For the past couple of weeks, we’ve
looked at blogs and retreats as ways to get away and find God. For just a few
minutes pause to consider whether God isn’t present even when you are NOT
looking for God.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning says,
“Earth's crammed with heaven, And every
common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes - The
rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.” (Aurora Leigh)
All life is alive/afire with God,
even and maybe esp. the seemingly mundane. God takes the everyday stuff of life
and turns it holy. The bush aflame, the voice on the phone, the call to prayer,
the bird in flight are all bits of God present around us. Each is the
opportunity to see the fire of God and let God break in!
Think about how often God
interrupts a person’s life throughout the Bible.
Noah-happily with his way of
life-then God interrupts with the command to ‘build an ark’.
Esther-understanding that the
interruption of her life as Mordecai’s ward was to save her people.
Paul-certain in his own
righteousness, until God interrupted by knocking him off his donkey.
Amos-peacefully tending the
sycamore trees until God calls him to prophecy.
Mary-contentedly betrothed to
Joseph until Gabriel announced, ‘you will bear a son.’
A shepherd’s staff, bread and
wine, a fist full of rocks, empty jars, a scarlet cord, were other things that were
instruments of the Holy to break in and interrupt someone’s life.
In this communication filled
world we have so many interruptions from technology that we have lots of
opportunities to pause and see if maybe God is present in the interruption of a
text from a friend or an email or call from a colleague.
What if a ringing telephone, an
unexpected meeting, a red light, or other daily interruptions were viewed as
God breaking in and interrupting us with the opportunity to respond? What if
these were times when the ‘bush [is] afire with God’? What if we are oblivious to the burning bushes in our path because we are so set on getting to our destination that we miss seeing the miracle right in front of us?
I’ve been considering this for
the past week or so and I am challenging myself to try and see God in the minute-to-minute
interruptions as well as at church and other places where I make plans to meet God.
I wonder if becoming aware of God in the interruptions, might just make a
difference. If you try it, let me know what you discover. Maybe next time I'm stopped at a red light, instead of fuming, I'll look around and see that burning bush or perhaps just a butterfly or 2.
It’s good to seek out God, and
it’s true that God seeks us when we are least expecting it, too. I pray that I
can be open to seeing God’s face in the interruptions around me (and to remember to look for God's face).