“Surely the Lord is in this place . . . every place!" ~ Genesis
28:16
A curious boy of seven,
Nic liked adventure books and loved exploring. And he wanted to meet God.
On this afternoon the skies were clear and, for the end of
October, it was warm. Nic had been
earning money from odd jobs around the house – he’d saved almost $27 in an old
shoe box. He knew it was a long trip to God’s
place, so Nic packed his backpack with Oreos and a few juice boxes and began
his journey. Adrenalin coursed his veins
as he reached the end of his driveway.
“Ahh! The open road,” he thought
to himself.
Nic sat beside him and opened his knapsack. He was about to drink from his juice box when
he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him an Oreo. The man graciously accepted it and smiled
back at Nic; a kind, inviting smile. It
seemed strangely familiar - the kind he imagined God to have.
Nic wanted to see it again.
So he offered him a juice box with a caring voice that invited
conversation.
Something about this boy was vaguely familiar, like he
imagined his Creator – sweet, gentle and so innocent.
The two sat there all afternoon eating, smiling . . . and
sharing adventures. When the skies began
fading to dusk, Nic decided to head back home.
Before he’d gone more than a few steps, he turned to the old man and traded
a loving hug for the biggest, broadest smile ever.
When Nic arrived home a short time later, his mother was
surprised by the ‘skip in his step.’ "What’d you do today that made you so
happy?” she asked.
"I had lunch with God!" But before his mother could respond, Nic
added, "You know what? God's got
the warmest smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the old man, returned to his home blissfully
joyful as well. Confused by the look of
peace on his face, his son asked," Dad, what did you do today that made
you so happy?"
"I ate Oreos in the park with God." Before his son responded, he added, "You
know, he's much younger than I expected."
Too often we underestimate the power of a smile, a kind
word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest thoughtful
act. All have the potential to turn a
life around. People come into our lives
for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace
them all with passion!
Lord Almighty, help us to know that You
everywhere, all the time. We can’t hide
from You and nothing escapes Your notice.
Thank you for allowing people in our paths to lead us through the very
things we need to discover. Amen
