Kimmer: 5:18

Sunday, May 20, 2007

5:18

A friend of mine named Lisa (or zeph317) shared my birthday verse with me on my birthday a few days ago (May 18th.) from birthverse.com ...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

It got me to thinking about 518...
I used to travel like 60% for work and there were some years everything seemed so rushed. One week I was working at a business in PA. Now when you were sent out to do training like this, they could basically determine your schedule, most places would have you teaching class from 8 am-10 pm. But this PA bank, they were all about going home on time- they didnt have me scheduled past 430 and the place was deserted at by 445. I mean empty. It was wierd but I thought, ok...huh, great, an easy week, write this one down for the memory books....I'll actually go relax a bit and eat dinner at a decent hour. So I left, got lost on the way back to the hotel - because none of the streets there were in anything close to a grid- they were twisty, windy, one-way funky streets. Well I finally found my hotel and went into my hotel room. Now this hotel had the weirdest alarm clocks I've ever seen. All I can say is they were for the sight challenged. I mean the red numbers were literally like 3-4 inches high- just huge red numbers and when I walked in, there it was staring me in the face and it was 5:18. I thought, huh, that's interesting, 518, my birthday.

The second night it was much the same except I got lost going on other streets and had to find a different way to the hotel. Let me mention there was tons of traffic each night. When I walked into the room that second night, there again was the clock with 5:18 right in front of me. I thought - man that's wierd, what are odds of that? ... Then I changed into some jeans and left for dinner.

The third night some people stayed asking questions and I again took quite by accident a third route to the hotel. This night I walked into the room and there was that clock again saying 5:18 --
ok now I knew this what not a coincidence.
I'm a little slow but you can get through to me eventually, if you just keep trying.... I said Lord... what is going on.... with the 5:18's? I very strongly felt His presence and felt Him say I've been trying to get your attention....because I've been wanting to remind you how much I love you.... Wow, that brought me to my knees. I was suddenly ashamed to wonder- how long had it been since I'd actually told God that I loved Him? oh my gosh... way too long. Things were just moving so fast at that time....I was even in the job I believed God wanted me in. I was on the road a lot but I went to church whenever I was home...I loved the Lord, I was a Christian, I tried to read something out of my Bible most every day, said a few quick prayers every morning and evening, I thought I was doing fine in my Christian walk.....and yet I had to suddenly realize it had been quite some time since I had truly connected with God in a real, an intimate, and loving way. I did love Him but my busyness was getting in the way of spending real quality time with Him.

That week was a wake up call to not let myself just go through the motions of living the Christian life (doing the right things) and miss the whole point - an intimate relationship with God. Honestly, I still find myself blind-sided by busyness at times, but... I'd like to think I've learned to recognize God's coincidences more and ...I like to think I hear His whispers more readily now...and that He doesnt have to use a 4 inch tall red glowing numbered alarm clock saying 518 to get my attention ;) That was many years ago and there have been several times since then when I've been having a hard day and God will start popping 518s into my day. I dont wonder at the coincidence anymore... I recognize it, thank Him, and tell Him I love Him too. Well there you have it... my 518 story. in a nutshell, love Him... and dont let life's busyness keep you from spending quality time with Him :)

blessings ~

1 Comments:

At 5/21/2007 12:49 AM, Blogger gail said...

A wonderful story Kimmer. It reminds me of one of my favourite old hymns and how God can use anything to catch our attention and speak to us.

Breath through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy calm
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
Oh Still Small Voice of calm!

 

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