I woke up this morning and something immediately popped into my head: No matter where you are, there God is also. It was the clearest thought I've had in a while when I wake up. Normally I'm all groggy and cranky, and I might have been both of those this morning. But the thought was still there: No matter where you are, there God is also.
It's not just about being able to take God with us everywhere. I've always thought that makes God sound portable. Which also makes Him sound removable. It's that God IS. He is everywhere, because He created everything. He is all-encompassing. It gave me such peace this morning to remember that even when I don't think about it, God is with me. He is with me on my way to work when I have to search 15 minutes for a parking space. He is with me when I get that annoying vendor's phone call every other day. He is with me when I'm on my way out the door and I'm reminded of another project that has to be done before I can head home. The point is that God is with us no matter where we are. Regardless of whether or not we acknowledge His presence.
Even that thought bothered me though. How many times a day do I do something that would disappoint God, just because I don't acknowledge His presence? How many people have I hurt, because I don't remember that God is with us through everything? How many times have I said/done something to make fun of someone else, because I don't remember that God is sitting right beside me at all times? But I don't think the thought popped into my head just to make me feel bad or convict me about things I've done. It was for that, but it was also to remind me that regardless of what I do, or have done, God will continue to be wherever I am. It was to remind me that when I'm feeling down about something, God is right there with me. When I'm running late to church and fuss at myself, God is right there with me. When I'm listening to a friend or co-worker tell a story about their latest disappointment or heartache, God is right there with me. And if God is right there with me, He's right there with them too. Which leads me to my final thought this morning: if God is everywhere we are, how often do we share God's presence with the people we love, or the people we are with everyday?
How do you share God?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
What Do You Sacrifice?
Today starts the Lent season, and I had to decide what I was going to give up for Lent. Okay, so I didn't HAVE to give up anything. It's not a requirement in the United Methodist church. Someone asked me last year what the point of giving something up for Lent was. Her church doesn't do Ash Wednesday (or as I like to say, getting ashy) or the whole giving up something for Lent. So, I and another coworker tried to explain it to her. Our explanation was that sacrificing something we enjoy (like chocolate this year) helps us to remember the ultimate sacrifice: Jesus giving His life for us on the cross. Her response was simple: Isn't that what we're supposed to do all year as Christians?
Her comment stuck with me. What do we give up all year that reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made? What sacrifices do we make to honor God's grace and love? Some people would say time. But does an hour or so every week on Sunday equal a real sacrifice of time? Other people would say their tithe is a sacrifice. But did the money really belong to us in the first place? If we remember that it all comes from God to begin with, it seems like 10% is so insignificant. Then again, should we really look at these things as a sacrifice? Or do we need to remember that God makes all things possible, and that everything we get comes from Him? We are able to do the things we do everyday because God makes it possible. How could time and praise be a sacrifice?
Anyway, I'm still giving up some things for Lent: chocolate, video games, and extra time for Bible study and prayer. Granted, the video games were only something on the weekends, but it's still giving up something. When I say I'm giving up extra time for Bible study and prayer, I mean I'm going to spend more time in the Word and communicating with God, not that I'm going to do it less. I want to really get into some serious study on the Bible. I know that God has a great purpose for me that He's just beginning to reveal. We'll see how prayer can help me discern exactly what and where He plans for me to be.
May God's love uplift and keep you!
Her comment stuck with me. What do we give up all year that reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made? What sacrifices do we make to honor God's grace and love? Some people would say time. But does an hour or so every week on Sunday equal a real sacrifice of time? Other people would say their tithe is a sacrifice. But did the money really belong to us in the first place? If we remember that it all comes from God to begin with, it seems like 10% is so insignificant. Then again, should we really look at these things as a sacrifice? Or do we need to remember that God makes all things possible, and that everything we get comes from Him? We are able to do the things we do everyday because God makes it possible. How could time and praise be a sacrifice?
Anyway, I'm still giving up some things for Lent: chocolate, video games, and extra time for Bible study and prayer. Granted, the video games were only something on the weekends, but it's still giving up something. When I say I'm giving up extra time for Bible study and prayer, I mean I'm going to spend more time in the Word and communicating with God, not that I'm going to do it less. I want to really get into some serious study on the Bible. I know that God has a great purpose for me that He's just beginning to reveal. We'll see how prayer can help me discern exactly what and where He plans for me to be.
May God's love uplift and keep you!