dailydatewithgod

God is flowing.  We live in a world that seeks to categorize everyone and everything. It is an inherent part of our nature as it helps us to make sense of things.  We can grow very attached to our sense of the world through this categorical order.  The key is not to get stuck in the categories that we create.  Our spontaneous nature also inherent calls on us to seek out novelty and that which lies outside our categories.  These may seem like conflicting processes but it is all part of the ebb and flow of life.  If we choose on way over the other we shut out options.  We cannot just breathe in to survive, we must also breathe out.  We step forward and then turn left or back up. Sometimes we even have to turn around.  Our bodies share this same quality.  We ingest and excrete.  Those who have ever had difficulty with either one of those processes know how life seems to come to a halt. The blood goes through the heart into our cells with fresh oxygen and returns to our hearts to be replenished.  Nothing in ourselves or the nature of the world speaks of being stagnant.  So why do we think that it is best if things stay the same?  Why do we pick one way and then become closed off to other ways of seeing things?  Our brains will attach to whatever promises to ensure our survival and we can all be thankful for that.  But what if our brains aren’t giving us all the options?  God invites us to slow down and notice ourselves and our world.  In my daily prayer and meditation dates when I slow my breathing and observe my mind, I see there is more possibility than I can come up with on my own.  God simply wants a chance to connect with us an a space of openness and love.

God emerges. Within the vital nature of our hearts we find a continual renewal of energy that comes from the flow of love.  Yes, our physical heart pumps blood but the energetic properties of our heart have also been scientifically shown to expand outside of our physical body.  There is an energetic flow that meets the environment and people around us before we physically get close to them.  Whatever we are carrying in our heart essentially walks in the room before us.  God invites me constantly on our prayer and meditation dates to expand my heart.  It was so shut down for such a long time it is any wonder that it didn’t stop functioning.  This is the proof to me that no matter what I do or do not do, I cannot undo the nature of God. God has always readied the formation for growth of our hearts through the experience of love.  It is ready for the expansion every time we take a breath.  It is formed every time we open our eyes to see with love.  It is formed every time we move away from festering anger and frustration.  God will never stop forming our hearts for greater love until we ask God not to.  It is the nature of God to create and form more love and God wants us to be as much a part of that as we are willing to surrender to.

God is enlivened.  The most dazzling element of living in relationship with God is the surprises.  The gentle nudges of circumstance that remind me I am not alone.  Especially when I have had a crappy day and things seem to be unwinding before my very eyes.  These sparkling moments of surprise are like a warm hug to my heart.  The other day something innocuous happened and I lost it.  I had this extreme reaction that came out of nowhere so much so that it surprised me.  As the day progressed I managed to focus and take care of what was in front of me but I was somewhat shaken.  Then I opened up a jar that I unknowingly managed to break earlier in the day when I threw down my bag in frustration.  The contents of the jar went everywhere at which point I could have easily broken down into tears over one more mess up that day.  Instead exactly at that moment in the room was a member of the environmental staff who had exactly what was needed to clean it up.  And with a simple request he took care of it and wouldn’t even let me help.  It was like God was saying yet again, “Yep, got you on that one too Colleen . . . surprise!”  It was if God had shown up in this man and rubbed my shoulder and said, “no worries, I am still here.” God is always ready to show up in unexpected ways if I am open to continuing to see God even when my vision is clouded.

My prayer for us is the willingness to let go of our expectations of God and allow ourselves to be surprised today.

If God can show up in unexpected ways, how can you be willing to be surprised by love today?  Share in the comments.