As I periodically reflect back to a more innocent and unguarded time in my life I am able to see how my relationship with God took on many different nuances depending upon the context or situation in which I found myself. The one thing I am sure of is that God truly met me wherever I was. God’s presence was constant, and our relationship secure. My childlike faith never wavered. At times, God was my playmate. I remember a sense of freedom and confidence while chasing butterflies in the meadow I regularly frolicked in. God was in the breeze, in the flight of the newly hatched insects, in the aroma of fresh dirt and the warmth of the sunshine.
God was also my creator. I discovered the God of the heavens while lying in the uncut grass on the side of a hill, watching the afternoon clouds drift by. I could daydream and speak my thoughts to a God who listened as I formed new ideas or dreamed of the future. God was my confidant. God even went fishing with me as I learned the art of patience, silently anticipating a fish nibbling my bait and causing the red and white bobber to wiggle and jiggle with excitement. God was my best fishin’ buddy.
As a spiritual director, I find it important to realize and name these special times and the myriad of relationships I have had with God in order to recognize the various relational possibilities and opportunities others may experience as they move along their unique spiritual path. Encouraging others to keep their eyes wide open along with their minds and hearts can inspire creative, out-of-the-box thinking. This can aid in expanding their boundaries by re-evaluating their intimate connection and perspective. Questions reflecting on how God walks with them can inspire new ways to look for or even name God in the present moment as well as looking towards the graces and blessings of the future. An excellent source for exploring how God comes alongside us in binding relationships is a wonderful devotional book by Joyce Rupp: Fragments of Your Ancient Name: 365 Glimpses of the Divine for Daily Meditation. (2011). This collection of identifying God in human relationships is expansive and will encourage the reader to identify and re-evaluate how they move in relationship with God.
By Lisa Mage
Cypress, Texas
Texas Annual Conference