Sitting in my car, panicking and beginning to cry. I had just gotten off the phone with a service agent at my car dealership who told me my only option was to have my car towed to them. 60 miles away from where my car sat in a Walmart parking lot with a “service charge system” notice.
I had pulled in to charge my car before heading back home after seeing a friend for coffee. And I didn’t have enough mileage to make it all the way back home. Close but not quite. Plus I have therapy this afternoon and work. So the idea of having to spend time and money towing my basically brand new car was absolutely overwhelming.
Every thought and worry about buying an all electric vehicle with a tiny range came flooding into my mind. Foolish. Panicked. Frozen. I couldn’t think. I hung up the phone and as tears started to come I prayed.
Prayed that somehow, someway, God would fix the electrical system of my car. That whatever the malfunction - big or small- it would resolve. Took a deep breath and invited God into my freak out. To breathe in the confidence that I am not alone. And as I looked out my window, the guy charging his car next to me asked if I was having trouble. Apparently he works for the company that operates the station and was kind and encouraging that sometimes they just have trouble connecting. Now I have had station connection issues and this appeared to be a genuine problem with my car which I told him. We tried again.
Praise the Lord! It connected. Miracle #1. (and yes, this is a miracle). It is easy to dismiss something small like this of saying, oh there was just a glitch before. But folks, it DID NOT work. I tried 3 different plugs, turning it off and on and waiting. And nothing worked.
Then it did...MIRACLE.
Miracle #2 - the kindness of a stranger. Someone taking the time to pause their day, be willing to help and at the minimum simply choose to step outside of themselves for that small moment. To enter in to my world. My distress. And to communicate that I am not alone. I do not need to try to fix things on my own or cope with the distress in isolation.
MIRACLE
"an extraordinary event demonstrating God's power and presence in the world"
"when God interrupts and intervenes in your human situation"
This is a season focused on the miraculous power of God. That Jesus would choose to manifest his presence in flesh. To be seen face to face.
The sparkle of Christmas is slowly fading and soon enough we will begin to de-decorate our houses. The lights will come down, the trees will be piled up ready to be taken away (or packed up - depending on your situation) and the new exciting toys and gifts will quickly be absorbed into the house milieu. And just like that, we are back to ordinary life.
What if we treated "everyday" miracles with the same fervor and excitement that comes with Christmas? Because yes, the miracle of Jesus coming in flesh is one for the books. AND - any moment where God interrupts and intervenes in a way that demonstrates his power and presence is something to marvel at.
Now, will I be taking my car in to be serviced soon? Yes. Because practically I do not want to end up in this situation again.
But instead of jumping to the practical for today, I’m staying in the posture of awe. That God is with me. Emmanuel. That he cares. That he does miracles. And that he uses people around us to bring hope. WONDER. AWE.
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