Far too often I find myself living my days unaware and inattentive to the reality that God is present with me. The message of the New Testament is full of the teachings of Emmanuel, God with us. Far too often I find myself not even thinking or looking for His activity. I want to change that. I want to be aware. I want to be more attentive. The message of the New Testament is that God is active and working. Emmanuel, God with us, is just as true today for the follower of Christ as it was 2,000 years ago. Dare I say that in many ways Christ is more present today than He was then? Now He dwells within us! If attentive, I shouldn’t have to look too hard to see or sense His work.
Several years ago our church participated in an exercise called a God Hunt (I think I first heard of it from author David Mains). The exercise was to hunt for God’s activity on a daily basis. Maybe it would be through creation, the words of a friend, a conviction, a song, a hurt, and through innumerable other ways. The point was to seek to be aware and attentive. Then when we noticed God’s activity in and around us, we were to tell someone; a friend, spouse, or your small group. I have encouraged the church that I pastor to intentionally be on a God Hunt each day for the next month. I am looking forward to how this is going to heighten the awareness and prayerfully the attentiveness of our church to God’s activity.
I am personally looking forward this active discipline of looking for God’s activity. I know that it is not grammatically correct, but I am calling this heightened attentiveness and awareness emmanueling. Emmanueling is my way of describing my attentiveness and awareness to His being with me.
I would like you to invite you to go on this God Hunt with us. To participate with us in emmanueling and to give testimony to His work in your life.
So let me ask, how have you noticed God today working in your life?
Encourage us all with your story of His work by commenting in this blog.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul
Posts
Hi all Godhunters;
ReplyDeleteI started my 10 minutes today and it turned into 2 hours. I was totally drawn into the Word today with God teaching my things in it. I am off work now for a few days and now I understand why? I may not be making money but I am enriching my relationship with God. On with the Godhunt....
My God Hunt siting was obeying a prompting of the Holy Spirit to call someone for lunch. It was an unplanned, pleasant, encouraging, simple time with a fellow follower of Christ. And I sensed the presence of the Lord there in our midst. PFK
ReplyDeleteMy God Hunt today led me to the elderly neighbors (82+) across the street, whom I convers with and help quite often. This past week, Clint has been raising his garage door by hand evey morning. So, being a "John of all traids", I put my handyness to work. One little twiek and the door was going up and down on its own. Clint was ever most greatful, and insisted in having me in for a high-ball with he and Shirley. Thank goodness it was a short little glasses. W & water just aint my thing. Next time I will suggest fresh coffee. Shirley has dimencia and is easyer to viset with now than before, every thing is funny to her. They love sitting in their living room side by side, looking out at the snow, telling each other how lucky they are to be warm with good neighbors to look in on them and having their last years together. I told them God is good and they agread. Home again.
ReplyDeleteI was prompted to email a question to a friend regarding a task she expressed interest in doing - I hesitated in sending it thinking the timing was really way off! But I obeyed and sent it. Only to find out the next day, that while I was preparing the message, she was praying about being confused just what the Lord was wanting her to do! My email appeared, God spoke to her through it and the door of opportunity to serve him was opened and she stepped over the threshold and entered into serving him - with much joy and praise to Him for answereing her prayer so soon!!! Isn't God wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, this same person came to mind a few days prior as I was having my quiet time. A verse I read brought her so to my heart - I felt the Lord was asking that I share it with her; I did and it met the cry of her heart - once again she had been pleading with God about a need she had -and He answered her via email! These God moments are awesome in how we are tools used by God to minister to those around us. Our God IS an AWESOME GOD!!!