But, God! – Tug on Superman's Cape by Joey LeTourneau

Redding, CA

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment..." Matthew 9:20-21

The world will tell us its cultural reminders not to ever tug on Superman's cape. But, such a saying doesn't know the love or power of Jesus – for He is our Superman. So, like the woman who reached out to touch the hem of His garment, we tug on Superman's cape. That was the Lord's instruction to me recently when we reached another place of having no earthly answers. I was praying for strategy, seeking His wisdom and revelation for a different way forward, and, instead, I simply and surprisingly heard Him remind me: "Tug on Superman's cape." (Photo by Linda Harris-Iorio"Bow Down and Touch the Hem of His Garment" via elijahshopper.com)

We are sons and daughters of an abundantly good Father. We don't tug because we've earned it or deserve it. We don't tug because we're entitled or by some spiritual formula. We get to tug on His cape because He loves us and waits for us to approach Him in such a believing, childlike, confident manner because of Who we know He is.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding... Proverbs 3:5

Sometimes our current circumstances don't make sense, nor do they add up, leaving us without the ability to understand. Sometimes we're not supposed to understand or figure it out. We're just supposed to know the One who wears that cape so well, and tug on it for the mysterious power that is our only way through.

Crossing Our Jordan

Eight years ago my wife, our daughter Mercy, and myself were on a strategic trip across seven nations of Africa spanning seven weeks. We were conducting various trainings to empower young leaders, and it was also a vision trip for us to see where we would plan to live for the next season of our lives. We got the entire trip lined up, but were only a few days before leaving and still only had provision for our arrival in Rwanda in February, and tickets home to the U.S. from South Africa in April.

Seven weeks and several thousand miles, not to mention meetings we were committed to, sat waiting in between. We had no other flights or funding outside of $500 for food, transport, and lodging, already well below what those necessities would cost. However, as we prayed, God said to step, that He would answer, and that we would walk across such a river on dry ground.

To make a long, awesome story short, God did miracle after miracle, each one different in each different nation we visited. We hadn't missed a meeting nor been late to even one.We then found ourselves in Botswana, feeling sick, with less e-mail communication with family and friends than we'd previously had access to, and in need of provision for the rest of the trip through the island regions of Madagascar and Mauritius before heading back to South Africa. We needed at least $4,000 to finish the flight parts of our trip. And just as He had done in each other nation, we watched God suddenly provide $4,000 exactly the last day we could have it to book our travel. (Photo via Pixabay)

But, it was Easter, a huge and busy holiday in the area, and all the flights were full and the cost had gone up another $1,500 now from our previous inquiries. Plus, we now needed to add an extra flight to make the new itinerary work. Our office in the U.S. couldn't find any other flight options. We needed a miracle and our circumstances didn't make sense. Why would God bring us this far on a path only He could pave to leave us stuck in that place?

He wouldn't! He doesn't! He didn't! We replied to our contacts to please try one more time, that we would pray and believe God would do a miracle. All we had left was to humbly, yet confidently, tug on Superman's cape. He had brought us this far by His voice, and only He could finish what He started.

...I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Acts 27:25

George Mueller's testimonies had long been food for our family and calling (he was an evangelist from the UK in the 1800s). And, in this moment, I was reminded of a story I'd read over and over again of Mr. Mueller on a ship towards an engagement and his conversation with the steamship captain. The fog was so dense they couldn't go forward. The circumstances were unbending and impossible in the captain's eyes. But Mr. Mueller knew the goodness of His Father, not in an entitled way, but with humble confidence.

He stated to the captain that his Father had never let him miss an engagement, had brought him this far, and this one would be no different. He prayed a simple prayer, not too different than a child walking up to tug on Superman's cape. They opened the door and found that the fog was indeed gone and George Mueller made his engagement right on time.

As my wife and I sat on our knees in a simple home in Botswana, we recounted this story as we looked back at how far and how miraculously God had led us across the continent. Provision had no answer, as it had already come in and by itself wasn't enough. Our travel agent had no answer, as all the flights were booked. Our office had no answer, but they were willing to keep knocking. And we certainly had no answer, except that it was time to reach out and tug on Superman's cape. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

"Lord," we said, "You have brought us across the continent. You have not let us miss a meeting, nor be late for one. You said we would walk through this river on dry ground, and now, we need You to do this in Jesus' name." Then we went to sleep.

We woke up to the phone ringing the next morning. It was our office calling and the first words out of their mouth were, "Joey, it's a miracle!" Not only had they found tickets, they added an extra flight, even added business class, and now the tickets were well under the original $4,000 need. God answered abundantly, in a way that only He could, and when we eventually finished that trip, just before we boarded our flight back to the U.S., we picked up three stones, one for each of us, to remember that we had indeed walked through the river on dry ground.

"But, God."

I've grown up with a long legacy before me of those who trusted God through unbelievable difficulty and circumstance. And over and over again I would hear them say, "But, God." In essence, that's what we were doing when we hit our knees in Botswana. That's what Mr. Mueller was doing when He prayed such a simple prayer upon that ship. And that is what we are saying with utmost childlike confidence when we walk up to Superman and tug on His cape. But, God!

We still must have works to go with our faith. We still must be diligent, obedient, and keep persevering and moving forward with Him – that part is still vital and we mustn't remove that role of ours in our co-laboring with Him. But, there comes a moment in our current season or journey when we must stop, get childlike, remember who our Daddy is, and tug on Superman's cape in the name of Jesus, believing God that it will be just as He has told us. (Photo via Pixabay)

...I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Acts 27:25

Joey LeTourneau
Imagi-Nations LLC
Email: joey.letourneau@gmail.com
Website: www.goimaginations.com