My dad used to be a winker. When a situation would happen, whether difficult or pleasant, he would look at you, his eyes would twinkle and he would give you a quick wink. It was a secret communication between him and the recipient. The wink said, "Do you see the humor or irony in this situation too? Or it was a quick wink of encouragement. It said, "You are special and I love you."

There are times in my life when just a little encouragement like that can make my day. It keeps me going. It keeps me focused on whatever the task may be. It keeps me grounded especially when the wink validates the ridiculousness of an overly dramatic situation

I think God gives winks like that.

I just read a passage about that in my daily reading. I love the story of Gideon the reluctant soldier and leader of Israel. (Judges 6,7) Gideon just needs some extra reassurance that he is on the right path. On many occasions before he does what God asks of him, Gideon will ask for a specific sign that could only come from God. And God gives it to him. It is almost as if God is winking at him, telling Gideon, "Trust me. I love you and I will be with you every step of the way."

But the part of the story that struck me the most comes mid way in Gideon's story. In Chapter 7 before Gideon starts asking for a sign, God tells him what that sign would be: "But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah you servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterwards your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp." (Judges 7:10) That God wink, the encouragement to Gideon because God loved him and knew his nature, gave Gideon what he needed to do at the time.

A God wink. A sign of encouragement when needed the most.

There are times in my life when I receive the encouragement that I need to keep going. Little validations that say "You are on the right path. Don't let anyone discourage you. I love you and want the best for you."

Yesterday I experienced a whole lot of God winks with the kind responses and comments to my little meditation in Upper Room. I was so touched by people's words. I was so humbled that people would take the time to write. I was so encouraged by those who validated my writing.

God was using others and their words of encouragement to give me a wink.

What about you? Have you ever experienced a "God wink"? What did that look like?

Where do you need to be encouraged today? Be on the lookout for God winking at you- through others, through a situation or brief encounter. The thing about winks are that they are quick. Even so, they can change the whole trajectory of your story.