God is very present ..

church, and the like..

like prayer and candles and liturgy and the Communion Table

like wearing crosses and teeshirts that say 'God is love' .. or 'God hates fags'

like pledges and offering plates and the good deeds we 'do'

like 'grace' at the table and gospel tracts and missionary funds

like missionary conferences and revival week

like reading religious books and devotionals and watching those preachers on the tele, maybe giving a 'seed-offering' 'cause you'll be blessed to overflowing, or as one of 'em allegedly recently said to someone on the street, "give me everything you got; you'll be a millionaire in 10 days" ..


like that we try to bring God close, down to where we are, kinda like get-God's-attention ..

think on that .. we try to get God to notice us, like some kid jumping up and down with their hands in the air
it becomes laughable
it is laughable
imagine, a teeny humanoid bouncing and crying out "I'm here! I'm here! Look at me" to the very God that created everything, including weeny humans .. whiny humans

God is here already
we simply are not aware of his presence; we're not open to his here-ness
it's like we live outside ourselves, wanting for us to feel God, while the reality of God is close at hand, nearby
fact is God is all around us, everywhere
present in the tree, the flower, the bird, the breeze, the dog, the whitecloud sky, the gliding bird ..
they all reflect the glory of their creator, like many tiny mirrors, all adjusted to face God

and God is there in the doing
there in the kitchen, in the workplace, the game, the social get-together, the churchplace, the charitable activity

the issue is never "where is God?"
truth be told, God is very present, intimately so - involved, caring, open, inviting, listening, speaking, breathing
God is here

when are we going to open ourselves, become completely vulnerable, exposing our realself to the gaze of the God who is here .. ?

trust is what it takes
trust
trusting God to be the god he's supposed to be
trusting that God is pure, with no secret motives, no manipulation in mind, no illwill
that God loves
that God is love
love
not hurt or pretense or angry or excommunicating or marking-off or excluding from this or that 'table' or a liar or cheat or hateful or resentful or ornery or racist or selfish ..
like us

mine is to recognize that God is here, and i don't have to put on religion, or go on a pilgrimage to some holy place, or repeat some mantra over and over to get God, or to get to God ..
God is here
once i've brought that into me, I can begin to act like it, attitude it, live it
God is here
i only have to look up, listen, watch
be
i only have to be, be in the now of it, and i will know God, for God is there, close at hand
i will see God
i will talk with God, God will talk back
i will respond to my conscience warning me, or blessing me

i will notice God
everywhere

i don't have to find God
God is here
all i need to do is admit it