Funny how these moments where God suddenly breaks through the dust and grind of everyday life occur in such ordinary places and times. When we're least expecting it, God sends us little gift-wrapped packages of His love and grace...in a moment. How easy it is to miss them, because often we're in too much of a hurry...or too preoccupied...or too prone to walk through life with eyes focused only on the seen and the temporal rather than the unseen and the eternal.
But not this day. Not this brief moment--
We were crammed on the bus, standing room only as we clung to the overhead bars to keep from falling. Preyer, Peter and I were riding the bus that delivers you to the "Dean Dome" in Chapel Hill. We had tickets in the upper rafters to go watch our beloved tar heels play basketball. Chatting away, trying not to tumble over, daydreaming about what kind of food they might have at the game and whether I'd brought enough money...I was not exactly "in the moment."
But then I suddenly looked up and realized where we were. The very route we had taken to the hospital, day after day, week after week, when Janie was in the ICU with her brain injury. Just like that, it all flooded back to me--all that fear and sorrow and waiting...and yet also all that love and support from family and friends and all that never-failing strength and solace from the Lord. But make no mistake: it was a hard, hard time.
I suddenly leaned over to the boys and whispered, "This is the same way we always drove to be with Janie in the hospital."
At that very moment, a text unexpectedly came through...from Janie, wouldn't you know it. And it was a picture. She had waited with her friends for over 4 hours to get 4th row seats in the student section to watch the heels. This was her view, and she was some kind of fired up!
And all I could think was: Thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus. Gratitude spilled over as I my eyes filled with tears. Who would have thought? Who would have dared dream all those months ago, when we were driving back and forth, long day after long day, that we would now be here. That she would now be there. That she could recover from that seemingly life-altering injury and go to college and live life again. Couldn't have imagined it in my wildest dreams.
And the only response is--to God be all the glory and praise.
Sometimes we all need to remember the depths from which God has rescued us. Sometimes we need to be reminded that God has glorious plans for us--no matter how it might look right now--and He will get us from here to there. "'For I know the plans, I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jer.29:11)
And here we were, up in the rafters, eating cotton candy and hot dogs and having a big time with my wonderful sister Jane (Janie's namesake!)--
But this little moment was God's postcard, reminding me that each moment of our brief journey on this planet is to be noticed, treasured, and entrusted to the hands of the One who loves us infinitely and perfectly. And He will get us through to the other side of our every moment--good and bad.
Some moments will be hard and long and mystifying. Others hopeful and joyous and magical. But every moment is a gift from His hand, a gem to be savored, and an opportunity to trust even when we cannot fully understand.
If you are in the midst of a storm right now, hang on and know that the One who led you in, will lead you out again. Never doubt that there are good and glorious moments ahead...He's promised. And not one of His promises has ever failed.
To God be the glory.
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