by Marilynn Chadwick After I made the leap from unbeliever to believer in college, I began to catch glimpses of God’s work all around me. The Bible calls these “signs.” The word literally means “evidence, working, or even fingerprints.” Signs reassure us that God has our life—including our problems—in His hands. This is especially comforting when we’re fearful or anxious. Nowadays, smartphones make it easy to capture a photo when we notice a sign of God at work. A printed photo can easily become a reminder, or an “Ebenezer stone.” A few special photos have made their way into my Ebenezer Box. One reminds me of a time years ago when I was feeling particularly worried about our youngest child. Michael had gotten his driver’s license—that makes most moms worry. He was moving up to an elite division of his swim team to train with the older, more experienced swimmers. He had to drive across town every afternoon on our city’s busiest interstate to a local university for team practice. He was young and an inexperienced driver. The afternoon traffic hour in our city was busy, and he would have to make the half-hour drive there from school each day, with an even longer drive home during rush-hour traffic. I prayed for the Lord to keep Michael safe. To keep him alert on the drive home each evening—especially when he was exhausted after a tough practice. I had let my imagination run wild with "what if'" scenarios. What if he had a wreck, or ran out of gas, or got lost? I worried all that day and must have carried my anxieties to bed with me because I had a fitful night sleep—still wrestling. An audible voice interrupted my sleep with these words: “I can be trusted.” First person, singular. Who was that? I wondered, now half-awake. I drifted back to sleep but the next morning, I distinctly remembered the voice. During my morning Bible study, I happened to be reading in John's gospel. I was struck by Jesus' words to His disciples: "Trust in God. Trust also in Me" (John 14:1). There it was again. Trust in Me—first person singular. Suddenly, an inner voice interrupted my anxiety: "When are you going to trust Me?” It was a gentle, but stern, rebuke—the same tone of voice I've used with my kids. That evening, I went out for a grocery store run. I was still having the ongoing conversation. Lord, I need to know that I can really trust you with our son. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, like a beacon of light, a brightly lit sign flashed in front of a small chapel. I had to smile. The sign simply said: Trust Me - God. I stopped to snap a photo as a reminder. God must have a sense of humor. But His message was clear. It’s very important to the Lord that I learn to trust Him with every aspect of my life—especially our kids. Such reminders help me hold onto my faith when answers to prayer are slow in coming. They remind me that nothing is impossible with God. You see, it’s not enough to simply witness God’s miracles. We also have to remember them. No wonder the word remember occurs about 400 times in the Bible! Maybe an Ebenezer Box will help you remember God’s work in your life, too.
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