In an attempt to be and feel closer to God, we often sign up for the latest Bible study, buy the Christian books, and then “do our part” by attending church. If we feel really motivated, we may even volunteer or at the very least, send a check.
Through all of this, we often pat ourselves on the back with a job “well done” and then go back to our busy lives - with or without God.
Daily, I try my best to walk with God. Daily, I pray for guidance and His peace (as peace doesn’t just come naturally to me). And daily, I try hard to not fall into the trap of thinking being close to God is anyhow related to a certain list of objectives for the day.
It’s funny how it can seem so hard just to BE with God. Just to sit there. Just to shut up and listen as life whirs by. It’s even harder when you aren’t sure you can hear anything.
But, I’ve been trying lately…just to BE. Granted, it’s hard with a husband and two young children - but, even if it’s just a hot shower or being still as they nap or as they run across the playground…it works for me. It’s wonderful to be back to that place again, where you can talk to God and you can feel Him stirring your soul so intensely and settling peace over you in such a way that it could be nothing else but Him. It’s wonderful to walk with His embrace and know that no matter how crappy you might feel, no matter how many lies are thrown at you, He is still there - and if you take a little time to just listen and be with Him, He’ll talk to you.
I’ve started this new book, An Altar In The World by Barbara Brown Taylor, and Taylor suggests REVERENCE - taking time to see God’s creation for what it is and being reverent.
So, today I’m going to practice being REVERENT.
“Reverence for creation comes fairly easily for most people. Reverence for other people presents more of a challenge, especially if some people’s lives happen to impinge upon your own.” –Barbara Brown Taylor
Today, I am going to not only look at creation and be reverent, but I’m going to practice reverence for other people. Today, I’m going to see past the finger that flips me off in traffic, see past rude comments, see past all the things that drive me nutty nuts. Today, I’m looking for God in people and choosing not to be hung up on their people-ish-ness (It’s my new word, isn’t it snazzy?)
Because, when it comes down to it, none of us are perfect and yet God loves us all despite ourselves.
Maybe in the process it’ll make me a more love-able person, too.
Welcome back!
February 18th, 2010 at 9:11 am
That reminds me of a blog I wrote in my head and never got into the computer…..
It was on our drive out here. There’s the beauty of the trees and rivers, then the gracefulness of the open spaces in the plains, then the majesty of the mountain range. I thought about how our great God created all those things. In this little part of the world, there is still so much diversity in creation…..and all of it breathtakingly beautiful. To see His glory in creation is simple enough, to see it though in the part of creation that is the best reflection of God - His people - was the challenge that I accepted after that drive. Interestingly enough, it’s easy to see beauty in God’s creation that looks nothing like home, but it’s harder to see beauty that He put in PEOPLE who are different than myself. How humbling that the God whose glory is proclaimed every moment by the breathtaking mountains, would rather have the undiluted praise from the hearts of his imperfect people.
I guess I should have divided that book up into chapters or something….sorry it was so long.