once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if you look at it right...
Recently, I wrote an article about Jesus, The Bible and prayer. The article was not a condemnation of Christian faith, but rather intended to perhaps find answers for questions that I had. Of course, some took offense and thought the intent was to discredit Jesus. For the rest of us, we had a pretty good discussion and I got a good variety of perspectives from several JU'ers.
I look for God in different places perhaps. I find God in a child's eyes or in a picturesque sunset. I am sorry to say, as hard as i've looked, i've never felt a connection to God inside the walls of an expensive, marble and gold laden church while people suffer beyond it's walls. But I do have a great respect for those who see it differently than I, tho that might not come out in debate where ideas are being challenged and discussed in an intellectual context. Especially online where context can get lost as easily as Dick Cheney can mistake a friend of 30+ years for quail.
But as time goes on, news of pollution and climate change can sometimes diminish the spectrum of beauty that is a sunset. And sometimes the child just wants something to drink. So my everquest for God continues. Cherishing the places we have met in the past, but always looking for him wherever I go.
This afternoon, I had to get my car inspected. My car is in good shape, after all, it is a Lexus. But while I was in line at the ol DMV, I noticed a crack running along my windshield pretty much from end to end, horizontally. I was about an hour into a 2 hour line, stuck in the middle, with no way out. I had no choice but to go thru with it. Also, I should mention that my registration expired TODAY, so if I didn't pass, I was screwed.
I said a prayer as I searched thru my glovebox, looking for the receipt and warranty for the windshield replacement I had done not too long ago. And yeah, it irked me that this shield wasn't very old and was busted from end to end. I guess one of the late winter storms must have had something to do with that, but regardless, I could figure that out later.
I found the warranty, and as I remembered, the windshield did have a lifetime replacement warranty, as long as I had the problem fixed 30 days after I noticed it.
As my 2 year old slept, I prayed to God to please let this blatant violation go un-noticed. I promised to have the shield replaced if he could grant me this one. I thought about my article and the suggestions from others that doubting the Bible was wrong and could cause my prayers to go unanswered. They equated my questions with a lack of faith. I was hoping they were wrong.
I got up to the part where they check your lights, turn signals and windshield. Delaware allows up to a "credit card" size crack usually, as long as they deem that the car is safe. The "VIN" number that gets checked against the paperwork was right under the crack under the shield in the corner. I thought, "there is NO way."
The old gentleman who was doing those inspections did them in groups. He started with the car that was a few ahead of me and worked his way back to mine. I thought, "this is it, i'm failin."
I prayed again, restating my needs and promise.
The inspector then walked away, and went on a break. I continued to pull forward, until I got to the entrance of the inspection facility and stopped, as the big red sign instructed me to. After a few minutes, they waved me forward and the inspector who handles that came back. We were now in a much lower light situation where the crack wouldn't "glare" so much. It was primarily in the shaded part, peeking out only for little spots, then going right back.
He checked my lights, my signals, my wipers, etc...I was fine. I waited for him to check the VIN as I had watched him do with all the cars in front of me, and as every inspector always did.
He went in the booth, checked my paperwork against the computer, looked out and called to me, "is this a GS or ES?"
I replied "ES."
He nodded, walked back over, handed me my paperwork, sand sent me along to breeze thru the rest of the inspection. The last guy, the brake guy, did check the VIN against the paperwork, and I could tell, noticed the crack (did a double take) on the shield. But like with many state employees, inspecting windshields was not his job, and he gave me final passage, and gave me my paperwork to go get my new sticker inside.
As I drove out, I thanked God for the immediate answer to my prayer. Now it's my obligation to fulfill my promise and get the windshield replaced in the next 30 days.
I still have questions about man, his relationship with God, and other theological questions. And where i'm not sure about a lot of things pertaining to man's religions here on earth, I do know one thing....
There is a God. And he is GREAT!!!!!