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Surely God is in This Place

A friend wrote today to tell me how our music had been a "necessary balm" during her stressful week. She described some of the events of her week, and I would have to say "stressful" is an understatement. Still, I was delighted to hear that our music had brought her some peace in the midst of it all.

 But it was her final sentence that has lasted throughout my day: surely God is in this place.

 I had checked my email, while my students watched a short film clip, and when I read that phrase I felt it down to the soles of my feet. I felt its impact so profoundly that I had to put it away for later. The lights were about to come up.

 So tonight I went to her message again: surely God is in this place.
Surely God is in this place.

 Of course I know this. I know He is an omnipresent God. I know He is sovereign. I know He has me (and He has you) in the palm of His hand. I know it.

 But somehow my friend's words--coming as they did after a story of mishap and injury--helped me know it all the more.

 Surely God is in this place. He is in this place.
  • He is in this school year that has brought me record numbers of students (and record numbers of hours worked).
  • He is in my class of 38 seniors and in my class of juniors (who perhaps aren't getting my best, but are surely getting some of the goodness God picked out for them).
  • He is in the CDs that haven't come even close to making money, but have brought reports of joy and peace in the midst of political storms and international tragedies. 
  • He is with my friends who are dealing with health crises. 
  • He was in our church Christmas program that was, as always, so much better than we deserve. 
  • He was in our mourning and our joy, as we celebrated Carol Lowe Waitley's life.
  • He was surely there when I so joyfully reunited with my grade school best friend after nearly 40 years.
  • He was there when I drove all the way to Timberline one Sunday night and discovered I'd forgotten my school keys. (He was there when I drove back to Meridian to get them and then made the return trip.)
  • He was surely there when a student said I'm funny like Tina Fey, and another student corrected her: "No, Tina Fey is funny like Miss Roberts." Take that, William :)
  • He was there when my brand new nephew-in-law fixed my water dispenser that hadn't worked in 18 months.
  • He is in my sleeping (Psalm 4.8), and He is in my running (Hebrews 12.1-2).
  • He is in the world that feels full of chaos and fear.
Back to my friend's story. It didn't end with mishap and injury. It ended with community. It ended with strangers who rained love and kindness and goodness onto her family.

 Surely God is in this place.

 Perhaps you know it . . . but you need to know it all over again.
Perhaps you see God as much in the injury as in the community.
Perhaps you think it's poppycock but it's sweet that Laurie believes it.

 And perhaps, just perhaps, you need to make your own list. (I know I did.)

 Surely God is in this place.



Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 18, 2016 at 6:01 AM

    So beautiful Laurie. A good reminder and another way to look at "I am the woman God is with!"

    ReplyDelete

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