Have you ever had a thought that leads to another thought that leads to another thought until eventually you wonder how you got to thinking about what you're thinking about? Well that happened to me last Friday on my drive up to Greensboro, AL from Baton Rouge.
During those long drives I find myself flipping through XM stations to find a song I like. After a couple of hours on the road I feel like I've heard everything twice and I end up getting pretty bored with the music. Well last Friday I stopped at a gas station and when I got back in my car I had a picture message from Adair. She had taken a picture of the song she was listening to called "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz. It's an awesome Christian song that I had introduced to Adair last time I was home and when it came on XM she thought of me and sent me a picture.
So as I got back on the road it got me to thinking...
I couldn't find anything I wanted to listen to on my favorite XM channels. So I thought why don't I listen to the Christian music station? I don't listen to it regularly because I like to know the words of the songs I listen to, but if I listened more I'd eventually learn all the songs. I then turn XM channel 32 "The Message" and start listening to the music.
As I was listening to Christian music it got me to thinking...
I thought back to my daily devotional that I had read that morning. Part of the devotional said, "Though I never leave you, you can essentially 'leave' Me by ignoring Me: thinking or acting as if I am not with you. When you feel distance in our relationship, you know where the problem lies. My Love for you is constant; I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is you who change like shifting sand, letting circumstances toss you this way and that." I know that when I actively read God's word and listen to Christian music I feel closer to God and more at peace. I also can hear Him more when I open my heart.
While thinking about how to become closer to God spiritually it got me to thinking...
A lot of people question God. I grew up in a Christian home and God was never a question. I go to church, read my Bible, and pray daily. I have never questioned if God exists but I was thinking about those that do. They want some type of proof of his existence but Christians live on faith. There was a quote I once read in a book called The Shack that says, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the One who is leading," That is so true. I thought of situations where I might see God and that is in miracles and amazing stories that people tell. As I continued to think about God, I thought about my prayers. Normally when I pray I tend to thank God for everything more than I ask for anything. Although I know if I ask I shall receive. However, that is not in my nature. Even in my daily life I rarely ask for anything and I try to give as much as possible. Some of the things I have asked God for in prayer are things like "please allow me to do well on this test" or "please don't let me get pulled over by that cop."
Since I was driving while thinking about cops it got me to thinking...
A few years back I was in a conversation with our Pi Phi president who is a wonderful Christian girl and she was talking about how she hates sitting in traffic. But when she got to thinking about it she said there is a reason God has her in that traffic and that is so she doesn't get somewhere sooner than she needs to be. Timing is everything. Ever since then I think there is a reason I get stopped at certain red lights and it could be to avoid some wreck or there is a reason I leave somewhere when I do. Even if I get stopped by the police (which I unfortunately have once or twice) there is a reason and God wants me to slow down and be careful. God has a plan and He knows exactly what He is doing.
So I have this random train of thought while driving up through Mississippi and listening to Christian music...
Literally, right after I'm finishing this thought I turn a corner and see the first cop I've seen all day sitting on the side of the road waiting to pull someone over. Although I am not driving much over the speed limit, I instinctively tap on my brakes to turn off my cruise control. I also find myself praying to God asking Him to not let this cop catch me and pull me over. My prayer was answered and I was not pulled over. Then I thought well that was weird because I was just thinking about cops and then I started laughing. I instantly reflected back to my thought on how some people question God's existence and how I see Him through life's situations. Like I said I've never questioned Him but some people want proof on how Christians "know" or believe in God. Well ladies and gentlemen, God led my weird train of thought all the way to cops knowing that right after I would see a cop and say a prayer. It's as if He were saying "I'll show you proof that I exist by putting a cop in your path and lead you to pray and talk to me."
I called Adair and thanked her for sending me that picture message.
God is amazing and He gives us signs of His existence daily. I pray that I continue to actively think about and read His Word and listen to Christian music so that it will open my eyes to see His beauty even more than I do now.
This is the video of the song "More Beautiful You" that Adair had heard on the radio and it led to this whole scenario. It's an amazing song and I even bought Jonny Diaz's study in "True Beauty" that correlates to this song. When I finish it I will blog about what it has taught me.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
