Good morning…
If you know anything about the collapse of the I-85 bridge in Atlanta a few weeks back, you know that traffic has been horrible on surface streets around town. Getting anywhere from anywhere has been laden with frustrating delays. I had this experience yesterday when I drove to my friend’s home for an early morning walk. What usually takes me ten minutes took me thirty.
My gracious friend welcomed me at her back door, gave me a glass of water, then we headed on our walk. Half way up the street a woman walked out of her front door. To my surprise I saw my new, close friend who sat beside me at Julie’s funeral. We had spent intentional time together earlier in the week, a time to touch base, a time to grieve openly, but this chance encounter provided a burst of pure joy.
“You live here? I didn’t know you live in this great neighborhood?” I rushed over to give her a hug.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “I just got done reading your blog about God speaking through your face-to-face meeting in a random parking lot, and now I get my own ‘parking lot’ moment.” I introduced for the first time my long time friend to my brand new friend, two amazing women who happen to live four doors down from one another.
If the traffic had not slowed down my morning drive, then I would not have been at that very right place at that very right time.
“The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines…Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him!” (Acts 17:25-28, MSG).
“Parking lot” moments have the LORD’s fingerprints all over them. Will we notice the gift of these chance encounters today and give God our thanks?
…Sue…
