joy, anticipation, expectation or...

In the words of Annie Dillard: Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? … It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return.” May this be a great, unending, transforming adventure and may it begin with each one of us.

I know that it is not about finding God on the mountain top, or in the Temple...that it is worshipping God in Spirit and Truth. But have we lost the joy, the sense of expectation, and anticipation of finding, and experiencing God in our lives. I know God is not hidden from us, but I remember the excitement as a child of my Dad hiding and surprising me unexpectedly. It was always in the back of my mind, the anticipation of Dad suddenly appearing out of nowhere. How many times does God show up, surprising his children...and we miss it all together because we expect nothing, and anticipate nothing.

Comments

[fr'nklin]

Thanks for this post. I've recently wondered if one of the reasons I don't "ask" God to do really big stuff is that I'm afraid. I'm afraid he can't / won't...and if he doesn't...what happens to my "religioin"? The truth is, if God is incapable or unwilling to move in this time and place, I don't need religion. I want to risk everything on asking for God to do big things for one purpose: so that the gospel might be proclaimed more compassionately and boldly.

[Annie]

We're creeping toward the truth, we have bowed our heads and we have begun to take on the power structure that keeps us in the world! I'm an Annie Dillard fan! Where did you get that quote? I can't remember seeing it before.

Annie

[ron]

Hi Annie, I can't remember which book the quote came from. It was given to me a couple of years ago by a friend scrawled on a piece of paper. I have it stuck in the front of one my Bibles.Annie Dillard, has a way of saying it just like it is. Blessings...Ron+

[Annie]

I might have to borrow it, Ron. ;)

Yes, she does have a way with words.

[Kathryn]

Thanks for these words, Ron...Great relief to discover where that quote, which has been floating about at the back of my mind for a while now, actually originated. It's quoted in one of those emerging mission type books, but I can't for the life of me think which! And Itotally endorse your thoughts about the way that we limit God by our culture of non expectation, of limited belief. Lots to think about here.