Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Reflective Thoughts
If only I had knowN…
Our first child was born in East Africa. Not long after her birth, we sensed something was wrong. We traveled to Kenya, where a British pediatrician feared the worst. It was August, and flights out of the country were booked for the next two weeks. Our only recourse was to wait for passenger cancellations each night at the airport. After three days at 11 p.m., one seat opened for London. It was leaving within the hour. Uncertain whether the plane would arrive in time to connect with the flight to Philadelphia, we decided to take the chance. Tom stayed behind, as I tearfully boarded the plane with Rachel.
I fretted and agonized for the entire nine-hour flight. How would I navigate through customs? How would I figure out how to get from one airport to my connecting flight at another airport, 45 minutes away with a baby in tow? Originally I was told I had a two-hour layover-but I found out it was only one hour. It seemed impossible. What would I do? I had no idea that at Heathrow, airport personnel were waiting for me holding signs with my name written on them. They would escort me to Gatwick airport and right up to the loading gate of my connecting flight, the one that was waiting for me. There was no way after all, that I was going to miss it. If only I had known.
Plans often go awry. Sometimes there are happy endings. Sometimes there aren’t. But no matter what happens, the good news is that Romans 5:1-5 is a sign with your name on it. If you have faith in Christ, you have already arrived to a permanent state of peace with God. It’s a done deal. Whether you feel it or not is another matter. But that foundation of peace-that grace in which you now and forever stand-can be a springboard to produce good things, even as you pass through the worst things. You never have to say “if only I had known.”