Where can we go to meet with God? How shall we pray when we don't know how to pray? Where has God been in your life? Where has He led you? What doors has He opened for you?
Our lives, our histories, are where we find the Divine Presence. God led Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, and from there to Canaan. And how exactly did He "lead" Abraham? Through peace, through "I am with you always." Every night, as Abraham rested from his journey, he built an altar to God, and in that worship, he was assured of God's Presence and of His leading for the next day.
When we begin to pray, it helps to review in God's Presence where we have been, where we have come from, where we have gone to. Our very lives reveal the presence of God; there we will meet Him.
Who are the people we have met along the way? Who has become our friend, our support, our mentor? Who has opened a door for us? Found us a job? Given us a recommendation? Who has believed in us and made us laugh? All these have been gifts from God to support us on the way.
Even the books that have influenced us, inspired us, informed us have been God's direction for our lives, and a sign of His presence. When the college moved me from the classroom to administration, my life changed entirely. Everything was different and disorienting. Time and responsibility were discrete issues when I was in the classroom. Every hour was marked by some specific duty -- teaching, office hours, committee meetings, planning sessions, etc. If I awoke in the middle of the night, it was usually an "aha" moment, a creative idea to solve a problem.
Once I assumed administrative duties, I usually awoke with a stressful moment, a nightmare. I could not do my job until someone else completed theirs, and there was little I could do to hurry them along. In addition, my paperwork and projects stacked up daily on my desk. I was afraid to file things away until they had been taken care of, and everything depended on waiting for someone else. I felt as if I were drowning every day. And then......just I thought I was too far in over my head, I somehow found a book by David Allen called Getting Things Done. After reading about 20 pages, I headed to my office on a weekend and spent two days re-organizing my work and projects. As I continued to read that book, I began to feel as if God had thrown me a lifeline just as I was about to go under.
Looking back on my life, I find many "rescues," from the time I was graduating from high school until the present day. I find unbelievable friends who appeared just when I needed their presence and guidance in my life. I find favor/grace given at every turn. I find large and small miracles given at times of desperation and confusion.
In my own history, I find God--- "I am with you." Emmanuel! And because He has been with me always, I can trust Him for the next step, the next day, the next project......
No comments:
Post a Comment