An old proverbial nugget (of oriental origin I think) says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I remember when I began my journey away from home. It was so very long ago. I was about 17 or 18 and I was moving from where my parents lived to a nearby town. There was a church there that I was getting involved in and it was a step bigger than where my parents lived…so I went and decided I’d figure things out along the way. I soon learned that life wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
A morning that I’ll always remember was the morning after an interview that I had for a job. The interview didn’t go as well as I hoped, actually it was just downright bad. So waking up a little rough around the edges, I left the house where I was temporarily staying to go to my parent’s house for the weekend. With my hair a little miffed and sleep still in the corners of my mind, I set out on my hour and fifteen minute drive. Driving down the road my mind was swirling with the weight of my time: disappointment, aggravation, fear, and just downright loneliness. I began talking to God saying, “Ok God, what’s going on!? Please talk to me, let me know what to do.” Through a well of tears building up in my eyes I felt a still, small voice say, “Look up.” As you’ll see, my life is made up of moments (ordinary moments) that are made extrodinary by God cutting through in maybe small but significant ways. As I looked up I saw a symphony of colors swirling around in the sky, in what mountain folk would call a sunrise…but that morning it to me was called “Favor.” I quickly pulled over on the side of the road and placed the truck into park. I looked again into the sky as my heart raced, and as I did I heard a still, small voice say, “Look what I made for you.” Tears pierced my soul. I sat there that morning as I watched the colors slowly disappear into the day…and into my soul. That sunrise was no ordinary sunrise, it was MY sunrise. The day when the maker of the Universe leaned over the balcony of Heaven to tell a little mountain boy that He favors Him. It’s true…life isn’t as easy as I thought it would be; but God loves me more than I had ever imagined.