Gratitude Day 236

Fri., Mar. 22, 2019

Mark 5:36 – Jesus heard what they said, and he said to Jairus, “Don’t worry. Just have faith!”

“Who is God for you?” she asked.

Recently, I had a conversation with a woman. She is trying to figure out who God is. When I asked her, “Who is God for you?” she gave me some of her thoughts. Then, she turned the question back to me and asked, “Who is God for you, Dianne?”

This is a good question. A powerful question. A question a pastor/Christian/believer should be able to answer, right?

As we talked about this, I began to realize some things I believe about God. Would you like to hear them? Good. I’m ready to share.

God for me today is not the same God that I believed in when I was growing up. While I was raised going to church, confirmed my faith as a teenager and have been active in church for decades, who God is for me today has evolved over many, many years. It’s not that suddenly God showed up one day completely different from what I had previously understood God to be. Rather, I feel my experience, knowledge and tradition of God has matured. It’s not God who changed. I have changed. My understanding and experiences have allowed me to see God from a broader perspective.

While my perspective of God has grown, I would not say I am “smarter” about who God is. Quite the opposite. I actually feel there is so much more about God than my little mind will ever understand. And I’m OK with this. My goal isn’t to discover all of who God is. My mission is to continue to discover new things about God on a regular basis.

This brings up another important point. I want to have a relationship with God; not just knowledge about God. Yes, I can rattle off some big theological words about God. But at the end of the day, this doesn’t impress God. God just wants me to know God on a very individual, daily way. Just like any other relationship, I must nurture my connection with God. Some days, I feel closer to God than others; just like some days I feel the connection between Hubby Rick and I is more solid than others. When I don’t feel as close to God, I try not to become frustrated with God. God hasn’t moved. I’m the one who moved. And I’m the one who will determine if I want to move back in closer contact with God.

I do not believe God is at my beck-and-call, just as I am not at God’s. I make lots of choices each day. While there may be some are choices God would highly prefer me to make, I’m still the one who makes the decision. Clearly, there are times when I know without a doubt that my opinion is right … and God somehow forgot to consult me. I am not God’s puppet, and neither is God just waiting for my opinion.

Even when I feel let down or disappointed, God is not to blame for every bad thing that happens in my life, household, this country and or this world. Evil exits. While God can conquer evil, there are times God chooses not to. Why? Well, this truly is a billion-dollar question.

God can surprise me every day, if I just slow down or am wise enough to see it. God has an amazing sense of humor … if we only see it!

While we may think it is easier to relate to Jesus because he came to earth as a human being, relating to Jesus is relating to God. They are one in the same. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is God’s presence with me right now. I can’t fully explain how the three persons of the Trinity are separate yet one in the same. This is one of those times people either believe it … or they don’t.

Right after I post this, I will think of a whole bunch of other things I believe about God. Maybe I’ll try and keep a list of these things for another day. In the meantime, let me ask you, “Who is God for you? How would you answer this question if some nice lady or man asked you some day?”

For the opportunity to have faith in God as a core of who I am, I am grateful.

Holy God – You really are more magnificent that I will ever know. Thank you for calling me as Your child. Thank you for knowing my name and loving me unconditionally. Help me to love you as a deep expression of my faith. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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