Last week, Meredith and I met someone very interesting. There was a lady, who seemed a little crazy at first, outside of Dollar General who stopped us in conversation. It was the middle of the day and our kids were "behaving", so we stopped a moment to talk with this stranger. In the middle of speaking to us, she mentioned that she had a gift to be able to "perceive" things about people. She wasn't 100% correct, but she said some things which caused Meredith and I to pause.
At one point, after telling us about how many children she's had, and how many survived to adulthood, she looked at us and said, "See, I know you have three kids, but only two made it... but that's okay because those two who made it are a blessing." The reason why this caught us so off guard is because Meredith and I miscarried our first child before having Phoebe and Ezra. Amongst ourselves, we frequently acknowledging our "three kids" because that initial pregnancy was so impactful to our journey as parents.
This individual didn't know us previously, so the fact that she knew these details really made us think. You might think it was unsettling, but it wasn't. If anything, it gave us both a "wow, that was cool" feeling. As I reflect back on that moment, I can't tell you definitively if that was someone talking crazy or someone speaking with a spark of the divine. What I can tell you is that it made me stop and meditate on the fact that God surrounds us daily with signs and wonders that we are often "too busy" to notice. If we just stop and open our eyes, it's amazing to see how present God truly is.
Elisha and his servant had their own "eye opening moment" which we see in 2nd Kings...
15 When the servant of the man of God (Elisha) got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” 16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)
The servant was focusing on the worldly so he couldn't see the divine which surrounded him. It was only at the behest of Elisha that the servant was able to see that God was there in full-force.
I wonder how often we miss God's presence because we are too focused on our circumstances. We go about our daily lives barely thinking of God, but part of the reason we barely think of him is because we aren't looking. I fall into this trap, too. It can be a struggle. That's why we have to make a concerted effort to stop, from time to time, and see God where he is actively working. If we are willing to put forth that effort, it's amazing how God reveals himself to us.
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