There were bells ringing. Church bells. I recognized the sound immediately and rolled over from my sleep. My head ached from sleeping on a squishy pillow all night. I was excited to be in a hotel room with my husband and no kids, but as I listened to my husband in the bathroom get ready for his conference, I realized – there are no kids.
Last night, no kids meant strolling hand in hand through the streets of China Town in San Francisco. It meant eating at a table for two in a romantic little restaurant in Little Italy. But this morning, it means no hugs and kisses before the school bus. And most especially, no sweet giggles and nibbles on fat baby cheeks. I felt a twinge of sadness.
I rolled over in the bed thinking about my kids, when I noticed the bells again and wondered where they came from. Then I remembered the church I saw yesterday. When we walked in the room, it was the first thing I noticed of the view out the wall of windows. I even chuckled to myself and thought how much like God it was for Him to place a beautiful old church right outside my view. But this morning, I understood.
He placed me right in front of this church for a reason – to remind me that He is here. While my children did not travel across the nation with me to California, God did. He is here with me. He always is.
What comfort to know when you are facing an uncertain circumstance, even when it is as silly as missing your kids, God is always there.
For the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deut. 31:6 NIV
Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that you are never far away.
I love how He comforts our hearts. 🙂 Thanks for this devotion, Carol. I am in this weird transition…my girls are all in school and I am at home alone.
I know it sounds crazy for it to be a difficult transition, but it just is. And so I appreciated the tender reminder that He is still here with me. I am not in this house alone.
Love you, friend,
K