God is....

My new favorite hymn/church song is God of the Bible from Sing the Journey. My church has been singing said hymn each Sunday this summer, and I always end up slightly misty eyed and tingling with joy by the last chorus. This Sunday, the woman who gave the sermon/homily/message (Assembly has never really clarified what we call this time) talked about a particular line in the chorus, which is as follows:

Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, You do not change

She stated that while this is true, not every morning begins the same. Thus, God DOES change. I was reminded that by attaching words to God's being, we limit what God can be. As this woman said, God is what I need God to be at that time. God is not stagnant, but God also is solid, unwavering. God cannot be one thing for all people at one time. God is not one thing for me all the time. S/he is what I need at that time. What a comforting message.

So what is God to me right now? Huh. Not really a question to be tackled in a blog entry, but I have been finding God everywhere these days. The brink of autumn is a wonderful time, one of my most joyful times of the year.

I see God in the sunshine that has arrived after a month that brought 16 inches of rain. in my housemates and friends in Goshen, who constantly remind me that I am a better person in community than I could be on my own. in the fresh faces on campus, even the girls with the makeup and styled hair (they too will be goshen-ized). in long walks in the darkness of evening. in silent prayers around dinner tables of college friends. in the support of teachers I barely know at GHS. in the hysterical laughter that brings me to tears. in the eyes of customers buying local produce and organic milk at the co-op. in the handful of students who have initiated conversation with their substitute teacher (aka me). in beautiful music and beautiful movies and beautiful friends.

God is here. And I am here.