God Speaks Through a Vanity Plate

I was privileged today to be with my friend Basel as he returned from his first job interview in Canada. Having moved from Syria via nearly three years in Lebanon, he is adjusting to life in his new country with the help of his new friends from St Aidan’s Church. We had a good job interview and know that soon enough he will be employing his skills as cook, and I can testify we will all be better for it!

On the way back from his interview, we saw a license plate in front of us that read ROMANS8:28. Basel and I discussed the fact that it was personalized plate and he asked me what did it mean. I explained that it was a Bible passage. I could not tell him for certain what it read, but agreed we would look it up when we arrived at our destination. I am not a fan of the vanity plate and even less so of overt religious statements on a plate. So I was not expecting much….

 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Basel agreed that it is a good description of how we were both feeling today. Feeling that God is so present to us. We had a successful job interview. We had a few moments with a four year old at a park. I had the joy of flying down a slide for the first time in years! We had the assurance of God in so many ways – even in the midst of tears.

I am so very grateful this night for knowing a God who might speak to me – even in a ‘vanity plate.’ I will rest grateful tonight for new friendships, and for fresh perspectives.

This of course is not to say that we only know God’s love when things are good. In fact, I would suggest that God is powerfully at work supporting us through the dark valleys too – as I suggested earlier – I have been gifted to know so many people who have born witness to the fact that they know that God walks beside them when they would have every excuse to feel as though they had been abandoned by the Divine.

Each day brings new opportunity to put cynicism aside and take the opportunities given us to hear from one another how God is present to us in the midst of all things.