Today I had a piece of gum from America. As I was chewing, the taste caused a sense of familiarity to rush over me, a feeling I haven’t had since we arrived in England (that’s a very “Willy Wonka” type of sentence, I realize). At that moment, I considered that sense of familiarity - just knowing this or that about my new world, just knowing how to get from here to there on new roads, knowing what to expect from a piece of gum.

To be honest, not knowing that familiarity has not bothered me that much at all. In fact, as I wrote that, I realize that I’ve actually been thriving in the newness. For me, right now, it’s exhilarating.As I kept thinking, I realized that the gum did remind me of other familiar things I miss: my family, having a car, the friends I’ve come to love over 27 years… In those moments, it helps to know that God has set all of this up. I find much rest in that.

That makes me consider the confidence that we can all have as we are pursuing God, hearing his words and responding. We can know that whatever occurs in those places, our God is with us. Our God is able. If our God is with us, whom or what shall we fear?

Going without the experience of familiarity is such a pittance of a price to pay for all that has been done for me. Nevertheless, I’m continuing to savor this stick of familiarity that I do have…as I don’t know when I will experience that again.

It seems there’s a lesson in there somewhere, but hey, it’s just a piece of gum.