GOD is GOD...everytime

Quiet times with God are good,  but I have found out that quiet times could also be the biggest detriment to our relationship with God- meeting God at the same place, same time , everyday can be boring to me. I think setting time apart to read the bible or pray is wonderful…but what about something much more than that?

The number of hours we spend praying or studying has never been the goal, yes those are visible, and measurable and we are often tempted to substitute them for the real thing.
These days, I am learning that life with God is much more than praying and studying – it’s about living. Life in God is about all those other ways …the transformational, beautiful ways, those that change us forever, those that involve us, engross us, release us, those ways that set us free and convince us of His goodness.

There are days when strolling in the evenings centres me with God in deeper ways than any praying or studying the word. Some days the dark skies with the glittering stars are the closest thing to God I know. Some days the sound of water that has travelled a millions kilometres, the breeze, the fresh smell of rain, the slow movement of a snail, the fierceness of a lion, the breathe in my nostrils, the laughter of a child…they are sometimes the closest things to God I know.

The sight of Gari and Groundnut can be a prayer in itself. A God who is so wow that he inspired someone to think of Sharwama, he made squids (yummy) and dozen varieties of tea…hmm. Some days my cup of chilled strawberry flavoured black tea is praise...a reminder of the rich nature of God and His provision. Sometimes it is the patience with a slow cab driver, the 50 Naira I give a road side beggar…these are what I believe to be true to God. These everyday acts, they are the real things.

Sometimes praying and studying “very religiously” are nothing more than a rule by which we measure whether we are good enough. I am not in any way against having quiet times with God- in fact I am a big fan of being alone in worship, studying and prayers. All I am saying is; take the “traditionness” of Christianity away from it all and God becomes real to us.

When we move beyond tradition, we realise that all the experiences, observations, reactions are the important things. Instead of waiting for God to speak to us in the place of prayer, our everyday activity becomes places He speaks to us.

I say this all the time and Imma say it again, God is far too creative to be reached in only one form. Our prayers, our thoughts, our silent prayers and loud ones, our praise with poems or songs, accomplish the same things….he likes varieties.

God please open our eyes and our hearts to see that you ARE…not only when we pray but when we live. AMEN!

Inspired by recent personal experiences and a chapter of a book I read while I was waiting for a friend- can't even remember the title of the book