Waiting for Egypt

On Sunday I came home with a swelling heart.

I was experiencing something so tangible I could feel it bubbling up into smiles and little kitchen leaps (which I rarely do and only when my swollen heart makes me). Hope. Inspiration. A wooing. You know that something more? I had experienced a taste at this new church we had just come home from.

Life felt so real that day! Food tasted. Ideas of creating beauty flowed. My compassion for Libyans and the disabled resurged. Imagine being jump started when your battery had died. That's how I felt. Alive. And very aware of God's presence and work in this world.

It began with a prayer for Egypt.

We had been waiting. For the last four or so weeks that the Middle East has been unravelling, we have faithfully attended 4 different churches and wondered... will the Pastor mention world events? Will there be a prayer for our brothers and sisters in that part of the world? It wasn't a determining factor or anything, but certainly a small indication of where the leader's thoughts might be... at least where his thoughts dabbled and heart stirred. Nothing.

Until Sunday. He prayed for Egypt. And Libya. And Bahrain. And Chris and I looked at each other and smiled, our hearts beginning to open. Our God is that big. He has certainly been vigilant toward his children in those unsettled places, shouldn't we?

It's amusing to see how God moves in different people, but liberating to define how it is he moves in Chris and myself. After walking unfalteringly with Him for over 20 years, we are more aware and more responsive to his movement in our hearts. I'm glad we have waited. And so so glad to have discovered Egypt this weekend!