Beautiful and dangerous

Maybe it's because I'm an obsessed Christian, but I see signs of God everywhere.

The storm outside my window is dangerous and beautiful at the same time. I can feel the thunder and hear the rain sliding down the glass. It caresses my arm when I open the door to let my dog out---and let her back in when she figures out what's going on out there.

Have you ever just walked outside and had the sunset take your breath away? Or watched the lightening play in the sky? Have you ever just stared at a hibiscus flower and find yourself really seeing it for the first time? I think of Walt Whitman's "letters" and it makes sense to me for once.

In the faces of men and women I see God and in my own face in the glass, I find letters from God dropt in the street, and every one is signed by God's name, and I leave them where they are, for I know that wheresoever I go others will punctually come for ever and ever.

The little reminders, the messages keep coming. Like post-it notes you left where you knew you'd stumble upon them. Pick up milk. Don't forget you're meeting Christy for lunch. Stop. Listen. Look around. Breathe. Enjoy yourself for once. The world was created good---evil is an add on and the original builder didn't do the addition.

Sometimes it's more abrupt than that. Sometimes God holds up a mirror to our faces so we can see who we really are and it scares us. I don't ever notice my weight until I see a photograph. I don't feel fat. Then I see a picture and I'm taken back by it. It's like that moment when you realize that you're usually not inclined to be the "good Samaritan" in the story. You'd much rather not deal with the man lying in the ditch. Thank goodness we can just call 911 these days, right?

God is beautiful and dangerous. His love is beautiful. It covers us. It holds us together and can rip us apart. Jesus' love is beautiful. It's also dangerous. If we really listen it could end up costing us our lives. If we listen closely though, we start to understand that that love is who we really are underneath all that bitterness and sin. We can keep hiding. But do we want to gain the whole world and lose our souls?

Especially after we just found them again?

Jesus, whom now hidden, I by faith behold,
what my soul doth long for, that thy word foretold:
face to face thy splendor, I at last shall see,
in the glorious vision, blessed Lord, of thee.

Oh Lord, we see you but we don't. Take the scales from our eyes, Lord, so that might see clearly.