For what will we be looking?

Tomorrow we make our first pilgrimage to see if we can spot God. The land of tradition has been a little bit over the top lately. Maybe a fresh experience of God will be just what the doctor ordered--fresh wind, mighty spirit--that's my hope, my greatest desire. I want to know You...more, God!
Lou

sleepless in Traverse City

A delightful thing happened today. I celebrated my 21st anniversary. It marks another interesting milestone. My age is exactly double the years I have been married for the only time in my life. From now on I will have been married to my wife (and she to me) longer than I was without her as my wife. It is a wonderful gift to intertwine two lives like that.

Then, I realized I have known God as long as I can remember, which is about age 4. Every year that is a longer time. But think how long God has know me. I am told that God knew me before I was born and loved me with an everlasting love. Now, I am spending a life time discovering (getting to know) a God who made me, knew me, loved me before my memory even began and promised to be my God before the world was born. It's hard to get truly depressed when you know that.

Even the darkest nights are conquered by sunrise. New every morning are God's mercies. So, I guess I will go to bed now. It won't feel like nearly as long a wait for the dawn if I'm asleep.

Lou

Doubt

Doubt is not something we must fear but embrace. It is not the anti-thesis of faith. In fact more faith has been deepened through doubt then lost. Doubt is a hunger that seeks satisfaction, but this appetite is fed by daily bread--not once for all time. The greatest fear that is wrapped in our doubt is that someone else might find out we don't know everything. Security in faith does not demand command of the truth, but submission to it. But as Pilate said before sending Jesus to the cross. "What is truth?"

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth." I want a faith that takes Jesus' hand daily and walks a couple more steps along the way. Doubt can best be satisfied in the majesty of a lightening storm, the creativity of an exploding bloom, or another's love loosely concealed beneath a smile.

An assent to someone else's verbal declarations of truth is really only half-truth. The daily bread of knowing is not found so much in the head as in the experiences of a life. Dirty hands, breaking hearts, rumbling stomachs, ...cry out. Serving hearts must cry with them.

Where is God in all this? Whoops! Did I just express a doubt? I guess I can live with that. I hope in things yet to come, and for now, I grasp the dirty hand, hug the broken hearted and hear God's call in the rumbling stomachs and realize tenatively that we call it faith, because we are not always sure.

Lou

conversation

Conversation is so much better than monologue. Admittedly, a blog may seem more like a monologue than a conversation until others start responding. So here's your invitation. Join me in a conversation about God, faith, doubts, art, creativity,pain,struggle, growth. We are definitely on a journey together.
Don't forget to check out God-spotters.com to find out more about this unique conversation/journey.