“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” I Peter 3:15

On Monday, I was in Shoppers Food Warehouse in Manassas. I don’t usually go to Shoppers, but I’ve found that they have beautiful cut flowers at a very reasonable price, so whenever I need a bouquet, I stop there.

The occasion was Pam’s birthday. Not that her birthday was May 21…it’s actually May 12, which always seems to fall on Mother’s Day weekend. And this year, that was the weekend of my niece Candis’ wedding, which I had the privilege of officiating. So, the entire three days was completely overcome with the wedding events…travel, rehearsal dinners, the wedding, the reception, etc.

About half way through that weekend, the kids and I realized that there was absolutely no time to even recognize, let alone celebrate Pam’s special day. After all, you don’t turn 29 just every year!

So, in a quick family council, we decided to postpone celebrating until the first free day we could all be home as a family. With Amanda returning from UVA and Joshua graduating from Liberty, Monday the 21st was that day

So, I’m standing in line at Shoppers with a nice bouquet of roses, a birthday card, a bottle of bubbly and a few sundry things for the meal I was planning on cooking…when the check-out clerk says, “Wow, I really like your shirt!”

My shirt? What shirt? I had to look down to see what I was wearing…and there it was, the Soul Restoration t-shirt designed by Mariluz Ramey that Tim Batchelderr gave to me for participating in SR again this past year. The shirt celebrates several of the “Life Choices” that have come to mean so much to us at GLCC. CHOOSE life, truth, honesty, grace, community, and forgiveness.

As I thanked the clerk, I looked at him with new eyes. I could see evidence in his eyes and face of hard living, yet he had a gentle, hopeful, and grace-filled demeanor. He was a fellow believer, a follower of Jesus who had a story to tell, and had also experienced the grace of God. In that moment, our hearts connected, not over a t-shirt, but over an amazingly faithful Savior and Friend who, in spite of our sins and mistakes, has never left us nor forsaken us. The t-shirt just pointed the way, it acted as a magnet or conduit.

That incident caught me completely by surprise, and it got me thinking. God’s kingdom is all around us. At any time, it can break through, even in a supermarket line! Yet, so often, I walk around self-absorbed and oblivious to the work of God around me and to what He wants to do in me, through me, and for me.

Let’s be mindful that the Kingdom of God is very near (Mark 1:15). We are His ambassadors and Kingdom representatives. God’s kingdom is breaking through TODAY. Look for it!