Unwelcome Visitor

 by Macy Johnson

“Then the man (Adam) and his wife (Eve)

heard the sound of the Lord God

as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,

and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”

(Genesis 3:8 NIV)

 

The exterminator came on Thursday morning. I expected his chemical shower to stir up all the pests in our compound. My husband said he saw several large ones in the middle of the courtyard. Some were even on the stone pathway, exposed to danger. They seemed confused, like they were searching for a new home away from us.

 

Sunday morning I woke up early, while it was still dark, to get ready for worship. As I sat down at my desk on the second floor, I noticed something large and black slowly creep by my feet. Growing up on the panhandle of Florida, I am no stranger to palmetto bugs, but this one caught me off guard.

 

After a muffled scream, so I would not wake my husband, I jumped up and around the frightened creature as it scurried across my wooden floor. Nothing was nearby to hit him with, so I did the dreaded, awful thing - I smashed him with my flimsy sandaled foot! The thought still makes me cringe.

 

God got my attention and my heart racing early that morning. I was barely awake when I climbed the stairs to my studio to meet with Him. How many times do I catch myself in a stupor, going through the motions of reading my Bible and writing in my journal to Him? I hope I would never consider the Holy Spirit to be an “Unwelcome Visitor.”

 

I will welcome any guest God sends my way today, especially His Spirit, and maybe an insect, also. I hope you will, too!