WATCHWORD:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2
Meditation:
And We Saw God
This Christmas, my kids gifted me with a magic screen, loaded with their pictures, and loadable with mine. It’s a wonderful slideshow that goes on and on throughout the day. In the morning the slideshow resumes. It’s a wonder and it has taken me back to my albums of pictures, and of course when you go back to the pictures you go back to the memories.
Let me tell you about one memory when my wife, Joanne, and I saw God. This moment occurred over 20 years ago at a little cinder block cabin perched high on a bluff overlooking lake Michigan. The family gathering had lasted throughout the week and we’d had a great time. Now it was just Joanne and I, one more night, closing up the cabin and recalling the days that we had enjoyed.
It was at dusk when that moment occurred. We were sitting on the deck looking out over the expanse of that beautiful lake, mostly towards the horizon as the sun was about to dip into the water. In truth our attention was drawn to the sky being painted by the Lord in broad brush strokes of beauty and color, colors constantly changing as the minutes ticked on.
Then just before the sun disappeared into the lake, it happened. The sky exploded with the most beautiful awry either one of us had ever seen. It wasn’t just the colors, it wasn’t just the gathering of clouds, it was something that was speaking to us from the sky and within our own hearts. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the horizon until I realized that tears were streaming down my cheeks. I turned to Joanne and saw her eyes were filled as well. Then I felt her hand seek mine and we sat there, connected and mesmerized by what the Lord was showing us and telling us. It was a spiritual love letter just for the two of us, and the realization that we were seeing God.
You could say it was just a really good sunset, but that is not how we saw it. Yes, we believe we saw God, and over the years since that moment we have mentioned that evening especially during times when the love of God was so important in overcoming difficulties. It was a promise from God that he would always be there and that became more meaningful as Joanne’s days begin to draw to a close.
I sense God’s presence nearly every day. I hear him speaking to me in inspiration and in circumstances. if you’ll be honest with yourself you probably can recount moments when you saw or heard God speaking directly to you. He does you know. Listen with your heart.
Thank You:
I have to thank my children for gifting me with this magic screen, this PixStar that brings the faces of all the family to my living room and with the faces, memories. I’m finding out that some of the memories come without the picture, just the connections. I can’t find a single photo that shows that cinder block cabin and our time there at lake Michigan, in a form that can be transferred to the screen. In one way it doesn’t matter because memories don’t always require a picture to bring a flow of thoughts and remembrances. I’m just so very grateful for the family thread that runs so deep and so strong.
Prayer:
Heavenly father, I’m grateful for the way you have created us, with the capacity for joy and the ability to remember and to replay, multiplying our joy. You knew that would be an important part of our living in you. Being your child is such a privilege and as I sort out that idea even more grateful and I give you all the honor and glory, Heavenly Father. It makes me excited for the coming of this year, knowing that you are there with me, that you are my Heavenly Father. Thank you. I offer these thoughts and prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.
