Secular Examples About Our Relationship With God

1. Obama

I know some of you are cringing that I cannot stop talking about him. The night before he was given all of Presidential briefs on security that would probably send chills down the average person's mind, I committed myself to praying for our new President. I gave thanks to God for answering the prayers of many black people, not just those of today, but those of many generations who had prayed for equality. And I found the example of Moses coming to mind. During the time of Israel's slavery, many people had been praying for their liberation--and it seemed that God wasn't doing anything. Why would a good God sit around until He felt like intervening, letting the ones that He loves experience suffering? But rather, God had a plan. While people were praying, a child was being born. While they cried for help, a chosen child was in Pharoah's favor. While they lamented, Moses was being prepared in the land of Midian. In the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, Barack Obama was born. Regardless of what you think about his politics, for many black people, he represents answer to prayer. People prayed for change at the time wanting a right-now answer from God (and that is a justifiable plea), yet God was planning an answer for down the road. I forget so often that prayer is just like this. God operates so differenly that we'd like Him to, but he absolutely hears those prayers and organizes a response--and it may be a lifetime in coming.

2. Mercy, my cat

For the past few weeks my sweet pea has not come to sleep in my bed or even in my room! And it just drives me crazy. For so long she wanted to be where I was at all times whether that means in the shower, in the bed, and yes, even on my desk when I'm working! So I was confused when I would find her laying on the cold kitchen floor or sitting on the counch all by herself when I was waiting for her to join me in the big comfy bed. Last night, I picked her up and settled her under the covers and gave her lots of rubbings and kisses so that she'd realize that I didn't hate her. I think our relationship with God is sometimes like that. We'll all of a sudden think that God has abandoned us or doesn't want us and we move away from the place of comfort to trying to get by on our own, knowing that our true happiness (and purrful living) is when we're with the one who loves us.

3. Weezer

So this weekend my entire family and my sister's boyfriend's family came to tailgate with us here at Duke. Mom made plans to meet at a museum on campus, yet 30 minutes before time to meet, the "in-laws" found that you couldn't park in that lot. Everything was dependent on meeting in that central parking lot. So I had a very quick easy fix to the situation, yet in the time of complete undoing, my sister didn't listen to a single thing that I had to say. And in one of my not so godly moments, I hung up. How can you refuse the wisdom of someone who has the knowledge you need in your time of struggle? We do this with God ALL the time. He has all of the answers in the world to guide us, yet we refuse His help in our efforts to impose corrections on the Master or to lament or run around like chicken with its head cut off when God can mend it back together.