Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7:7

Twenty four years ago, at Passover/Easter time, I was living in New York, serving as a rabbi, when I was offered the same position at a synagogue in Florida. For some reason, I just couldn’t make a decision. For the first and only time in my life, I asked God for a sign. I remember saying, “God I’m embarrassed to ask for a sign, but I don’t know what to do. I will serve you with my life, but I just don’t know where you want me to serve you.”

The next day, I went to a TV station for an interview because Passover and Easter were close together that year and the newsperson wanted to ask me and a priest about the differences between Passover and Easter.

Afterward, I spent a long time talking to Father Tom Hartman. I told him he seemed like a fine fellow but that I was going home to accept a position in Florida. Tommy looked at me and said in a quiet but firm voice, “You are not going there.”

Then he said, “Last night, in my dreams, God came to me and said I’d me meeting someone today and that I was supposed to tell him, You are not going, because I’m not through with you here.”

Father Tom and I became The God Squad that day and he became my best friend. I called the Florida synagogue and declined the offer.

I’m happy to live in a world where I don’t understand everything but I understand enough to give thanks to God for the signs of hope that litter our broken world.

Rabbi Marc Gellman
The God Squad