Anthony and I had just pulled off the road at the east entrance of Glacier National Park.
We had barely made it into the restaurant and sat down at our table when a freak storm began to pummel the remote little area. Thunder cracked repeatedly; unusually large hailstones fell from the sky; and the wind furiously whipped against everything in its path.
The storm was so unique that even the dining room staff had pulled out their cell phones, run to the windows, and were taking pictures and videos to document the peculiar event.
Shortly after the storm began, the restaurant lost all power.
Our waiter introduced himself and took our order. Within a few minutes, he came back to our table to give us the “bad news” that we would have to pay for our dinner with cash because they wouldn’t be able to process any credit cards.
We told him that would be fine.
Minutes later he returned to revise his former statement.
“We can take your credit card after all,” he said with a smile. “It appears as though our manager has a new fandangled machine that can run your card even though the power is off.”
We finished our meal and gave the server our card. We were eager to learn what this “new fandangled” machine might be!
He returned with a rectangular, carbon paper form that had been “slid” through a manual credit card imprinter (a device commonly used in the 1960’s – 80’s before the advent of electronic payment terminals).
Anthony and I laughed out loud!
This “new fandangled” machine brought back a wave of childhood memories for us. But, for this sweet, 26-year old young man who had never seen one of these devices in action before, he was bamboozled to think that there was even a way to process credit cards without electricity!
He didn’t know what he didn’t know.
And, neither do we.
As Christ-followers, we can be tempted to think that God expects us to know everything about Him.
If we can’t recite Scriptures like we’ve seen our pastor do or unravel all the details of the Gospel at the drop of a hat, we can be tempted to think God’s somehow unhappy or displeased with us.
Yet, the simplicity of walking with God is that He understands we are children and we don’t know what we don’t know.
We learn and grow along the way.
According to James 4:17, though, there is a universal truth that everyone inherently knows.
“…to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (NKJV)
All of us know “to do good.”
All of us can yield ourselves to God’s Spirit today as He leads, guides, and shows us how to live this out – minute by minute and hour by hour – to everyone we cross paths with.
We don’t need a new fandangled device to show us how to do that! We just need a surrendered and willing heart and mind.
Until next time, Grace and Glory!
😂 So true!!! 💕🙏
Oh the memories of the fandangled devices of our time.
“…to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (NKJV)
Thank you for this reminder.
Amen. 💜🤗🩵😊