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| [Image by SusanNYC] |
The smell of deep-fried potatoes fills the atmosphere. It is so pungent that it wipes off memories of the carbon emissions from the busy street. My eyes scroll down the list on the dollar menu and I reluctantly make my crappy order.
"Anything else ma'am?"
"Yes. Can I get a small cup of water, please?" To me, that meant no extra charges.
"Sure ma'am," she answers. "Coming right up."
Soon enough the one dollar burger is plunged right in front of me, along with the small cup of water to drench my thirst. I look to my left and right hoping no one saw the order, and then I grab my items and turn to leave. Due to the fact that there is no lid on my small cup of water, the water decides to splash on my white shirt in one swift motion.
"Darn it," I shout. I fling the cup and the rest of its contents into the nearby thrash. I can do without them, they are cursed. I run out into the street and a car almost hits me since I am blinded by my own tears. And as I stand waiting at the bus stop, I mutter these words in fear: "God is not with me. No, He isn't."
*Flash Fiction*
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Where can I go from Your spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7-10
There are some experiences we go through in life that make us question whether or not God is with us. Even more hurtful are those moments where we watch a broadcast, maybe of Joel Osteen or T.D. Jakes, and they keep talking about "a miracle-working" God.
But let me tell you something that you may have forgotten: the fact that you're sleeping in hell right now does not mean God has stopped being a miracle-working God. Your own miracle is on the way. Do you know that Psalm 139 also says that the darkness and light are both alike to God (verse 12)? David understood it, that's why he said so. That dark situation you're in right now is the same as a situation filled with light to God. It's because He sees the bigger picture. It's because there's that small glimmer of light in your darkness.
Large Scale Vs. Small Scale:
What do all these mean? Answer: miracles don't always come in a large scale. They may just come in the form of a young lad who will ask you for money on the bus, and you will give him the wretched burger you just got from McDonald's instead. He might not have had breakfast that morning. Your burger may be the young boy's miracle, and you gave it to him. How you can give of yourself when you have nothing is another small-scale miracle.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:10
Question for the Day: Have you ever wondered where God is hiding in your (or others') sufferings? Always try to get a glimpse of His face in the little things. He's the God of heaven and hell, and the God of both light and darkness. Who can comprehend His sovereignty?
