At my 25th year with Ford at 9:30 am, I, Peter, was summoned to my exec's office. I did not know what to exect. Mr. Dave Burns had learned of my supposed magical powers in getting engineering problems solved. He wanted me to work my magic in solving a "job 1" impass at the Kentucky Truck Plant by noon that very day and give my written report on the new resolved status I was supposed to bring about. In all of my years at Ford, I never received an assignment from someone other than my supervisor or manager. This must be so important that my exec did not want to entrust it to anyone but himself to assign to make sure there would be no mistake in communication of the importance or parameters of the problem. Dave gave me both names of the two engineers that were crucial to coming to agreement and for me to negotiate that agreement and communicate to them in the clearest terms that this problem must be resolved by noon because holding up production of Job 1 would be costing the Company millions. I assured Dave of doing my utmost and left to go to work. It was nearly 10:00 am, and I only had 2 hours to have my report on his desk.
After calling and calling both engineers and leaving them messages, I could not reach them live. I had three tasks: talk to each individually and then get them to talk and agree with each other. At 11:00am I had not even talked to either men. It looked hopeless. Dave had put his trust in me, and now I would fail him. Such a situation required Big Guns! I remember the 8-word scripture quote: "Peter went on the roof to pray." So, I went up the step to the tar roof with a wooden board walk for maintenance men to work. I went down the board walk and explained to God the Father the whole assignment and that both me I needed to contact did not call me back. I plainly told God that without His direct help, I would never be able to complete this assignment on time. I took note where I was standing while talking to God as if He were my immediate Supervisor.
I went down to my desk with less than an hour to do the whole assignment. Immediately within five minutes the first engineer from the KTP called me. I fervently told him the problem and my proposed remedy plus the crises-time mode. He understood. After hanging up, the second engineer from the KTP called me. It was amazing that we were not on all at once on a 3-way. But all the explaining and resolving just fell into place. Both men were in total agreement and happy about the resoluition. The job was done just like that. Now, I had to write it up. I only had about a half hour, but I knew a lot could be done in 30 minutes. But before I got typing, I had to go up on the roof to thank God for His engineering miracle. It is part of my devotion life that if God grants a direct answer to prayer, I go to the exact spot where I asked God and there I thank Him so that He knows with continuity exactly for what favor I am thanking Him for. So, I went up on the roof, but I did not have time to talk to God. So, as I approached the spot on the board walk I took a little hop and a skip and I jumpted 2 feet in the air and slapped God a "High Five" while shouting out an appreciative and joyful and triumphant "YES!"
I went down immediatey to my desk and started typying furiously. After about 10 minutes or so, I was interrupted in my soul by the Holy Spirit urging me to back on the roof! It was not in words but an all pervasive and deep call to the depths of me to GO BACK ON THE ROOF.
I cautiously climbed the steps and slowly opened the large metal door to the roof; and as I stepped out to the roof, I said: "What is up, God!" Seems that question, itself, was inspired because up in the blue sky all alone was a perfect hand and wrist! It was made of cloud but was cut as if by a wind knife. All the edges of the hand and wrist were perfectly sharp! I am an artist, and this hand and wrist were a replica of my own hand and wrist. But there was something divine about this hand that was unique: from each finger and thumb came a vaporous ray of light as if to show that what animated this hand was the Spirit of God. Also the position of the hand was so perfect: so much so that I streatcthed out my hand a full arms length and my hand covered the cloud hand perfectly - thumb to thumb; pinky to pinky. The "cloud hand of God" had to be a 1000 feet high to come to be at the distance I was in order for it to appear as small as my own hand. It was in perfect angle and position to give me a High Five. I marveled and said to God: "O my God, You are giving me a High Five back!" In my joy, I said to Him: "I do so appreciate Your High Five, Papa; but you see when we, your kids give you a High Five with our right hands, you - being like all Dads - are not "cool" because You returned the High Five with Your left hand." I felt this comic relief was needed on such an awesome occasion. Could it be that my High Five to God was His first ever received; and He was moved? Or is it that Almighty God really is as Jesus called Him: "Abba"! - "Daddy"? I never knew to this event that God has emotional responses to our prayers. I thought our prayers went through a divine buracurcy and eventually landed on God's desk fully edited to their essentials. Well, now I knew that God wasn't like that at all. God is moved by our prayers. God is not only Almighty, He is All Emotional!
I went down stairs after this 5 minute encounter with God that makes me think of how Moses felt seeing the Burning Bush. I completed the assignment and personally turned it in to Dave just before the dead line with a few minutes to spare. He was very pleased but not surprised. I was surprised and happy. Without God, nothing would have happened at all. It is consoling that God has time to go to work with me every day.
A week later, God the Father defended Himself for my considering Him "not cool"! He lovingly corrected me by telling me in essence that "Son, how can you say that I am 'not cool' whereas you are the one who is 'not cool!'" Here is How "Daddy" told me: a deacon came over to my home to give me an unexpected gift. It was a booklet with a picture of God the Father on the cover. The Father was sitting on a throne and blessing the world with His right hand. In His left hand was the world. Inside the booklet was an article that explained that the "Right Hand of Yahweh" is the Holy Spirit; and that God only uses His Right Hand for holy, sacred matters. But God uses His Left Hand for all other mundane matters! So, God the Father got the last laugh and word in. He responded to my little jesting with great gentleness. Can we jest with God? Of course; but understand that God the Father is the God of all wit. Just His giving me a Fatherly High Five is divine comedy in itself. What kind of God do we have? Do we know Him at all? Not until we have experience "playing with God" on His own playground do we know Him. Moms and Dads play with their children as a way of loving them and getting to know them. God is no different. We need to see and be aware of when God is playing with us. How else can we really get to know Him? Remember God is the very Creator of all sense of humor and laughter. God is not stuffy; He is playful!
Love, Pio
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