God Calls

01 August 2024
Sr. Cheryl Rose

God Calls

Suppose I were to tell you—in all confidence—that today God will be contacting you...God has a message for you and will be trying to reach you.  Suppose, too, that you’re intrigued and that you kind of believe me.  So, all the time you’re getting dressed and getting your coffee you’re thinking: Well, how will this meeting take place? And where?

You mentally scan your calendar and notice you have some open times.  You put on a good shirt, in case God appears (though you would never imagine that!) 

“Better check my emails.” Sure enough! The mail from your Daily Word app says: “Turn to God in all things.  God has the word you need to hear!”  Hmmmm…you quietly sip your coffee and savor some cinnamon toast.  The thought that God has a message for you really catches your interest.  You wonder what it might be.  As you drive to work, you think about what’s been going on in your life.  There’s been a lot happening in your family, your work, health issues, decisions lurking, big to-do lists.…blessings but also problems you can’t seem to fix. What message would God have? 

All morning you’re alert to how or when this meeting with God will take place.  You pay attention to every way a message might be delivered.  You listen to each person you encounter, each phone call, in case God sends a messenger.  You even open your mail carefully—God could use “snail mail”!  And strangely many pieces of mail have possible messages encrypted:  “Hurry!  Last chance!”  “YOU could be a winner!”   “We need your help!  What can you pledge?”  Throughout the day you check your texts, not sure if any are from God.  Several “Call me when you can”;  “You’ve been on my mind.  Everything ok?” are from numbers you don’t recognize.  Could one of them be God’s message? 

By evening you are puzzled.  ALL day you’ve been waiting to hear from God.  You’ve been listening to everything with ears and eyes open—“waiting for a word from the Lord.” You found yourself open to each person you encountered in a way you never have—in case they are the messenger.  (You never really expected an in-person visit from God—after all, you’re no saint).  Finally, you think I’m going to call that nun and say: “What did you mean?  God never showed up!”  

And I would be smiling to hear about your day.  And I would say: “Ah, look again!  All day long you listened for God’s voice --that’s prayer!  All day long you were open to God’s presence—that’s prayer.  All day long you sought God in every moment, hoping to not miss whatever God wanted to say to you—that’s earnest deep prayer!  So here’s a little homework:  as you end this day, in the quiet before sleep,  look back at all the ways God DID meet you today—in the coffee and cinnamon toast, the light through the trees, the gentle breeze, the smiles, kindnesses, and the peace that’s flowing over you now. And what are the things God was saying to you—speaking with GREAT Love, and constant presence?

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