Where He Met Me

Have you ever met Heather from Desperately Seeking Sanity? The title of her blog alone should be enough to get you to pay her a visit. She is a precious woman and I simply love her. Last week she shared her faith story in four posts (which is well worth reading!) and has now opened the door for other bloggers to share about a time when God met them. So today I am excited to share with you about a time God met me.

In this particular instance, the location for me under the You are here arrow would have read, "Atlanta, Georgia." Specifically, the airport in Atlanta on May 11, 2008.
I already told you about this adventure here
and here. But at the time of my re-telling of the story, I didn't realize there was still more God had to show me.

More meeting we needed to do over the subject.

As you may recall, a large part of the time I was sitting in that airport in Atlanta I was reading through voraciously consuming my Bible. For nearly five hours I studied Psalms 22 and 77 (Among other things - but those two Psalms were my focus that day.) and I was thoroughly enjoying the time God and I spent together. At one time I wondered if the whole point of my delay was so that God and I could have this uninterrupted time together. Quoting my post about the event, I wondered:

Was this simply a gift to me, Lord? Time You set aside for me with nothing but You and my Bible? In an airport? A little odd, but, OK - if that's how You want it. A retreat center might be nice next time. If You're looking for suggestions, that is.

I really did wonder if the day was a gift to me. But when I met Mick and learned about his son, and talked with him and prayed for him, I believed I learned the real reason God had me delayed in coming home. I believed He wanted to use me in Mick's life.

I still believe it was God's desire to use me in that way.

But I have realized there was so much more to it.

A couple weeks after my Southern Adventure I was meeting with my mentor, and told her all about it. And this is when God opened my eyes to the Truth of the situation.
Jenni asked me if I thought it possible that day alone in the airport was a gift from God? An opportunity for Him to love on me? She asked - if I hadn't met Mick - is it possible God would have been delighted to simply spend time with me?
The thought was almost too much for me, but I knew she was leading me in the Truth. Though I, myself, had wondered if the day was a gift to me - when I met Mick I thought, OK. Now it all makes sense! I hadn't put it into these words before, but when Jenni and I were talking I realized what I had assumed. I thought - Somehow it would delight God's heart more if He was using me to minister to someone, than if He was just spending time with me.

But as Jenni and I talked that day, it was as if God were saying to me, Karen, if I hadn't wheeled Mick over to that seat next to you, if you hadn't met him and prayed for him, if the only thing significant which happened that day was the time you spent with Me in gate C11, My heart would be just as delighted. I love spending time with just you. I love it!

On May 11, 2008, God stranded met me at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia just to show me that it delights His heart to spend time with me.

It delights Him!!!

And I am not on an ego trip, Friends. Because I know it is just as true that God's heart is delighted every time He gets to be with you, too. In fact, this whole adventure and the Truth of delighting God's heart with our presence is going to be the subject of a new talk I intend to write this summer. (Actually, God's already writing it on my heart. I just plan to type it out this summer...) This one won't be a "MOPS talk" but I trust if God has put it on my heart, He will also lead me to the group of women with whom He wants me to share it.

So that's my story of where God met me. I pray you are blessed as you consider the Truth that God delights being with you, too!