Three or four months ago, a woman spoke to me in the produce aisle of a local Wal Mart. She had seen and appreciated one of the short reflection pieces I regularly record for the Quad Cities’ ABC affiliate television station. Her gesture of mega-mart recognition prompted a subsequent broadcast reflection in which I spoke of our encounter and fame’s fleeting fortunes. End of story, I thought.
Last Friday that same woman - named Teresa - called our church office, responding to my “First Christian Church. This is Bill Coley,” with “Hi, Bill Coley. I’m the person you met in Wal Mart.” She told me she had seen the follow-up reflection – which just happened to have aired on her birthday – as well as the one from the most recent week that encouraged acknowledgment of personal fault, weakness, and need. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I believe it’s time for me to acknowledge my need,” she said.
She then told me about an accident some years ago in which a horse kicked her in the head, a concussive injury that resulted in the disabling condition known as “temporal lobe epilepsy.” Details aren’t necessary here, except to say that among its aftershocks is that she needs some help organizing her home...so, the call to us.
Do you see the God thing here? Teresa – who spends most of her time in Rome (Italy)! – happens to be up at 2:06 a.m. in her home in Milan (Illinois!) to see one of the recorded reflections, then runs into me among a grocery store’s vegetables. Our brief conversation produces (look closely, or you’ll miss the cleverness) another reflection, which she sees on her birthday. Connection made, she then views a third recording, one that encourages her at her point of need, in response to which she decides to call for help.
That’s a great big God thing.
Last week our board gave favorable first reactions to new language to describe the vision of our church, a word picture that describes the kind of church we believe God is calling us to be. The language says, “We will be a caring community of hope and encouragement that meets needs, heals wounds, and connects people to Jesus.” Two days after the board meeting, Teresa called. Two days after her call, eight people from our church signed up to be part of a ministry team that will assist Teresa in her organization.
We cared. We encouraged. We will meet a need. Vision will become reality. That’s a God thing.
Today I called Teresa with news of the team’s formation. She labeled this entire journey, from first reflection viewing to ministry team creation, a “miracle,” a.k.a. a God thing.
God blew me away today, not only because our and Teresa’s paths again crossed, but because in the afternoon... well, that’s a story best told in act II. For now, I close with encouragement. God wants to blow you away. God wants to show you grace, give you mercy, provide you hope, and make big, bold splashes in your life. I can’t know what those incursions will look like for you, but today’s act of the long-running play, “God Things,” offers at least two possible directions from which they might arrive: either to you, at your point of need; or through you, as God’s response to another’s need. Or, most likely, both.
Don’t close your eyes or your heart. God’s play is too good to miss.
Pray with me:
Thanks for allowing my life (our lives) to be your holy and remarkable playground. You are awesome beyond our words, but, hallelujah, not beyond our reach. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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p.s. Please check in occasionally with the comments section of the entry called "A Relationship by Any Other Name," which immediately follows this one. As of this item's posting, two well done comments have been offered; others are welcomed (dare I say, expected?) Keep the conversation going!
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1 comment:
Good words.
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