Pastoral Thought--June 24

 I wonder, what do you think that God is doing in your life right now? 

This is not a question of deliberate action only, but one that if we stop and consider can be far deeper and more meaningful than we first considered. What is God doing in us right now. . . in this exact moment? For most people believe that God is at work in their lives right through an action, or a place, or a ministry, or even in a spiritual gift that has been given from God to us. In this case God’s activity is on4e of productivity and it is transactional. God shows up to do something and then we take what God has done and we continue the work. While I agree with this idea a some level, I wonder what if God’s movement today in your life is smaller? 

By smaller I do not mean less significant, but instead, something so easily forgotten or neglected that it is hard to consider that God is there at all? Can God be at work in those moments or places or instances too?  

Jim Finley believes that God arrives in our lives in these ’smaller’ out-pouring just as much as God is present in the big life-altering moments. His line of thinking has greatly helped the church live faithfully with God. He believes that: 

“God is perpetually creating us breath by breath, heartbeat by heartbeat. . ." 

What a phrase! What an idea! When I read those words this morning I could not help but stop what I was doing (as I invite you to do right now also). As I stopped what I was doing I tried to notice how I was breathing. What was its rhythm? I listened to my breath for a few moments. As I listened to how I was breathing, the raspy breaths and the slower ones, I noticed my heartbeat bringing blood to my body. 

My heartbeat was moving my shirt ever-so slightly. Since my heart surgery I have always taken time to notice how my heart works. The combination of breath and heartbeat brought forth in me an interesting place to dwell for a moment. . . . 

I came to the occlusion that God is active in the place and space. God is continue to mold and shape me as the potter shapes the clay again and again. I am a work in progress and am happy to confess this. I wondered then if God is active between my breaths and heartbeat what then does that say about God’s level of care for me daily? Hourly? Minute by minute? 

If God is creating my life as I breath and as my heart beats then running to the bank this morning before work, stopping at Costco later for shampoo, having a talk with JonMark about his next semester of school, is important. This then becomes not only a place where I can witness to the movement of God in my life, but it becomes a creative space where I can invite God to come and continue HIs perfect work of creation in me and in you.

I hope that you will take some time today to notice your breath and your heartbeat. . . Then as you notice them, notice how God is continuing to create and shape you.

Blessings

Rev. Derek