Our daughter-in-law sent us a recent photo shoot of their family by email. It was later in the evening last night. I felt the presence of God. In the Christian tradition, there is a spiritual practice known as consciousness examen. At the end of the day, we are invited to reflect on God's presence during the past day. Often, I miss where God has showed up in the past day, so the practice is good opportunity to see what God has done, and if you become disciplined, and I am not, I might see God working in real time during the day. So, as a spiritual practice , you try to backup your day, to see where the Almighty presence of God might have been.
A young man from Africa lived with us for a year. He left for home a few weeks ago. I talked with him yesterday on Messenger ( Facebook) , and he has some challenges in re-starting his life in Eswatini ( formerly Swaziland ). God was there in our conversation about some of the issues he is dealing with in his life now.
I met with a man yesterday afternoon who helps me with life issues. Of course , God/Jesus was right there. He listened and played back what he heard me say. “ In theological terms” you might want to think about it in this way, is how he restated what I had told him . Actually, I knew that God was there in real time.
From where I work to where I met this man, was a beautiful drive through rural Ontario. The sky was big, within shapes of the clouds. There was a hint of rain. The wheat has mostly been harvested, and the corn is inching up to the sky. There seems to be many shades of brown in the fields . This is indeed God’s creation. God is here.
My wife leaves for Africa today ( August 2nd ). She is leading a tour to Tanzania to meet with Mennonite women who live faithful lives. So, God was there all day, as she finished up her work, and prepared all her things for the two week trip. God will be with her, and God will be with me.
At work yesterday was a normal day. I started the day receiving and answering emails. I talked with a few people. I said hello to one of the newest employees. I has a short conversation with my supervisor. I prepared for three sermons that I will be preaching in the next weeks on behalf of my work. As I prepare, I try to find God in the text, in my thoughts and in my world. So, it was an ordinary morning, as most morning are in my life, but God is mostly there in the ordinariness of life.
“ You have searched me, Lord
And you know me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down
You are familiar with all my ways
Before a word is on my tongue
You, Lord, know it completely
You hem me in behind and before me
And you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-5
Where do you see God working today, and where do see God working tomorrow ? Take time in the evening today, to find where God was in your life, and you did not recognize it in real time. And rejoice. And be in the presence of the “ground of our being”
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 