“God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, “Do you believe there is a God?” you may find yourself answering, “No, I do not believe there is a God. I know there is a God.”
~Ernest Boyer, Jr.
Last night I was with some people who don't know God. I didn't really know them but I was standing somewhat on the fringe of a group and I heard one woman exclaim loudly "I sure wasn't praying, God wouldn't listen to me even if I did". It almost physically hurt me to here that. I wanted to cry out, Oh Friend, try Him. He will listen to you- I know she was just coarsely mocking God really but under that layer, I know there must be a pain that God longs to heal. I'm praying for her. Praying I will be able to reach out more.
When I look at my life, I can't fathom even thinking that God doesn't listen and doesn't care. I see Him everywhere. Today, I saw Him in the sweet repentance of my defiant 2 year old son after he realized the hurt he caused, I saw Him in the innocent laughter of my daughters, I saw Him in the softened heart of my husband, I heard Him in my husband's voice when he was praying for the people of Libya (I didn't know that he even knew there were issues in Libya because he's more of a here-and-now kind of guy but God is moving and opens our hearts to new things every day), I saw Him in the first leaves poking through the hard soil, in the peace that somehow exists in the midst of this chaos, in every moment of my day. I can't imagine life with God. I can't imagine how I could survive. Life without God's story would be so colorless and dull. I suppose that must be what God's enemies want, to strip life of all the intrigue, the romance, the brilliance that God intends. I don't want to miss any nuance of the story in my life. I'm paying close attention these days.
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