Yesterday/This Morning...somewhere around O-Dark:30 I shared that my surprises had not been happening not till later in the day. Well, as soon as you start to put parameters around God, God laughs and changes the rules.
So today I am on my way to a continuing education event in the Twin Cities at the seminary from which I graduated, I am driving along, things are going smoothly...then...FOG. How inconvenient. So I ask, "What are you trying to tell me with this fog God?" God says, "Slow down...and...not just the car." I suppose that God is telling all of us, "slow down."
Afterward, after my lesson in slowing down, God gave me another surprise. Hoar Frost...what a beautiful site...for those who never have been to the midwest, Hoar Frost happens when all things meterological line up (usually after fog) God's landscape turns into a crystaline sea of twinkling light. Trees, fence posts, roof tops, etc...all reflecting the glory and light of God's creation. In a word, "BREATHTAKING!" Hmmm...lesson number 2...slow down...and then...expect a God surprise.
Last God surprise to report today...I was driving listening to the 4 EP (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) collection from Jon Foreman (from the band Switchfoot). Jon's stuff is truly inspired and as brilliant as Switchfoot's stuff is...Switchfoot songs tend to be more subtle in sharing the faith...not Jon's solo work...nothing subtle in these 4 EPs Many of the songs borrow a great deal directly from scripture. Nearing the end of the end of Jon's songs, my mind was already skipping ahead...thinking, "What will I listen to next on this trip to Minneapolis?" Then...Surprise! Jon's second to last song slays me... It is entitled, "House of God, Forever." Most of the song is a paraphrase from Psalm 23. Beautiful lyrics...the middle of the song set me sideways.
Even though I walk
Throught the Valley
Of Death and Dying
I Will Not Fear
'Cause You Are with Me
You Are with Me
You see while I am listening with one side of my brain...and...I have been praying over the tragedy in Haiti, especially my friend Dave Oswald with the other side of my brain....then...BLAM...It hits me...both sides of my brain collide...these lyrics from this song are for Dave (and all the others who soon will be heading down to Haiti) God will literally be with Dave and all the others, be "with" them as they "walk through the Valley of Death and Dying."
Thanks God for helping me make a little sense of the present chaos...not that I have it all figured out...but it surpises me and helps me to be reminded that you will go with us even through our "valleys of death and dying."
My closing words today are borrowed from another great song writer, Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time."
These fragile bodies of touch and taste
This vibrant skin -- this hair like lace
Spirits open to the thrust of grace
Never a breath you can afford to waste
When you're lovers in a dangerous time
When you're lovers in a dangerous time
Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime
But nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight
Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight
When you're loves in a dangerous time
Kick at the darkness with me my friends until it bleeds daylight. Help us Lord Jesus...
1 comment:
Two words fulfill my "Surprise Me, God" prayer today: Grace and Friendship. So often these two words go hand-in-hand.
Grace means that God loves us...just because! He gives us gifts we don't deserve; gifts like forgiveness. When we mess up, which we do frequently as humans, God's grace means that he doesn't turn his back on us. His grace saves my skin time, after time, after time.
Friends have to exhibit grace sometimes, too. "A friend loves at all times. He is there to help when trouble comes." Proverbs 17:17
Isn't it great to have friends like that? We say the wrong things to our friends sometimes. We ask too much of them sometimes. We forget them at others. But true friends, the ones that stick closer than family (Prov. 18:24) are priceless. True friends are the ones that know you inside and out...and they like you anyway!
Thank you, God, for surprising me with Grace and Friendship.
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