The Right Connection

          “Great job, Adeline!” I said sarcastically. I grabbed my cell phone and shut it off, hoping to do so before the call was connected.  Though she’s less than two years old, my granddaughter loves to play with phones. Real phones. She can slide her finger along the bottom to open up the screen, browse through my camera roll, take a photo and successfully post it to Instagram. Now she was calling some poor person randomly selected from my list of contacts.

            Minutes later my phone rang. Someone was returning my phone call, well, Adeline’s phone call. “Veronica,” I began, “I’m so sorry, but Adeline had my phone and…” A wonderful conversation with my childhood/college/still good friend ensued. Veronica is a listener. When we visit, either  by phone or in person, she warmly and lovingly gives me space to share my heart. She never seems to be in a rush, is always sincere, and when she does speak, her carefully chosen words brim with kindness, wisdom, and faith.

            After I told her of a recent struggle I was having to be patient while waiting for the answer to a prayer, Veronica shared something she had read only hours before Adeline’s accidental phone call. As promised, as soon as we ended the call, she sent me her morning reflection.

The Scripture referenced was Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” The word ‘wait’ is translated as ‘hope’ in some versions, and the original word in Hebrew can mean “to twist together, as cords of a rope are intertwined.”  The reflection continued with encouragement that as we wait on God to fulfill His promise, it is as though we wrap ourselves around the Lord and He wraps Himself around us. Thoughts of doubts and despair will not pull us apart from the Lord if we wait on Him, but like the strands of a rope, we are pulled tighter together.

            Another Scripture came to mind, Psalm 25:5, and when I looked it up, was pleased to find the same Hebrew word. “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou are the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”

I smiled as I sent a text message to thank Veronica and turned to my granddaughter. “Great job, Adeline!” I said sincerely.