Catching a Glimpse

 

The long, long drought and the 109 degree temperatures have taken quite a toll on the lawns in my neighborhood. Even with irrigation systems and watering, the grass has found it hard to compete with the extreme conditions. That is why this view caught my attention on my morning walk.

As I headed east into the sun, I saw ahead this section of sidewalk that appeared different from the rest. Out of the frame to the right is a sprinkler, so this area of the concrete gets wet when the water flow oscillates. Even though I knew this to be the case, my first thought was quite different.

Even though I was already soaked with sweat, I thought to myself how odd that there would be ice on the sidewalk this morning. As I boy, I was fascinated with stories where people in the desert would see a mirage and think there was water just ahead. It was as if I were looking into cooler temperatures. It was as if I were looking into a different season. I could almost feel the cold air of winter. For a moment, it seemed so real.

I found myself pondering what it means to have faith to see what is not there, to have hope when life seems bleak. The prophet Isaiah writes, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Some people have that gift; they are not being fooled by the illusion of a mirage or their unwillingness to deal with reality. Some people instead are seeing a glimpse of what God is doing in their life and in the world. Sometimes those things seem beyond our imaginations, like streams in a desert. But catching such a glimpse can get us through what life has brought to our door.

Peace.