If we search for God - and we all do at one time
or another, if we search for God in
special times and places -- Where does God search for us? Where does God meet us? Many people do not think they have met God
unless they emotionally feel that they have encountered something. They
sometimes gauge the success of their search for God, their meeting God, by
whether or not they feel certain things.
They judge whether or not they have met the Creator or the Holy Spirit,
by whether or not they gain a sense of peace, by whether or not they have an
emotional high - an emotional rush, by whether or not they have the Spirit send
those chills and tingles up and down their backs.
However, life is not, completely full of special times,
full of special moments. Life is full of other stuff, it is full of routines,
of ordinary things: we work, we eat, we sleep, we play and relax, we suffer and
feel pain, we sorrow and grieve, we are insulted and injured, we struggle and
fight against trials and tribulations.
In these ordinary times we are as well in ordinary places, at home, at work, in hospital, visiting with a friend, driving in our cars, standing in elevators, or sitting in a lobby or a meeting room.
These ordinary times, and these ordinary places, these times when we are not taking time to be "holy", and those places where we do not expect to meet God but are actually getting on - or trying to get on - with living our lives, those are the times and the places where God often meets us. (From Pastor Randy's Sermon on 2/1-2, 2014)
From Pamela
So many times I have heard people say "that's an answer to prayer" when something good, or hoped for, or even expected happens. I won't argue that the "good" development may well be an answer -- However, for most of us there are chapters when it is almost impossible to see anything "good" happening. For most of us there are at least some hopes or expectations that do not come to fruition. There is no sense of peace or contentment. No happiness. No foreseeable end to pain.
That is when we surrender -- "God help me -- as only you can."
And then, eventually, the consolation and tender mercy of God will emerge.
The answer to prayer that emerges is that in our suffering there is an awareness that something "more" is happening. We may not recognize it at first. And it may be revealed in a surprise, or some foolish notion. But, amazingly, it gains momentum and begins to bear the fruit of wisdom.
The beatitudes (read Matthew 5:1-12 again) sound like foolishness to some. Yet they are the statements of wisdom about what God is often up to in our dangerous world.
These ordinary times, and these ordinary places, these times when we are
not taking time to be "holy", and those places
where we do not expect to meet God but are actually getting on - or trying to
get on - with living our lives, those are the times and the places where God
often meets us.
ordinary times we
are as well in ordinary places, at home, at work, in hospital, visiting with a
friend, driving in our cars, standing in elevators, or sitting in a lobby or a meeting room.
These ordinary times, and these ordinary places, these times when we are
not taking time to be "holy", and those places
where we do not expect to meet God but are actually getting on - or trying to
get on - with living our lives, those are the times and the places where God
often meets us.
ordinary times we
are as well in ordinary places, at home, at work, in hospital, visiting with a
friend, driving in our cars, standing in elevators, or sitting in a lobby or a meeting room.
These ordinary times, and these ordinary places, these times when we are
not taking time to be "holy", and those places
where we do not expect to meet God but are actually getting on - or trying to
get on - with living our lives, those are the times and the places where God
often meets us.
ordinary times we
are as well in ordinary places, at home, at work, in hospital, visiting with a
friend, driving in our cars, standing in elevators, or sitting in a lobby or a meeting room.
These ordinary times, and these ordinary places, these times when we are
not taking time to be "holy", and those places
where we do not expect to meet God but are actually getting on - or trying to
get on - with living our lives, those are the times and the places where God
often meets us.
