We long for mountaintop experiences when we see a clear path of faith in our lives, but I’m hearing more frequent stories from people who are seeing glimpses of God in their everyday lives. Many of these are shared experiences: a small group observing the beauty of a Renaissance painting, a basketball game with a son, or a debate on the application of a sermon message after a worship service.
A good friend just completed the 2011 Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee (BRAT), a 400 mile route through Middle Tennessee over 7 days. He described a “glimpse of heaven” from the ride.
“There were hundreds of riders bunched together in smaller packs. Each group of tightly packed cyclists, a peloton, rode in a long formation with each (but not the first rider) drafting behind the others before them. Except for the first rider, each cyclist benefitted from the draft of the previous rider and then also provided a draft for the rider behind. Successively each rider took his turn in leading the pack. There wasn’t any need for communication between the cyclists; they were emotionally connected through the shared passion of long-distance cycling in the open countryside. Like the spiritual experience of a faith community, the bicyclist was sometimes the strong one, advancing to the front of the pack and providing route guidance and propulsion for those behind. Later the roles were reversed; the strong one became the one who rested and reached out to others for the draft of an encouraging wind.”
We see God wanting to be known when we feel this sense of community, sometimes being the strong one and helping others, and at other times, feeling weak, but trusting and reaching out to others for help. When we look intentionally, we begin to see God everywhere, even in the wilderness on a 400-mile bicycle ride.
I pray that you will go throughout today, intentionally seeking God and finding Him where you look.
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha