remind me

I've come to cherish the little reminders that He is real -- that He knows, sees, hears... cares.

I know these things in my head, and I repeat them to myself, but if your heart is anything like mine, you know how it doesn't like to listen. Sometimes I just need to be reminded.

For example, there have been times in the past when I felt lonely. I knew I had friends, although they were far away, but my doubting heart just didn't feel it. "God, I know that You care, but right now I would love to hear it from someone else." Then the phone rang and I knew. He heard me. On the other end of the line I heard a friend's voice, but in it I also heard Him saying, "I know, beloved. I know."

I have a playlist on my iPod that I created specifically for my morning commute, but for some reason, this morning I was in the mood for Bethany Dillon. I just bought her new EP, so I turned to this song that's been stuck in my head for a few days.



"You say you're good to those who wait." Oh, really? When has He ever said that? I wanted to believe it, and I've been trying to believe it, but I can be a bit of a skeptic. I'm one of those annoying people who doesn't like to believe anything unless you can prove it to me from the Word. I heard these nice words in the car this morning, but as much as I like Bethany, I wasn't ready to accept them from her mouth. Where does it specifically say that in the Bible? Hmm? Today I needed it straight from Him.

"Are you really good to those who wait? Can I know that for sure?"

I let that question hang in the air for a minute before I turned my attention back to the interstate, to the challenges of high school, to my busy afternoon. I forgot about waiting. When I sat down for dinner I decided to visit a friend's blog and found that somehow I'd missed yesterday's post, which led me to Lamentations 3, where I read this:

But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

My mind immediately went back to this morning. I don't think it's a coincidence that I missed that post yesterday, heard that song this morning, and whispered that question. I wasn't even surprised to hear Him answer. "I hear you, beloved. I know. And yes, I am good to those who wait." Sometimes I think He lets us ask the questions just so He can answer that He knows, He sees, He hears... He is real.