My wife and I read Psalm 37 last night. And God was there.
We haven’t been sitting down with each other in the evening as we should, and we both decided that this week we need to make it a point of emphasis, no matter how busy we seem to be.
And as always it was great. Not “great” because “great” rolls out of my mouth before I realize what I am saying. Or “great” because I am trying to convince myself. Or frankly, not “great” because I am trying to impress you.
It was just great. We felt the gentle breeze of God arriving; I think we sometimes get a glimpse, a hint, a taste of God coming to the garden in Eden to walk among the trees and visit with his family.
My wife – can’t really remember her exact words – expressed this feeling of God’s words washing over her; some other things I can’t remember, but I knew exactly what she meant because I felt the same way.
God was speaking the words to us as I read. It is like so often happens when we sit down for supper. It’s like God serves the meal. The provision is so personal, from his hand.
And last night … from his mouth. Water. Words of life. Gentle rain on our needy, open hearts. Refreshment from heaven.
As I said “God was there.”
Anyway, I thought. “This is like a water effect” except so much better. Not just a temporary respite, but all the words God spoke to us as we sat in our living room breathed eternity.
And we have a place with God there. Though stuck in the middle of stuff here and now, we have a place with him in forever.
And I have to wonder …
If God just didn’t decide to “sit a spell” with us … take a little time and speak his presence and hope and promise to two of his children.
- Isaiah 55:10–11 (The Message)
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.
Thanks Father for speaking to us last night. Thanks for the rain. Thanks for the time and care. Thanks for “sitting a spell.”
(Parenthetical Thought: I have often thought of how Adam and Eve must have missed this time after the fall. How wonderful it must have been to have God visit every evening. Just now however, I thought. How sad. I think God probably really missed that time also. Think about it. A friend or relative you used to see regularly, you used to drop in for a coffee at the kitchen table. Now gone or the relationship has fallen apart. And we miss that. We forget that God enjoys us, loves us and unbelievably to me wants my love and my company. Wow.)
