Living with your eyes open...
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, even His eternal power and divine nature, have been understood and seen through the things that He has made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:19-20
"You would not have called to Me
unless I had been calling to you,"
said the Lion.
..."I see." [said Jill.]
"Child," said Aslan, in a gentler voice than He had yet used, "perhaps
you do not see quite as well as you think."
(—C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair)
Let me tell you a very simple little story;
Everywhere I go, I love to see God's craftsmanship in the things around me, and I thrive on marveling at every little place I see His fingerprints — it's part of what makes living in this world (broken though it is) so rich and beautiful. Seeing God's endless creativity and genius.
Still, I notice that all too often I fall into what I can only describe as looking so hard for God's hand at work that I totally miss what He is trying to tell me and teach me about Himself. In short, I forget the 'be still' part of knowing that He is God. Like listening so hard to how someone uses their voice and missing the words entirely.
Several weeks ago, God really got my attention about this in a very simple, very true-to-who-God-is way. I went for a jog/walk/hike-thing on some beautiful wooded trails just down the street from our house. The weather was beautiful, the Black Forest scenery was lovely, as always, and I had one of those great (and all too rare) days where I felt so much energy deep inside and just needed to run in such a beautiful day. (all you runner-types totally know what I mean! :) )
Well, as I was jogging under all those pine trees, smelling the sunshine and listening to music, intent on enjoying such a grand example of God's handiwork in the warmth, the scenery, the music, and the joy and energy I felt all coming together, I missed exactly what I was looking for; a bug landed on my arm and I quickly brushed it away out of habit. A second too late, I realized that the tiny bug I had just brushed away had been the brightest, most vibrant shade of glittering emerald green I have ever seen anywhere. I stopped running and just stood there, half stunned by the glimpse of such an amazing color and half hoping the bug would come back.
I have no idea if the little creature I swatted off looked anything like the beetle in this picture, but it was the closest thing I could find — even though the color isn't nearly as brilliant as what I realized I barely saw.
Needless to say, the rest of my walk I did a lot of hard thinking. I had been so intent on seeing God where I expected Him that I brushed away something unexpected He sent to teach me about Himself.
It reminded me very much of the song No Matter How Long, by Phillips, Craig and Dean.
"I watched you as you stumbled out of bed;
Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand.
And you looked so lost and lonely
I knew I had to find a way
to make you understand, I wanna be your friend.
So I painted you a sunrise in the sky,
and I caused the birds to sing you lullabies,
and I whispered sweet "I love you's"
in the breeze that brushed your face—
You didn't even see. You never noticed Me.
No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way.
No matter how far you run, there's no distance that's too great.
'Cause when the wind blows through the treetops
and in the music of the rain,
somehow My love will find a way—
No Matter how long it takes.
I watched you as you fell asleep last night,
and I trembled as I watched the tears you cried.
So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace;
You never called My name. I loved you just the same.
...My love will find a way,
no matter how long it takes."
--Phillips, Craig & Dean, No Matter How Long
(Note: This song may be slightly incorrect in its theology in that it seems to portray God as somehow helpless in trying to get our attention, instead of how He is; gentle, long-suffering and patient with us when we're 'too busy' to see Him. Nevertheless, it is still a beautiful, potent reminder that He is actively pursuing us in every moment of every day.)
I don't know about you, but that song absolutely breaks my heart in its picture of how much God longs to tell us who He is, and how we miss nearly every word He says, even if we are looking for Him in other places.
That brings to mind the words of another song; Tenth Avenue North's By Your Side.
"Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying—
Let me lift up your face.
Just don't turn away.
Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching
as if I'm not enough? ...I want to give you life. ...
'Cause I, I love you—
I want you to know
that I, yeah I'll love you;
I'll never let you go.
And I'll be by your side wherever you fall,
in the dead of night whenever you call.
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you."
—Tenth Avenue North, By Your Side
(not my photo [none of these are] - copyrights belong to original owners)
So this is something I am working on in myself. I am working on taking a deep breath and looking around — but with my eyes wide open; learning to expect God to show up in unexpected ways. I know it's going to take a while, but I don't ever want to be content to know God just as I know Him yesterday. He is never-ending, and so my learning who He is should go on for that long as well — and how exciting to know that I'll never reach the end of Him! I'll always be able to go 'farther up and farther in'.
Slowly, I'm seeing a bit more of Him as I learn to let Him reveal Himself in His own way, at His own time.
Recently, while on another jog/hike, I noticed up ahead what I thought might be a large Sphinx Moth fluttering around strangely. So I made myself stop and stand still about five feet from it to find out what it was. Turns out it was a hummingbird, buzzing about six or seven feet off the ground, catching one gnat after another in mid-air. He kept at it for close to two minutes, and I stayed to enjoy his fascinating antics. Definitely a beautiful moment I won't forget.
A couple days ago (yup, on another walk :P ) I saw a chipmunk scampering wildly in and out and all over a pile of branches from someone cleaning a trail, as smoothly as if he were on flat ground. (chipmunks aren't very common out here, so they're fun to spot) His agility was quite something! I couldn't even tell when he moved from one branch to another. He just... did!
And I'm trying to learn to keep my eyes open in other normal activities as well; like remembering to look up at the stars on my way to and from feeding our animals at night. (we live out where we can almost always see the Milky Way, so it's quite perfect for stargazing on any cloudless night.) I want to train myself to take time to pause and really see all those stars on a regular basis — not just expect them to be there and hurry on with the list in my head.
Have you experienced this in your life? Is there something you know you missed, because you were so busy looking for God everywhere else you expected Him to be?
Are you living with your eyes open?
"When I look into the mountains,
I see Your fame.
When I look into the night sky,
it sparkles Your name.
...When I look across the ocean,
it echoes Your might.
The wind and the clouds and the blue in the sky;
The sun and the moon and the stars so high;
The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea;
The air in my lungs and the way You made me.
The blood in my veins and my heart You invade;
The plants how they grow and the tree and their shade;
The way that I feel and love in my soul;
I thank You my God for letting me, letting me know—
I am, I'm captivated by You.
In all that You do,
I am, I'm captivated!"
—Shawn McDonald, Captivated
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