Every day I sift through a small hill of email traffic, looking for worthy stuff with which to inform myself. What follows caught my eye.
I remembered hearing something about this event soon after the gut-clenching mayhem of 9/11/01 exploded onto our nation’s TV screens and into our national consciousness. Like you, the immense glut of data flowing into our minds via email, TV and radio made it impossible for me to gather it all in. Invariably, some things were allowed to slip through the fingers over my mind’s horrified eyes.
This was one such. I regret not keeping it and passing it along then. I hereby correct that oversight, and hope this lesson drives home: what at first seem like irritating things hampering your schedule later on turn out to be some of your most life-altering events.
_____________
After September 11th, 2001, one company invited the remaining members of other companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their available office space. At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why people were alive. And all the stories were just LITTLE THINGS:
— The head of the company got in late that day because his son started kindergarten.
— Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
— One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off on time.
— One was late because of being stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike because of an auto accident.
— One of them missed his bus.
— One spilled food on her clothes, and had to take time to change.
— One’s car wouldn’t start.
— One went back to answer the telephone.
— One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have.
— One couldn’t get a taxi.
— One of the most unusual was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today.
Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone…all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.
Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can’t seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don’t get mad or frustrated;
God is at work watching over you.
May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.
~ from “The Convoluted Universe, Book Two” by Dolores Cannon
_____________
“God is at work watching over you.” Yeah. That flat statement stopped me, too. Oh, I know it’s true. I’ve proven its veracity too often in my own life to ever doubt it. I, too, am constantly relearning that “this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.” And that’s significant for me, a recovering perfectionist. I’ve been known to sulk for hours over something or someone messing with my self-imposed schedule. Do not mess with my schedule.
The catch about that statement that God is at work watching over you is that it’s true for many who are ignorant of it.
How often have you told somebody, “Hey, as God reminds me of your situation, I’ll be praying about it, and for you.”
How often have you gotten a sort-of-half-smile, which being translated means, “Well, how nice for you. I’m not into that God stuff much, but thanks for the good thoughts, anyways.”
How often have you heard, after the fact, how this or that ‘variable’ happened at just the right time to avert a tragedy? How God engineered events, often weather, and even some people’s entrenched attitudes to make something deemed magnificently improbable an absolute certainty?
How often? Way too often to ignore. God? Yep. Think so.
Little things can instantly escalate into impossibly-huge things.
So. Whether you personally are a Christian or not, I’d guess you have a believing friend or two who is busy lifting you and your needs to the God Who Is, and who answers the praying of His people.
Based on the faithfulness of Christians to follow up on their promises to be praying; and based on God’s flawless record of always responding to the praying of His people. . .
God is at work watching over you.
“But how do you know that? I mean, how do you know it?”
It’s because I pray as I compose and write. That means I pray for you.
Loving you,
Dan
© D. Dean Boone, July 2014