Do you find God in the little things of life? I believe we
need to be mindful of our situation in order to have the awareness to let the
Spirit move us. If this sounds confusing, let me share with you what happened
to me yesterday morning.
I decided to take the time to go for a walk. It was cold,
just below freezing, so I dug out the array of winter scarves, hats and gloves.
I brought along some extra clothes, and drove to a nearby park.
Listening to KLOVE while I drove into the park, a woman shared a cute
story of how her daughter was outside as the hurricane blew in. She was out there shouting
praises to God with all of her little voice. When her mother asked why, the little
girl said, “Because the Bible tells us we should praise God in the storm!”
That story made me laugh, and sure enough, right afterward the DJ played
Casting Crowns’ “Praise You in this Storm”. So here I am sitting in my SUV in the parking lot at Fox
River Park, singing with all my heart, with my hands raised, praising God, and
I see a couple walk by on a nearby trail. Hmmm, I wonder if they saw me. Oh, well.
I kept right on singing.
It came to the part in the song that contains one of my
favorite scriptures: “I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come
from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth”. And just as I am singing and praising
God, a beautiful hawk flies into view, rising over the parking area, soaring low, right in front of
where I was parked. He soared slowly, almost hovering, it seemed, and I could
clearly see his markings as he faced headlong into the morning breeze. The
moment seemed frozen in time, just me and this beautiful bird, and God filled my
heart so much that I began to weep with joy. Powerful emotions of connectedness
to God and all living things poured through me, and in those brief moments, I felt
my spirit connected with the hawk and with God, and I felt great comfort.
I went on my walk, pausing at picnic tables and benches
to soak up the morning sun and to pray for friends and family and others
dealing with difficult situations.
My walk became a meditation, a connection to earth and sky.
The
three-quarter moon hung in the morning sky, though the sun was already bright; and a bank of soft white clouds framed the picture. It felt ethereal, and I
gave thanks for this beautiful world that God has given us to live on. I was filled with a sense of wonder and awe
that we should be so blessed to have this beauty while we are yet on this
earth.
The truth is, I could just as easily have stayed home on my
computer and whiled away the hours. I’m speaking from experience here. But I am
so glad that I chose to go for a walk with God in the morning. There are many
things vying for our time, and we have to choose to make time for moments like
these that nourish our spirit.
If you’ve ever had an experience like this, a God moment, won't you share your story? If you would like to, you can post in the comments below so others can read it, too (you can even post anonymously if you'd like).
I think what makes a God moment is perhaps not that we were looking for God in
that moment, but that He came to us, with a gentle nudge, a whisper in a
glorious sunset, or a song to let us know that we are not alone, we are never alone.
In that moment we feel a tremendous connection to Spirit, and the after effect is a blessed peacefulness.
Take time, make time, to be alone with your God. Pour out
your heart to Him, and then be still. Answers may not come right away, but know
that He hears us, and rest in the comfort of His love, for that is ever
present.
I'll check back later to read your stories. Right now, I think I'll go take a walk.
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