I’m a country girl by nature. I grew up on the Thames Coast, both loving and taking for granted the NZ bush, clear starry skies and the changes in the ocean tides. North Shore life is different again, with so many stunning beaches close by, yet it is too easy to be too busy to visit one. The pockets of nature which we have around us can be easy to miss, until they make themselves heard, such as that wild storm early this week! That rushing wind had my heart beating faster, and I’m pretty sure the whole city was empathising the lack of sleep the next morning.
Nature points us to God. As I get a little older, I find myself less reliant on grand experiences of Him, only discovered at uber-spiritual camps. Rather, I stumble across pockets of His goodness, scattered daily in unexpected places. It’s rather like a Treasure hunt. Where will God show up today? What is He up to? (to clarify, I tend to have absolutely no idea). Sometimes, He shows up in the whirlwind, perhaps seeming to be asleep while we are frantically figuring out how to save ourselves in a sinking ship. Then “Peace! Be still!” comes out of nowhere, and a miraculous calm brings us to shore. Other times, tiny reminders pop up everywhere. A break in the pounding rain to reveal the southern cross as I go to put the rubbish bins out. The joy of meeting up with a good friend. The best worship sessions, singing at the top of one’s lungs while doing the dishes. God is there (even while my neighbours perhaps wish for more peace, be still!).
Perhaps my biggest struggle with sharing my faith is that words fall short, and become religious, when it is all about Who you know, not what you know. Our God is holy, and powerful, and immeasurable, and He is in the business of reconciliation. Jesus is close in our everyday. May we have the eyes to see, the hearts to remember, and the words to share in the right moments.
Stephanie Smart