So, for the past few days I have been battling against one of those wonderful spring colds. And I am one of those sterotypical men who has a hard time admitting he is sick tries to do everything anyway, and takes longer to get better. Sound familiar to anyone?
So as I have been sitting around, hacking up a lung, and contemplating my own mortality, I spent a lot of time thinking about God moments. Over the past few weeks here we have been watching a number of NOOMA videos - they are videos by a pastor who brings faith and life together in a very powerful way. Every time I watch one of these videos I am reminded of the numerous God Moments that take place in our lives. These are times when we see God active in our lives and in the lives of people around us.
You see, God is very active in the world he created. He is active in helping us discern the gifts he has given us, he is active in the people we meet, he is active in how we serve others, he is just active. He is not some diety that sits in heaven and just watches as we go about our lives, getting a good kick out of how we mess things up. Rather, he gets down and dirty with us - lifting us up when we cannot make it on our own, and celebrating with us as we have seasons of joy in our lives.
But sometimes we miss the God moments. I think this happens when we get those blinders on and have a very narrow view of what is happening around us. In doing this, we miss the big picture, we miss the amazing things God is doing because it is out of our line of sight.
So today I pray that we may all have our eyes opened and see the amazing works of God in our lives and in the lives of those around us. May we be reassured of God's never-ending presence with us. And may we all be blessed with abundant God moments in our lives.
2 comments:
Many times, I have been emailed a particular prayer from friends, one of the lines of which refers to how "you are exactly where you are supposed to be." That line presupposes that there is a force, larger than me, or my own designs, which has placed me exactly where I presently am.
In some ways that is comforting, because it reminds me that I am part of some "grand plan." In other ways, it is somewhat disconcerting, and it gives credence to some people's belief in "fate."
I can see where some early protestants, such as Calvin, professed a belief in predestination. I mean, if there is some "grand plan," certainly God must know it and if he knows it, well...there is no way around it coming to be, right?
It's a puzzle. I remember driving my mother to distraction with discussions like this when I was a teen.
I have finally come to peace about the whole issue. Yes, God knows, but I don't. He knows what decisions I will make before I make them, but I must still actively make the decisions of my own will. While He knows the result, I don't, and therein lies where faith comes into play.
At the base of this has to be the belief that "what God ordains is always good," to quote a familiar hymn. Even if what is happening in the moment seems a bad thing, it is all part of the "grand plan." All a person can do is keep praying, leaving the way open to understanding what the next step is.
Sometimes it's easier to see the hand of God in your life when you go back over decisions you have made, things that caused you to be in the place you are right now. Along the way, you made decisions, and because certain things happened, you ended up where you are this very day.
God has had a hand in getting you where you are, and He continues to be there, beside you. We need to not forget to talk to Him, and to listen.
Yo Bro... (sniff) I feel your pain... (ack...thoooie)...uggg.....
It's been over a week and I this is starting to get old... My head feels like its stuffed with cotton candy, I can hardly put a cogent thought together... But I still write my own sermons, they might not make sense, but they are mine!
Peace, out!
Glesne
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