Where to Find God
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.”
C.S. Lewis, “Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer”
Where do you see God in the events of the world today? We hear about the love and ever-presence of God and yet, when we look around, we wonder where He is. Where is God who lets children starve to death in Africa? Where is God when bombs fall on innocent children and adults in a war-torn country? Where is God in the protests? Why does God let this happen? Maybe you come to church to experience God in the liturgy or sacred space because you think He only lives here.
God cries with us at destruction and death. Look for Him in the hope, courage and compassion of the people, volunteers and agencies who work to help and repair lives. He will be with those who help the needy out of poverty and feed hungry people. God is in the laughter in the face of difficulty. He will be a quiet ever presence.
Together with the Archdeacon, I was the disaster relief coordinator for this Diocese for several years. I witnessed the heartbreak of those whose lives were forever changed when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. I helped clear out and rebuild homes flooded by Hurricane Ike. I was there after a tornado devastated Tuscaloosa, Ala. I was there when the homes were reduced to ash after the fires in Bastrop, and I was there to witness the joy of people who found small mementos of their lives in the rubble. God was there to bring a ray of hope to lives. Often, I was so focused on the task of clearing the house that I almost missed the true miracle of God’s grace and love. What mattered the most was the hope that was reclaimed.
God is with us all the time, transforming us. Where do you see God in your life and the world?
