I just returned from a mission trip to Costa Rica. I am sure the reflections will continue to form meaning in the days and weeks to come–since Jesus really showed up and showed out in every way imaginable–but one story that seems very settled and clear in my mind is the visit from “my” doves.
Each morning, we were invited by the campus pastor to spend time with the Lord before we headed out to do ministry. I had my pick of most spaces since I was usually up with only one other team member. She chose an outdoor space in the front of the house, so I wandered to a back garden. It was small and peaceful.
Since it was in the back, the road noise was muted, which allowed the song of the birds to echo. Just above the white garden wall, you could see the rooftop of an adjoining building–upon which stood a rusty antenna. Each morning, two mourning doves would perch there for the duration of my quiet time. Occasionally, a third dove would flutter by and perch.
In my mind, I imagined the Trinity represented by my feathered friends. I was comforted by their Peaceful coos and felt connected to The Creator as we worshipped in song together.
They were my constant companions until the next-to-the-last day, when we awoke to a light rain shower. I made my coffee from the most aromatic Costa Rican beans, grabbed my chair, and set up underneath the awning. Then looking up, over the garden wall, I spied the empty antenna.
I decided their absence was a lesson in trusting God’s presence even when I don’t see Him, and continued with the devotion. Midway through my prayer time, with my eyes closed, I began to hear a familiar coo. I looked up, and there, on the edge of the garden wall was one lone dove–praying in agreement–or something like that.
I opened my eyes and saw him there with his head twisting and breast rising and falling to his mournful song. Finishing up my prayer, I found “my dove”–still there–perfectly perched under the arch of a faint rainbow. As soon as I recognized the rainbow, my friend fluttered away.
I sat there for a few minutes, basking in the joy of it all, before jumping up to climb as high as I could to see the rainbow in its entirety.
Climbing up to catch a full view of that rainbow was a sweet reminder of the promise that God had been present the entire time–I just needed to look up–to acknowledge. So often, we get caught up in what we can’t see or what isn’t happening the way we planned. Yet, when we shift our focus, we find that God is continuously weaving His presence into our ordinary moments, quietly reassuring us that He is with us–that He is at work.
It brings to mind the simple, powerful wisdom of scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6. I love the way The Message paraphrases it. It says, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
Acknowledging God in all our ways isn’t just about praying over the big life decisions; it’s about recognizing His hand in the quiet, unexpected moments–a mourning dove’s song on the garden wall, a faint rainbow arching across the sky, or a peaceful silence during prayer.
When we stop leaning on our own limited sight and choose to trust Him completely, our eyes (and ears) are opened to His constant presence. The same God who promises to guide our paths is the One who meets us right where we are, turning moments of uncertainty into gentle reminders of His unwavering faithfulness.
My challenge for us this week is simple: acknowledge Him in all things, big and small. Pay attention to the unexpected graces–the songbird in the garden, the colors breaking through the gray–and let them prompt you to give Him thanks.
When we train our eyes to see His hand in every detail–or our ears to hear the soft coos–uncertainty loses its hold, and we walk forward with full confidence in the One who makes our paths straight.
Lord, thank You for meeting us in the quiet, unexpected places of our lives, and for reminding us that You are always near. Help us to stop relying on our own understanding and help us humble ourselves so that we can submit to You in every detail of our days. Give us hearts that trust You fully–confident that You are faithfully guiding our steps.
Amen
