God is endlessly creative in how he shares his presence with each of us. And the specific way he chooses to connect with you matters. What is the tie that binds you to God?
Being open to hearing God binds me to him in
many ways. He uses anything and everything to relay messages and reminders.
There is the ocean. I have a love
for water and waves and warm sand in my toes. The sheer amazement at what lies
beneath and that has been thought up and created at each glance of its
vastness.
And there is my children. Having
that similar context of God as the father and how he gently parents us, has
changed the analogy and deepened the meaning of the name. The way he cares for
me is far greater than that of me for my children. That never ceases to amaze
and keep me centered in his unfailing love.
Over the past few years, it has
been writing. This flow of words and inspiration and trust in him has forever changed
my relationship with God, nearly asmuch as having children.
Writing has forced me to trust
him more than I have and has made my analytical self a little less so, as I
pick and choose the way I want it to sound, though interpretation of the words
are taken at the experiences and background of the reader, something beyond my
control.
Lack of tone or set pace of
writing makes it a little harder to convey words. They may seem cold or hard to
those who do not understand or sweet as honey to another. They are put in black
and white and taken as they are. And it is funny how one simple thing like a
word changes the meaning of so much.
Perhaps that is why I wrote in
pencil for so many years. Ink stays but lead can be erased and edited and
changed without messing up the page with evidence.
Writing in black and white keeps
me focused and relying on God to do his thing. Writing keeps me in prayer and
my thoughts grounded. It keeps me depending on God to inspire and be transparent.
Writing has been an adventure in
obedience and stepping out of my usual comfort zone. It has been a constant
reminder that I am not God and cannot understand how he works or the reasons
behind how he works and that when I listen, he moves.
It has been texts and emails and
conversations of how God used a message at just the right time. How it was
something a friend needed to hear. And those are usually the hardest ones to
share and that I would rather not. But He says to push the button and keep
going and then is kind enough to see little fruits of the words and obedience of
stepping forward.
It has been a series of coming alive
and a fresh breath, along with feet scraping the ground with white knuckles as
I learn to let go and trust him. It has been learning how to take time away
from everything else to listen and relish in words and thoughts and scripture;
just a few of my favorite things.
Here's to ties and God.
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This is part of a 365 day blogging series through Savor by Shauna Niequist. If you would like to blog along, whether daily or weekly, I would love to have you for the journey; be sure to link back to the post. And if you are not a blogger, you can join along, too. Just leave your response and answers in the comments.