Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Give thanks for He has given

It's a remarkable concept, you know. The possibility that there is an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being that actually cares about what He creates. Not one who sits idly back or amuses himself with our antics, but who cares about us. Enough to give.

Right now I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's an account of the author's decision to spend a year abroad in order to regain balance in her life. She spends four months in Italy, four months at an ashram in India, and four months living in Bali working with a medicine man. During her time at the ashram she was able to spend hours each day in meditation in an attempt to connect with God. At the end of her time there, she finally felt that she had accomplished that. After four months, her time of meditation yielded the experience with God she had been searching for.

It saddened me to think about the way so many other religions portray God. He is OUT THERE. He is DISTANT. He is BEYOND REACH. He can only be found through drastic, monumental human effort. Even in the Hindu ashram -- a place where people look for God within themselves -- it took four months for the author to feel she had experienced a connection with God.

It's a frightening thought.

Where is the God who is portrayed as singing over His children like a mother singing her children to sleep? Where is the God who "gently leads those with young." Where is the God who picked up an abandoned newborn on the side of the road and took it home and raised to be his own beautiful daughter?

Serving a caring God is an amazing concept. A God who gives mercy and new beginnings. A God of love. I'm so thankful for a loving God who continues to give every day. And I'm thankful for the people who taught me about Him.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion, " says my soul, "Therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:22-24



1 comment:

Lindsay said...

Thanks for the book recommendation. Have you read any of her other titles?