God Touched Me On My Arm

A few months ago, I was standing at the billing counter of a supermarket, feeling depressed about my life. I was considering the various challenges that I was facing in my life. At that moment, someone touched me on my arm, and I turned quickly to see a little child with a big, joyful smile on his face. In return, I smiled spontaneously at this bright, beaming boy, amazed that such a thing could happen. As I left the shop, I turned to the boy to say goodbye, and he smiled at me again happily, though a little shyly. As I travelled back home, the thought of the child's spontaneous gesture filled my mind, and from nowhere tears welled and streamed out of my eyes. "O Lord Jesus, that child was You!" I said, utterly overwhelmed. Later I said to my family, "Jesus came to comfort me. I must not worry."

Today, as I began to worry again, a friend sent me a note that her young son said hello to me. That made me reflect on God’s comforting nature again. Was this gesture also from God? When something wonderfully spontaneous happens, I immediately think of God. God sends his smiles and hellos through his people. Maybe this hello was from God, telling me that all will be well.

After I saw the smiling boy at the supermarket much trouble entered my life. My old computer failed irreparably. Every day I had to walk out of my home to a nearby computer centre, where I connected with the world in some meaningful way that I could find. For three months I did this, despite an aching ankle, which made these journeys strenuous. Many times, I cried out to God, and asked him, "When, O Lord, will you deliver me from this?" But at that time I did not recall the child who brought the smile of God into my life.

Earlier today, in other distressing circumstances, as I sat before my new computer, I recalled the smile of God, when I received this message from a friend, who conveyed the spontaneous greeting of her child. And it made me think of God and how he comforts in small but significant ways. May I receive this comfort from God and not worry about my life.

Let me end with this strange incident. As I lay in bed during the time when I was without a computer, a single drop of water fell on my bare back. Startled by it, I rose to find out how this drop could have fallen on me. There was no source above me from which this drop could have issued. And then I thought of God again. Did God do this? Did God signal His concern for me at that difficult time in my life? God knew how I prayed. I would lie at night in my balcony, looking at the stars in the sky and imploring God in prayer thus: "I'm not asking you for a car or a house. I'm asking you for a computer to do your work and to convey your message of love. Will you not grant me this? How could you be so silent? Do you not care?" And then the drop made sense. Perhaps the Lord was crying with me, comforting me in my time of suffering. Strangely, no drop has fallen on me since then.

When God connects, he leaves little room for doubt. The smiling child, the boy who sent his hello, and the drop that fell are unique incidents that leave little room for any other interpretation in my mind. I am a believer in God. And I choose to see these gestures as divine tokens of loving care. Thank you, God, for touching me with your love.

Samuel Godfrey George