Touched By God Today

I was touched by God today. Just ever so lightly. It was after a storm as I sat outside enjoying the smell of the rain and the coolness it brought with it. The clouds still hung heavy, almost obliterating the sky with their massiveness.

If one sat quiet and still long enough, you could almost hear the earth breath a sign of relief from the intense heat that had consumed it, only an hour before. I too had breathed that sigh, for it was a very welcome break from the heat that seemed never-ending.

That's when it happened. As I sat there quietly enjoying the sights around me; I felt something on my shoulder. Reflexively, I attempted to just brush it away, thinking it was only a fly, or some other unwanted pest. But yet, it stayed. There appeared to be a gently warmth about it.

Again, blindly, I brushed at it and still it lingered. Now the warmth began to intensify to an uncomfortable heat, so I turned and looked. The culprit was a single ray of sun coming down from the sky to my shoulder. One single ray had broken through the mass of clouds and touched me.

Like a finger, it seemed to reach out and pat me on the shoulder, attempting to get my attention. As I looked up in the sky, the clouds started to move more swiftly than before. Like a curtain opening on a stage the clouds parted the sky to reveal a glorious rainbow.

I now know God had painted me a picture, and had tapped me on the shoulder with His finger of sunshine. Almost instantly, I understood and without thinking, I uttered, "Thank you God. It's beautiful."

[ Written and contributed by: Pam Handshy -- received via Jeff Nickerson ]