Car Rides with God (part 1)
There is something powerful when you can truly say you had an encounter with God.
I can recall a few times in my life when I specifically sensed God's presence by my side, in me, around me. I know there are probably many more "ordinary" moments when I either don't sit still enough to recognize His presence or simply take it for granted. So that makes the times when He does get my attention even more special. I ask Him to please do so more often, for I am a failed human being who needs constant reminders of His power. (My prayer is literally, "God, please whack me upside the head when You need to get my attention." That's really what I pray!)
His power is what I sensed on Saturday night as I drove back from Lexington. On the one hand, His power was gentle, as I felt Him accompanying Kaelyn and I on our drive home. Kaelyn had moments of fussiness on the 1 1/2 hour drive. On the way to Lexington that morning, I had pulled over at a rest stop when she cried and fed her with no hesitations. But there was something more intimidating about stopping to feed her at night. So I prayed that God would give her rest and give us a peaceful drive. She had two times of crying, but both times God provided comfort to her so she slept again and comfort to me, knowing that He was with us. I felt as if He was riding right in the car with us!
What an amazing God that He would promise to be present with every believer in such a personal way. A huge God caring about every single human being. Unfathomable!
During those minutes (that seemed like hours!) while Kaelyn was crying, I realized something: my heart broke for her to hear her cry, knowing that I was in the front seat and not back there to comfort her. Yet I also knew that she was really OK and just tired and that if she let herself, she could be calmed enough to get to sleep. I knew she was in no real trouble. Yet how does it break God's heart to hear the cries of people who are in real trouble?
I tried to imagine the pain God must see on a daily basis where innocent young lives are abused and cannot stop the abuser, where elderly people are neglected and can do nothing to change their situations, and where others cry out because they are not whole and they do not know the One who can fill them. How God's heart must break to hear their cries. I prayed for God's gentle, comforting power to be present in those lives.
[As I see that my thoughts were longer than originally intended (as usual!) I will put these next ones in another post to break things up for you, dear reader! ; ) ]
I can recall a few times in my life when I specifically sensed God's presence by my side, in me, around me. I know there are probably many more "ordinary" moments when I either don't sit still enough to recognize His presence or simply take it for granted. So that makes the times when He does get my attention even more special. I ask Him to please do so more often, for I am a failed human being who needs constant reminders of His power. (My prayer is literally, "God, please whack me upside the head when You need to get my attention." That's really what I pray!)
His power is what I sensed on Saturday night as I drove back from Lexington. On the one hand, His power was gentle, as I felt Him accompanying Kaelyn and I on our drive home. Kaelyn had moments of fussiness on the 1 1/2 hour drive. On the way to Lexington that morning, I had pulled over at a rest stop when she cried and fed her with no hesitations. But there was something more intimidating about stopping to feed her at night. So I prayed that God would give her rest and give us a peaceful drive. She had two times of crying, but both times God provided comfort to her so she slept again and comfort to me, knowing that He was with us. I felt as if He was riding right in the car with us!
What an amazing God that He would promise to be present with every believer in such a personal way. A huge God caring about every single human being. Unfathomable!
During those minutes (that seemed like hours!) while Kaelyn was crying, I realized something: my heart broke for her to hear her cry, knowing that I was in the front seat and not back there to comfort her. Yet I also knew that she was really OK and just tired and that if she let herself, she could be calmed enough to get to sleep. I knew she was in no real trouble. Yet how does it break God's heart to hear the cries of people who are in real trouble?
I tried to imagine the pain God must see on a daily basis where innocent young lives are abused and cannot stop the abuser, where elderly people are neglected and can do nothing to change their situations, and where others cry out because they are not whole and they do not know the One who can fill them. How God's heart must break to hear their cries. I prayed for God's gentle, comforting power to be present in those lives.
[As I see that my thoughts were longer than originally intended (as usual!) I will put these next ones in another post to break things up for you, dear reader! ; ) ]