4-9 Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.
He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great drafts of water down parched throats;
the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.
Reflection
Have you ever been at the complete end of your rope? Life is throwing every curve ball it can and you simply cannot catch anymore because your hands are busy juggling? A friend of mine was at this point recently. Let’s call him, Jay, a business manager and head chef at a restaurant.
Jay was super stressed out with work specifically. This one particular day, everything was going wrong and this one consistently troublesome employee just sent Jay over the edge. He was careening down a dirt hill with no brakes and no net.
Just then, one of his best friends in the world walks into the restaurant just to say, “Hi.” It’s perfect. Jay and Best Friend embraced in a much needed hug, then sat down together to catch up for a minute, giving Jay a chance to cool off.
As Best Friend and Jay are talking, in walks Jay’s parents! This is miraculous because it was a complete surprise and there is no better medicine than a hug from your Mama Bear, no matter how old you are.
As Jay recounted this story to me, he said, “It was a God wink! It saved me from a mental breakdown!” I had never heard that term before, a “God wink,” when God sends you a sign to let you know he’s got your back! A wink! Ah, so good!
This is a perfect example of what Psalm 107 is talking about! Jay was parched and hungry, in a desperate state, and God was able to quench his thirst and satisfy his hunger with a small moment of serendipity. It often doesn’t take much, a small sign or reminder that there is goodness in life. A hug from a loved one is medicinal, and though it’s a simple gesture, it can make space for calm and love when we need it most.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
Have you experienced any God winks? Is there something or someone in your life that serves to quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger?
Prayer: Dear Lord, Life is not perfect, sometimes it’s downright exhausting. You know this; You know us. As much as we don’t understand and can get frustrated by the struggle, deep down we always have You. We are grateful for Your gifts in life, the “winks” You share to remind us You do indeed see our struggle and provide what we need when we most need it. Amen.
