Waiting for Earthquakes

Rosebuds, Burning Bushes, and McLuhan’s Fish  

I want to see God’s hand in powerful ways. Who doesn’t?  I’m eager to see His big impact, like the disease miraculously healed, or the windfall that resolves a financial crisis.

In other words, I’m always waiting for God to show up in an earthquake. I’m on the lookout for a burning bush. On rare occasions, I’ve experienced those grand moments. Jesus gave me socks once. Another time, a series of coincidences so random that only God could have orchestrated the event positioned Rich and I to help a friend.

But when it comes to seeking God, I miss much when I focus on the spectacular.

Marshall McLuhan wrote, “I don’t know who discovered water, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a fish.”

When it comes to seeking God, I’m a lot like one of McLuhan’s fish. Because I’m immersed in His creation, I frequently overlook His presence there. When was the last time I thought about air as I breathed?

Last week I read Jennifer Lee’s post, God-Wonders: Three Ways to Pay Attention, and I remembered all over again the value of tuning my heart to His presence in all things.

The revelation followed the remembering. My puny, human judgments of grand or small are irrelevant. Those perfect pink roses singing, “spring, spring, spring” are as glorious as the bush that burned before Moses.

It’s all spectacular. Because it’s all His.

 ¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
 ¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
 ¹³ And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
1 Kings 19:11-13 (KJV)

Today I’m linking up with Charity Singleton over at Wide Open Spaces for There and Back Again. Please visit!

And if you haven’t already, please read Jennifer Lee’s post, God-Wonders: Three Ways to Pay Attention, the inspiration for this post.

 Each Thursday, consider going There and Back Again yourself. It’s simple. Here is Charity’s explanation of the process:

1.) Choose another High Calling Blogger to visit. It can be someone you have “met” before, or do what Charity does, and work your way through the “Member Posts” section of thehighcalling.org to meet someone new.

2.) Visit his blog, digesting the message until it becomes something that you can write about.

3.) Go back to your blog and write about it, being sure to link to the post that gave you the idea so that your readers can visit, too.

4.) Add the button above to your blog so your readers know you are participating in “There and Back Again.”

5.) Go back to the Network blog and leave a comment so your new friend can feel the link love!

6.) Complete the journey by returning to Wide Open Spaces, and enter your link so that all can benefit from the new High Calling connection you have made.