“ . . . I know most surely that poverty and affliction become me better than delights and riches.” St. Patrick

“ . . . I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me.” Jesus The Christ according to Matthew 25:36

Did you ever have one of those life occasions when you just KNEW that God was at work?  One of those times when you realized that everything had to work out just right for events to transpire as they did?  I had one of those a little over a week ago.

Colorado was getting a significant snowstorm. And it was COLD!  I was at work at my office in Boulder and had made a late afternoon appointment to see a member of the church who is unable to attend services.  Due to the snowstorm traffic was moving very slowly, so I was delayed arriving at her place by almost an hour.  I realized that by the time I finished my visit with her it would be too late, and too treacherous, to make the drive back to my house in the mountains.  And so, I made a reservation at a small, inexpensive motel. 

When I arrived at “Jackie’s” place, she informed me that due to my late arrival it was time for her dinner.  She graciously invited me to join her, and we shared a lovely meal at the community where she lives.  Due to the fact that I hadn’t planned on staying overnight away from home, when I checked into the motel, I asked the desk clerk if she had any toiletries, such as a toothbrush.  She responded that unfortunately she didn’t, but that I could purchase something from the vending machine or go to the Wal Mart across the street.  I was slightly put off but didn’t have time to stew about it as our Wednesday night bible discussion was about to begin.  Following the hour-long meeting I decided to take the trek over to Wal Mart, although it was snowing and very cold, almost zero degrees Fahrenheit.

I left the front lobby of the motel and walked toward the sidewalk.  There were bushes on either side, partially obscuring the view of vehicles on the road.  Suddenly I saw something.  But I literally couldn’t believe my eyes!  There, sitting in a fetal position in the snow, was a man. A man who was about forty years old.  A man who was wearing nothing but socks.  That’s right.  He was NAKED!  His clothes were scattered along the sidewalk, giving the appearance that he had simply gotten too hot and decided to take them off.  I immediately called 911.  While speaking with the emergency operator I helped to get his pants on, and half carried him into the lobby of the hotel.  The desk clerk got a blanket and we wrapped him in it an began to rub his body to warm him up.  Soon after a police officer arrived.  She asked him numerous questions, but the only thing he said was that his name was Josh.  He had no identification.  He had no worldly goods other than the clothes that had been on his back.  No one knew who he was, other than God.  It didn’t take long for the paramedics to arrive.  They did their thing, putting him on a gurney, and transporting him to a local hospital.

It wasn’t until they had left, and I resumed my quest to purchase a toothbrush that the full impact of the encounter hit me.  My thoughts included, but were not limited, to the following:

-Everything had to happen EXACTLY right for me to encounter Josh:

            -There had to be a snowstorm

            -Traffic had to be delayed

            -Dear, sweet “Jackie” had to invite me to dinner

            -I had to decide to stay in that specific motel

-I had to need a toothbrush, and go to Wal Mart to get it, at THAT very time, and on that very sidewalk.

-Fifteen minutes on either side of that encounter could’ve meant death for Josh.

-Why was a man, who didn’t smell of alcohol, act like he was high or appear to be homeless (no backpack, well-groomed, etc.) sitting naked in the snow and cold?

-Who WAS this?  He had no identification!

-Why was I placed in this position?

-If this transpired just right, could it not mean that the rest of my life, for as wrong as many of the things have seemed to have been, have been orchestrated to be “just right” as well?

As I contemplate this encounter, for what is now the hundredth time, I continue to be overwhelmed with awe.  What are you doing, God?  Not only in my life but in the lives of others?

For as much as I don’t know, and never will, I am quite certain of this:  God is always at work.  And sometimes we are graced with seeing it!