A Wink and a Smile

 To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
       do not turn a deaf ear to me.
       For if you remain silent,
       I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.
 Hear my cry for mercy
       as I call to you for help,
       as I lift up my hands
       toward your Most Holy Place.
       …
 Praise be to the LORD,
       for he has heard my cry for mercy.
 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
       my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
       My heart leaps for joy
       and I will give thanks to him in song.
 The LORD is the strength of his people,
       a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
       be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Yesterday evening about 100 people were relying on me to operate the complex electronics, the large screens, computer, projectors, sound board, and DVD player in our Meetinghouse. This is something which I have done 9 times before in the last 9 weeks without any problems. Last night was different. Very different. The projectors were not working. The computer didn't start up right. The cordless mike didn't work. The DVD player didn't have power. I'll spare you the details — it was 5 minutes to show time.

The guy who is "in charge" of the console was not there. Where was my first instinct to turn to for help? Did I turn to God first and cry for mercy? Did I even look up and whisper the easiest prayer of all: "Help?" Surprisingly, no. I grabbed a fellow techno-geek who discerned that a power strip had failed and needed to be replaced. I ran to find another strip, replaced it, and we were up — almost. We made do without a working mike.

When I started to play the DVD a few minutes later, we had pictures but no sound. Within a minute I had someone checking out the sound board, someone else looking at the tangled web of cables under the table. I paused the DVD and yelled down to the leader "Got any more Ole and Lena jokes?" Then I prayed. I remember shaking my head and looking up and simply saying "Lord help."

It is pretty dark under the table where all the equipment is — too dark to see labels on buttons. I pushed a round silver button on the DVD player. Nothing. Purely out of faith, I pressed "Play" on the remote. We had sound!

I then took the flashlight to see what that silver button was labelled. It said "DVD - VCR". I called on my Rock. He came through for me. Praise be to the Lord!!

My heart did leap for joy. I wanted to run out and party! I didn't actually break into song, but I did give Him thanks and am still feeling gratitude for what He did — and continues to do in my life.

As I enter this week of Thanksgiving, I am looking to Him first for help instead of giving Him second or third billing like I did last night. He wants to be my main source of help, not just my backup when human help fails. And I am thanking Him more for the little things which demonstrate He is alive in me. It takes nothing more than a quick glance to His Most Holy Place with a wink, "Thanks, Lord."

And my joy comes each time He smiles and winks back.