creamer-size containers of milk. Would it surprise you to discover that I opted for the one that spelled favour, I mean free?

We took the four miniature tokens of favour to a booth and started fixing up the porridge. Much to my surprise, the porridge was actually quite moist. I only needed to add the contents of two of the containers.

Big decision time. What do you do with the remaining two? Do you toss out tokens of God’s favour into the trash receptacles? Of course, not!

At my encouragement (or was it command?), Sulojana deftly deposited them into her handbag. And we went home and put them in the fridge.

In all fairness, I did have a slight theological debate in my brain that night. Was the act of bringing the two containers home a violation of the eighth commandment: “Thou shalt not steal?” Or was it an act of stewardship? I mean, rather than add to the garbage piles of the world, we acted responsibly by using them in a humane way, did we not?

Of course, in the midst of this internal conversation, I could not discount the fact that being of Indian origin, I simply could not resist a freebie! (As proof, I offer the aforementioned incident where I had no trouble receiving the gift of the free oatmeal).

Once the debate ended in my favour (with yours truly as the moderator), I slept like a baby that night with a very clear conscience.

Fast forward a couple of days. Our Sunday morning breakfast usually consists of cream of wheat porridge, which Sulojana always makes, but she was not home. She was staying overnight at the home of one of our members after being away Friday and Saturday at Women of Faith in Rochester, NY.

So I decided to make myself a bowl of oatmeal porridge instead in the microwave.

As per custom (see above), I went to add milk, only to discover that there was none left. Just as I began to steel myself for the prospect of consuming porridge in this less than moist state, I spied with my little eyes two miniature containers of 2% milk screaming: “Come and get us!”

I don’t know how you would interpret this incident, but I would like to think that our heavenly Father, who cares for us so deeply that he numbers the hairs on our head (a not so easy task with my full mop, but a relatively simple one with Darren’s, ha, ha!), knew my need even before I asked for it, and prompted me on Thursday night to bring those little containers home.

Amen? (or Nay, man?)