Monday, August 20, 2012

Dearest God,

Visible reminders, you give us visible reminders of your presence, your living presence.  You reach out to us sharing your grace and love, teaching us to trust you, to put our hand in yours, and to joyfully walk the path of faith.

Seven years ago you challenged me to look out, away from myself, into the far distance and to my close surroundings to discover you afresh and anew.  You had so much work to do inside me.  You had to remove a lot of debris in order to clear my vision and enhance my ability to hear you.  After days of surrender, showing me the way to let go, and leading me to my journey's path, we began the pilgrimage of faith that channeled me into the wide expanse of sacred mystery, awesome beauty, and wondrous glory.  Ever since then I have had a hunger and thirst for your living presence.

Yesterday at church I knew your nearness even as we drove up into the back parking lot.  The smile of a little boy who ran up to my husband to give him a high five was just the beginning.  Love met us at the back door with hugs, squeezes, and even kisses on the cheek.  When the pianist, violinist, and organist began to play I sensed my spirit levitating toward the heavens and I knew it would be an extraordinary morning.

It was what happened toward the end of the service that spoke so boldly of your loving, merciful compassion.  I started getting hot so I began fanning myself, trying to cool down my body so I would not have to leave the service. Suddenly I felt your cool spirit breeze surrounding me.  When I turned to see where the wind had come from, I saw the beautiful face of Cheryl, her body leaning in toward me, with the paperback hymnal wide open fanning me up and down.  Even when I felt cooler from the front and had stopped fanning, she continued to fan right through to the benediction.

I hugged that generous friend following worship.  I realized then she wore the face of Jesus and kindly offered me the sweetness of his love and tender care.

Generous God,
who knows where
you will
show up next
to reveal yourself
to us.
You come
in the
most unexpected ways
just to say
I love you.
How grateful
I am.

Love always, Andrea