Unwritten

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. -Psalm 34:8

Every day we wake up in the middle of something that is already going on and has been going on for a long time, genealogy and geology, history and culture, the cosmos—God. We are neither accidental nor incidental to the story. Eugene Peterson, The Message, Introduction to Matthew

When Hathach told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai sent her this message: “Don’t think that just because you live in the king’s house you’re the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.” Esther sent back her answer to Mordecai: “Go and get all the Jews living in Susa together. Fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, either day or night. I and my maids will fast with you. If you will do this, I’ll go to the king, even though it’s forbidden. If I die, I die.” - Esther 4:12–16 MESSAGE


Everybody loves a good story. We are wired that way, it is part of our DNA.

All of history finds its setting in the story of God, with its beginning in the mystery of the mind of the author, God, and its end in eternity -- in His plans and purposes. In the midst of this ongoing story you enter the stage, a unique actor, collaborating with God in the writing of your part of the story.

From the beginning of time, history was shaped by people who acted when they felt the call to act. Esther, from the Bible, became queen through very extraordinary means and just when you would think the rest of her life would be one of ease and predictability, she is called to risk her life to help others. What she was called to do might not have made sense to her. It might not have made sense to her friends or people who cared about her, but she knew that it was the right thing to do, she knew it was part of the story that God was writing for her. Despite this knowledge, she could have done nothing. Instead, Esther risks death by going before the King to intercede on behalf of the people of God. Although everyone around her probably would have told her that to do so would mean death, she knew she had to act. She thought something like, "Something needs to be done, and I know that God is able to do it." So, she stepped into uncertainty, not uncertain about everything. She knew who God was. She knew what God was capable of, what He was able to do, and she knew that she could trust God. "Perhaps I am in the place where I am for such a time as this – and if I die, I die. God is able to save me and His people, I may be uncertain about how it will turn out for me, but I have absolutely no uncertainty about God and His character, and God and His ability."

God will most likely not call you and me to end the slaughter of a people, but He could. I know He is calling each one of us to something. Each day He brings people and events into our lives and invites us to act. I find that when I'm aware and looking for those opportunities, I see them all around. When I do not expect them, they are harder to see. How intentional are you about looking for the opportunities that God has for you to join Him? When you look at your life with God, is it all that you dreamed that it would be? If you allowed yourself to dream again, what dream might God be inviting you to explore?

Dream big, start small, your story is still unwritten. Step into your story and live.

Peace, hope and love

Cultivating An Awareness Of The Presence Of God

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. -Psalms 19:1

So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. -1 Corinthians 10:31

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

Have you ever thought about what it would look like for you to cultivate an awareness of God throughout a day? Take a day, any day, take today; as you walk through the activities of your life, ask yourself, "how does 'this' reflect the goodness (or glory) of God?" At the end of the day, take a couple of moments to ask yourself how you did, and what you experienced. If you did not do so well, give yourself a break and try again tomorrow. If you experienced God's presence in ways unexpected, thank Him, remember those experiences, and try again tomorrow. Shortly you will find that you are experiencing God far more often than you have ever experienced Him, felt His presence more regularly than you ever experienced it, and brought more things to Him throughout the day than you had ever done. Before long, you will realize that you are actually praying without ceasing.

Have you ever heard the name Frank Laubach? He was a literacy advocate in the first half of the 20th century. His methods for increasing literacy are still used with millions today. In addition to literacy, he was concerned with cultivating the presence of God in his life. In talking about the disillusionment in a Depression-era world, and the hopes of many for Christ to save them, he observed: "Christ has not saved the world from its present terrifying dilemma. The reason is obvious: few people are getting enough of Christ to save either themselves or the world." He challenged himself to call Jesus to mind at least one second of each minute. He said, "not to forget other things nor stop work, but to invite Him to share everything I do or say or think." He later wrote, "Hundreds of us have experimented until we have found ways to let Him share every minute of our waking hours." Laubach was a creative man seeking after God in very real and practical ways. If you are interested in reading some of his interesting thoughts, you can download and read his Letters of a Modern Mystic, (enter password Creekside).

In what ways could you develop a habit of cultivating an awareness of God throughout the day - in your morning shower, in a cup of coffee or orange juice, in nature, in conversation, in a nap, in His word, in prayer for the big things and for the little things? Experiment and you will find your ears and your eyes opened to hear Him; find yourself more aware of the fact that you are living in God's ongoing story, living out a unique role, written just for you.

Peace, hope and love