Meeting God face to face.

" The whole message of the christian scripture is based in the idea of metanoia, the change of heart that happens when we meet God face to face."

Diane Butler-Bass

Meeting God face to face.  Can you  imagine?  How amazing would that be?      What would I want to talk about?  What would I want to ask?

Would I know it was Jesus?  This week I have been really wondering about ministry.  What are we called to do and how?  There are many things that I am not sure of, but, the one thing that I know in my bones is that love is central to how I believe that God manifests.  This is a word that is used freely in our world.  We sign letters, emails, and even txts, "I love you.  But how is our heart changed by the way God loves us?

The dictionary defines Love as a profoundly tender, passionate, affection for another person.  It also could be a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection.  We are each individual children of God.  We believe that we are created in that image.  Yet, God created us human as opposed to divine.  We are called to live into the light that is God's love for us.  We are loved as we make mistakes, as we wander off the path and feel the isolation of reacting to the emptiness and fear that lives deep in our souls.

Desmond Tutu tells us that Africans believe that "a person is a person through other persons."  Fundamental to our humanity is that "we are set in a delicate network of interdependence with our fellow human beings and with the rest of God's creation."  Living, working with and loving other people is the most difficult thing we do.  I also believe that it is the most important thing we do.  That is our work here.

As christians we believe that God is our creator, the loving father of Jesus, the source of love that gives our lives meaning and purpose.  Imagine looking up and somehow you knew that God had just walked into your kitchen.  Oh my God, not, OMG, but Oh my God!  What are you doing?

As I try to imagine this scenario, my first thought is how do I know this is God?  What does God look like?  Is God the neighbor across the street that has taken care of your leaves while you were at work?  Maybe God is the chairperson of the local food pantry?  We have grown up with different images of what people think Jesus may have looked like, but God?  The only thing that I can conclude is that feeling in the pit of my stomach when I know something, really know it.

Wandering around the kitchen wanting to tidy up for God.  Now this seems really stupid!!  Yet, here I go, clearing off the island so at least there is a place for us to sit.  Sit???  Who sits and talks with God?  Breath, this is your story, maybe we sit and talk to God more than we even know?  I glance up and there is an impish smile emanating from this source of my anxiety.

"Be still and know that I am God."  That really doesn't seem fitting for my kitchen.  Maybe "Breath, It's all good."  I can hear that.  My God must drink coffee.  "Would you like a cup?"  "That would be great."

Tentatively I sit down.  I look up and wonder why me, and what do I say?  We each sip our coffee.  "God, I feel really excited, but nervous beyond words that you are here.  There is so much I want to say and yet, I can't think of one thing right now."

"Tell me about your life?  How are things?  Why do you think I was drawn here?"

"Why were you drawn here?  I have no idea, so let me start with telling you about my life. "