Godwinks everywhere- Our Savior is Born
I have shared time and again that I don’t believe in coincidences. Nor do I believe that people enter our lives without intent or purpose. It may be a passing word or a pat on the back and we may never know how our actions affect others, but I believe God does. In our family, we remind each other to listen to the nudges…the God nudges. When we do, we see God in the here and now. When our eyes are opened, we the Godwinks everywhere.
My military boss recently shared a moment where he had one of those nudges. He felt the need to visit a friend that had recently entered the hospital. It was far from convenient, a Friday night drive that would inevitably be twice as long due to traffic. He was tempted to wait until the following Monday, but he answered the nudge and went that day and spent hours by his friends bedside. His friend passed and did not live to see that Monday. He and I don’t usually have these types of conversations, and why he shared on that day, I am sure even he questioned. This is what followed…I went home after military duty and my husband shared a dear friend he met on the trail had recently been hospitalized in Florida. He said he would go visit him after the New Year since he had been gone from home so much in recent months and days. I calmly and quietly listened, and then I shared the story from my boss. I reminded him that we have to listen to those nudges and that we have the here and now, never are we promised tomorrow. He left the next day and I know in my heart, it made a difference in both their lives. Godwink.
I also have a dear friend that has been going through difficult days. She felt a nudge to give what little she had to the church. She gave all she had and spoke a prayer of thanks of what was to come-she spoke a prayer of faith. What she gave was returned times three by a complete stranger. Remember I said people don’t just enter our lives? I can’t lay claim to the recommendation to say a prayer of thanks for what is to come, that came from a wonderful lady in our devotional text group. Strangers that have become connected through prayer. Godwink.
I shared that we come together with food in our household and open our home to others. We always start in prayer. We decided to have a white elephant gathering last night and I received a text from a young adult asking if she could lead in prayer- she had something to share. As she read “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who will hear will listen” (Isaiah 32:1-3, NIV). She followed with a prayer and Blessing of our food and as we all held hands I saw this young woman grown before my eyes from the toddler I once knew. Her boldness in her faith is contagious. She reminded us that although hardships may come, and she acknowledged many of us had felt those throughout this year, our Savior was promised and this is when we celebrate his arrival. He is our shelter, He is our rock in a thirsty land- we are to remain hopeful. Godwink.
Finally, as we sat in our Christmas Eve service today, I watched my precious grandchild in her first Christmas Service. I saw her eye wide with wonder at the worship music and heard her chatting in excitement throughout the service. I sat with my family as we listened to the story of Jesus’ birth. My heart filled with comfort and peace knowing that as we held hands, my children will always have this foundation of faith. They may have times of wandering and questioning in their future, but I know, as our Pastor reminded us, that they are loved and they will always be welcomed home. It’s a door that never closes.
Today, as we move towards Christmas Day, I pray that you celebrate and rejoice in the birth of our Savior. I pray that you always remember your foundation of faith. I pray that if you have wandered, that you come home-the door is open.
