God Sighting

*I wrote this originally for Our City on a Hill as “I Saw God”

**Please take the time to check out the link and see what ourcityonahill.net is up to:)

Sometimes I wonder how many times I miss a God sighting. I know that sounds like a silly, wasted thought but when I actually get a glimpse and recognize the beauty of God’s glory in the routine rhythms of life, I realize He must have been there all along; which means, we can literally see Him anytime we choose. God does not hide Himself from us. He wants to be found. He went so far as to say, “Seek me and you WILL find me…”, NOT, “Seek me and good luck …” So God, help us choose to seek and find you, all of the time, in everything. Thank you for always saying YES to that prayer request.

I saw God the other day. I have been meaning to write it down,

but then life… (Can you relate?)

God is never late. He is always right on time. Therefore, I am trusting that the timing of this post will be exactly as God planned. To HIM be all the Glory!

Tiny barks in the background and fur-babies in the waiting room but what captured my attention was the serious conversation between what appeared to be 2 caregivers, one bringing a bandaged, older dog out to one who was the ambassador for an older gentleman waiting patiently, and soon to find out, prayerfully, in the parking lot. The veterinary assistant was quietly and compassionately explaining the severity of the dog’s condition. You could see the tangible concern in each parties posture.

My daughter and I finished our business at the counter, as we noticed the veterinarian come from the back. She gently took the wounded animal in her arms and followed the other lady out into the parking lot. We witnessed an elderly gentleman sitting nervously in the passenger seat of the car next to ours. His hands were in prayer formation and his eyes looked to be closed. As we made our way out, we watched the veterinarian reach him first. He opened his car door and she got down on her knees beside him, while delicately cradling the animal, who was clearly more than a pet to the man in the car. Although we could not hear the conversation, due to the tears, tenderness and time standing still, it appeared as if he was being told his best friend would no longer be accompanying them home. (I am reliving this as I type and sobbing over every word.)

It is amazing how many thoughts can travel through our minds in a split second. As I sat and watched this heartbreaking, yet Holy ground, moment, I pondered these things:

Does this gentleman have a wife? If so, where is she?
Is he a widower? If so, how long?
Did his wife know the dog or did he get the dog in an effort to fill the hole in his husband heart?
How long has his dog been with him?
How blessed is this man to have such an attentive, compassionate and kind caregiver!
How many walks has this trio been on and did they realize the last one was the last one?
Does the veterinarian always come to the car?
Does she always minister to the pet owners emotions with her own?
How long will she sit with the grieving?
Does she even know how much she looks like Jesus in this moment?

I would like to say I got all the answers to all of the questions that rolled around in my heart in that instant but I didn’t. I am finding it is not the answers to the questions that bring peace or hope. It is knowing I have ONE I can ask anything, anytime and HE will sit with me, cry with me and talk to me, on HIS knees without ever looking at HIS watch.

I saw God that day and HE was a woman, dressed in a white jacket as a veterinarian, on her knees in a parking lot with time standing still.

Where have you seen God lately? What did He look like? How did you know it was Him? What are you going to do with that Holy ground moment?

Do not read the story above and think I am some superhero of faith. My ordinary moments are no different than yours and the potential to see God in every single one of them is the same. I am a desperate daughter, dependent on the Presence, power, and peace of my Heavenly Father. He is the faithful One who calls us all into fellowship with Himself; I just want to always accept the moment-by-moment invitation. Will you go on this risky, worthy adventure of seeing the same old, same old in a supernaturally new, supernaturally new way?

I am learning to wake up every day and simply start a conversation:

“Good morning! I love you and want to see your face, spend time in your presence, hearing your voice, smelling your breath, touching your hands, sitting in your lap, breathing with your lungs, tasting with your buds and moving in and with you!

Father God, you love me and think I’m pretty amazing. I know that because you made me and you don’t make anything less!

Jesus, you are my BFF. You will walk with me all the days of my life, never leaving or hurting me. You really enjoy being my map and personal guide. You laugh with me and at me because you think I’m funny. You know when I am tempted by fear, insecurity or unforgiveness and you quickly offer your perspective in those moments. I want to always take you up on your offer. I am growing in that and you actually enjoy the journey with me, regardless of the silly detours or distractions I may entertain along the way. I am beyond thankful!

Holy Spirit, you help me so much more than any person or google ever could. You are my source of comfort, wisdom, love, and power. Forgive me when I forget the authority I carry over everything not of you. I can and will do all that Jesus did and then some. I say that confidently only because He said it first and offered You up to empower this risky, but worthy, Kingdom adventure. Thank you for seriously loving it when I take your words and make them my own. My heart is a tattooed, fleshy masterpiece full of and covered in your word, not for the sake of spewing out a bunch of religious rhetoric but to continually and radically renew my mind, transform my life and overflow to those around me. Let’s go!”

That is just a taste of the conversation kicking off a normal day. Do I catch every glimpse God offers? Probably not. But do I see God more and more when I remind myself to look? You better believe it!

I want my whole life:

past, present, future, exciting, hurting, boring, silly, sleeping, eating, reading, writing, painting, speaking, driving, doing laundry, unloading dishes, watching TV, social “media-ing”, listening, crying, going to the vet, you name it …

to be a God-offering! (Does that sound familiar???)

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 MSG

But I also want it to be a God-sighting! And if I take God at His Word, I believe that is not only possible, but what was intended all along.

“Open my eyes to see the miraculous wonders hidden in your word. My life on earth is so brief, so tutor me in the ways of your wisdom.” Psalm 119:18 TPT

“If you look for me wholeheartedly you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

What I gather from these 2 verses is God saying we will find Him in His Word and His world if we look for Him wholeheartedly.

Dear Lord, what are we waiting for? Together, Let’s go, letting God reveal Himself in EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, IN ANY WAY, ALL OF THE TIME.

And may we share our God sightings, not to make ourselves out to be spiritual giants but to help others recognize God is in their everyday, ordinary lives too! We get the privilege of helping others learn to see Who was, is and always will be right here with us!