This is not a dinner theater

I am currently reading a wonderful book. It’s called The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge.  It’s not great surprise to anyone who knows me that I am reading a book. I love a good book and, since I was a kid, I have had a tendency to get lost in what I’m reading.  When I start a book the kids all know what’s coming; sandwiches for dinner, no laundry done, don’t ask me to drive you anywhere and don’t talk so loud when you’re in the same room with me! I try not to read books that are too long as I don’t want to miss important childhood milestones like graduation and such.  I’m doing pretty good with this one, limiting myself to about one chapter a week so I can really absorb what is being said.  Recently, the book sparked a revelation for me and I’ve attempted to share it below.  I hope you enjoy it and I hope it makes sense!!  lol

We are all enmeshed in a cosmic drama, a divine romance.  Life is not simply a series of actions and reactions, situations and experiences that we muddle through the best that we can till it is all over and we enter into our eternal reward.  We have all heard the phrase “all the world is a stage” and, in a way, that is true.  We are characters in a play written by the Lord of hosts.  So many times we are guilty of seeing only our small part in this galactic production.  Our focus becomes only our time on stage, our plot line, our lines to learn, when, in reality, we would do so much better to change our view. 

This life of ours, is not, in fact, ours.  God does not come down and invade our life and take part in it, He welcomes us into His life, to take part of it with Him. He did not simply author the play in which we act, then sit out in the audience to see play out.  This is His story and we all have supporting roles in His production.  Because of this fact, we would do well to remember just how intricately involved he is in every aspect of our existence.  I have learned something over the last year or so.  I don’t have to “be spiritual” to be spiritual.  Was Christ less “Christly” when sitting around the fire eating and laughing with his disciples?  The word tells us Jesus did only what His father did and said only what His father said.  That tells me the father enjoys us, just as Christ enjoyed his disciples. 

The challenge, the goal, is to find this relationship with Him in the every day, when there’s laundry to be done and dinner to be made, when the kids are fighting and you’re tired from working all day, or when you’re hanging out with friends being silly, watching cartoons with your kids, when you’re going to the fair or dinner out with a loved one.  Those are all times when we are in relationship with him.  He is there when we are “being spiritual” and when we are not and He loves us the same either way. 

I guess my point would be that while there are times when we are lost in his presence, when words fail us and we are swept away by his love, he is just as close, just as real, working just as much when we’re in the grocery store looking for a can of stewed tomatoes, as in the times we count as spiritual.  He brought this home to me recently in a very unexpected but welcomed way.  I am His, He is mine and nothing can change or lessen that.  I don’t have to conjure up something that appears spiritual, I am spiritual, inside and out, in whatever I do, at all times, good and bad. He is with me, in me.  I only have to relax and let Him be who he is, to do otherwise is to bring in law and judgment and I really don’t want to go back there again! 

So till next time, I'll be here, reading and not cooking or cleaning and trying to remind myself I am responsible for the care of all these younger people whose voices I can vaguely hear in the background saying something about food.  

Soaked in His blessings,

Spokenfor