God Hugs

"Hey man!" the guy says getting my attention. Without invitation he invades my personal space and gives me a comforting hug. "You look like you needed a hug!" I did need that hug, and I appreciated it very much. Yes, two grown men hugging is cool!

As I've mentioned before, I think God likes to surprise us with hugs, especially for those of us who show and receive love through touch. What I cherish about God hugs are the disguises in which they come. Here is a brief list of God hugs I've received lately:

• An actual, meaningful hug
• A person told me that they'd been praying for me (without me asking!)
• I watched the wind sneak through a forest
• I heard the apt words of a prophet to me
• A killer, awesome food gift given out of the blue
• I found out that someone talked good about me behind my back
• I watched my kids point their friends to Jesus

God wants to hug you! He has probably done it many times over today already. He disguises himself so well that we have to spend regular time becoming more familiar with them. How have you experienced God's hugs lately?

God's Sign

Yesterday, I saw God use the prayer sign in a new light. A middle-aged woman came to me and, before I even looked up at her, she said, "Thank you!" When I looked up, it was obvious that she was broken up about something; she looked like Niagra falls was about to gush out on campus!

She said it again, "Thank you." I said hey and asked what is going on. She said she is having an absolutely horrible day. She was walking on campus, thinking about her day, and asking God if she could just have a small hug from Him. "At that moment," she said, "I look up and see that sign!"

Standing up, I told her that it looks like I need to give her a much-needed hug. She didn't stay much longer, but I asked God to let his presence continue to surround her. I pray that she had a good rest of the day.

This gets me to thinking...had that sign not been there, how would have this lady's day been? We may never know, but I put this sign out so people will come closer to God. So many are looking to reach out to Him; they just don't know how to do it. I saw God use this sign powerfully today.

Now I ask this: what sign are you putting out that God can use to bring people closer to him? The small encounters with others are God's opportunity to speak. How is God speaking through you?