Episode #264 Beyond the Mechanics: Living in a Universe Where God Delights in You – Unforced Rhythms of Grace

When you look at a sunset, are you seeing a phenomenon that's caused by the scattering of sunlight particles in the atmosphere? Or are you seeing the artwork of a creator who loves you? In reality, both are true. Both of those things are happening in a sunset, but our perspective of the world changes how we approach it and how we experience it. And today we're exploring how seeing God, as a loving personal being, changes everything about how we approach our relationship with him.

I'm contrasting with some science here, but I wanna be clear. Science and faith are not in opposition to each other. We can understand and enjoy science and engage in a vibrant life-giving faith. But what I want to illustrate for us is that how we perceive and think about the world matters, and that changes our everyday experiences.

If we think of things happening in the world as mechanical and cause and effect and chemical reactions and all of those things, and we don't also see that the earth was created by a personal God who loves us and who's involved in our lives, and that his creativity is on display in his creation, well then we're missing so many opportunities to connect with him.

I am still reading about meditation in Richard Foster's book, the Celebration of Discipline, and he says, “If you feel that we live in a purely physical universe, you will view meditation as a good way to obtain a consistent alpha brain-wave pattern. But if you believe that we live in a universe created by the infinite-personal God who delights in our communion with him, you will see meditation as communication between the Lover and the one beloved."

Our outlook matters and our anticipation of God increases exponentially when we ponder him and think on him and look to notice him on display as this active God who loves us. And how we can engage with him as his beloved.
In Colossians 1:16-17 it says, "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:16-17)

There's a lot of the word “all” and “things” in these two short verses, and I think that's on purpose to drive this point home. That as we engage in our dynamic world, as we're going through all sorts of different seasons and experiences in life and going to different places and spaces, we can notice God on display. We can engage with him.

I love Acts 17:28 and I'm actually gonna read that again for us today and tack on verse 27 at the beginning talking about how we can seek God and perhaps feel our way toward him and find him. "That they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for In him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:27-28)

It's easy for us to go through everyday life experiences and just simply not notice that God is there with us. And simply overlook the fact that even a scientific occurrence occurs because of what God has created and the facts of science that he has put in place.

It can feel a little awkward at first to think of God engaging with us in these ways, but I promise you he does. And it opens awe and wonder when we open ourselves up to the potential that he might want to.
I've shared before about a time many years ago, I was a teenager when I was driving along and noticed the wind blowing beautifully through some tree branches, and I just loved the way that the sunlight caught the leaves. And so I said to God, “God, how beautiful”, and his response to me was, “I did that for you. I knew you'd notice.”

Well, God moves the leaves for me sometimes. It's kind of our thing. And I'm not in any way saying that there's some special thing that God does only for me that he doesn't do for anyone else. I actually anticipate that there's scientific things that are happening that cause the breeze and the wind and allow the tree to grow with the leaves. I'm not taking nature out of it, but I'm saying my creator who created nature and who knows me and loves me intimately knows that things will catch my eyes. Like the leaves on a tree when I'm thinking of him or going through a hard moment and I'm watching and I'm looking out the window. And it's become a moment that I get to share with him.

It helps me feel connected and seen by him. And I know based on his word and his character, that I am seen by him and he does know what I need.

This experience of noticing the leaves is as much me looking toward him. Me remembering and noticing to connect with him.

And so if you don't have a thing with God, I'd encourage you to talk with him about it.

It could be all sorts of things. And you could have a thing today that isn't a thing that lasts for years. Maybe he's constantly bringing new things. I almost think of it like a shared song, a shared moment, an inside joke, or shared memory that you have with your Good Father. And so here's a question that you can ask him about it:

God, what's something that could be our thing today?

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

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