When we walk with God every day, it is amazing how the simplest of things can remind us of how great He is. The Lord can use any circumstance to draw us close to Him, for our good and His glory. Even when we are totally oblivious to what is going on around us.
Recently, I visited with a Veteran who lives in a group home since he is unable to manage on his own. All his meals are provided, but he can buy snacks and the like. He works a few hours a week, and either brings lunch or goes out to eat. He is aware enough to use his phone and have opinions on various topics, but he still needs a caregiver to take him to appointments and be a second set of ears.
However, our meeting didn’t quite go the way I expected. The caregiver was with the Veteran, but then he left. I thought he mentioned going to pick up the patient’s medications down at the Pharmacy. Yet, the Veteran thought he had gone back to the group home for his medications, so then I wasn’t sure!
The caregiver was still not back by the time we finished. I prayed and tried to come up with a game plan. The Veteran did not have the caregiver’s phone number and grew a little upset. He mentioned the guy took a wrong turn earlier, so maybe he got lost again on his way back.
While I stalled, the patient decided to go downstairs to the Patriot Store to get some snacks. He paused to talk to someone in the hallway, and I wasn’t sure he would remember to go to his dentist appointment. I was also concerned he’d get lost. I asked a coworker if she had seen the caregiver in passing.
My next patient arrived early, so I sent them to the waiting room while I checked on the other Veteran. On my way downstairs, the thought came to me, “We may not know where this guy is, but I’m thankful Jesus does!” It brought a sense of relief that it wasn’t all on me. I wanted to be responsible and prevent an issue, but ultimately God would cover the situation.
Well, I indeed found the patient in the Patriot Store. I also saw a police officer walking through and quietly asked him what to do, since I couldn’t find the caregiver. He had overheard the Veteran saying he was going to the Canteen next door. He said the staff there could call for a volunteer to get him to the dentist if the caregiver did not arrive on time.
A few minutes later, I checked on the Veteran, and somehow, the caregiver had found him. I didn’t need to involve the Canteen staff, and God had worked it out. Maybe the caregiver thought, when in doubt, go where there is food. 🙂
“Wherever you go, there you are” is perhaps both a prompt for mindfulness and a humbling reminder that we cannot escape ourselves. But what’s even better is that nothing can separate us from God’s love or His presence (Romans 8:31-39). Wherever you go, He is there!
As we read in Psalm 139:1-12, God is omnipresent and sees all we do. We cannot hide evil from Him, and someday, He will reward His children for anything good. Essentially, there is nowhere we can go that He is not looking out for us. He will discipline His children when needed, but He also will protect and guide us. Even when we are totally unaware.
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God, thanks for always watching over us and watching out for us. Thanks for taking care of us, even when we don’t see the full picture. You are so good, God. May we honor You in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Questions: Have you ever felt lost and then God showed up to help you find your way? How can you connect with Him this week?
Task: Wherever you go today, ask the Lord to come with you. The Holy Spirit is always with us because He lives within those of us who belong to Jesus. But we can also become more aware of His presence by inviting Him along!
