God's Nostalgia
I wrote an email to a long lost friend today. It’s been 30 some years since we’ve seen one another, but a recent life event brought him to mind. I wrote to say thank you to him for believing in me all the way back then.
30 years ago he gave me the nickname Samuel. He said I was prophetic. I took it more in the “You’re slightly rebellious, so you must be a prophet” kind of way. Back then, it wasn’t even on my radar that God could use me to speak to someone else.
I grew up in an Assembly of God church, so I knew other people were used this way but it seemed too mysterious and Old Testament to me. I’ve been on a lifelong journey learning how to hear the voice of God and through some great teaching have recently learned how to cultivate hearing for others.
But God knew way back then what He had already deposited in me (and by the way in all of you if you are a Jesus follower). 30 years ago he dropped a hint to me in the form of a nickname. Isn’t that just like Him?
If I look back over my life, there has been a lifetime of gifts dropped from heaven—-in the form of experiences, moments of encouragement, surprises which bring me joy, financial provision and moments of abundance. He’s dropped life-changing relationships, crazy moments which energize me and fill me full of the wonder of life, and once in awhile, He even seems to wax nostaligic.
A week ago I was given a prophetic word. One of the things the prophet said is that He saw the word “Samuel” next to me. The prophet went on to explain the meaning, but what he didn’t know is that what God could have said in many ways He chose to say in a way that He knew would cause me to savor a past moment. He took me back 30 years when He whispered through a friend . . .”I want to speak through you.” and “I have more for you than you think.”
When I’m in a conversation with a friend and past memories come up, there is that familiar warmth and radiant feeling that comes from having shared moments and a history with someone. I find God to be a very real PERSON who loves these moments of nostalgia too.
May God remind you today of a special moment the two of you share.