God's Gift to Me

Early, early one morning on a beautiful late-summer day, God presented me with a small token of His love.

I was driving home from work, in the dark, on a mostly empty Interstate, my mind preoccupied with thoughts I really didn't need to be concerned about. At one point in the drive, I actually thought that I should spend less time thinking about such things and more time praying. But I went back to those thoughts, my tired mind a little obsessed with them.

Then the Interstate took a turn to the right. And directly in front of me was a giant yellow moon on the horizon, so big and bold it almost startled me. And I laughed.

Thank You, God, I said, for I knew it was His gift for me. Somewhere I learned to embrace everything I encounter as a personal gift from God, as though it were for me alone.

Every fragrant flower, every gorgeous sunset, every warm, gentle breeze God sends to me personally, as if I were the only person on the earth. He does this for all of us. Just as He died for each of us, and for all of us.

He loves us that much.

So the gift of the giant yellow moon, hovering just over the horizon, was His surprise for me. It drew me out of my preoccupation and back to Him -- where my mind and heart belonged.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.