God is always here, July 23 Daily Reflection

Silent God

This is my prayer-That, though I may not see, I be aware Of the Silent God who stands by me.  That, though I may not feel, I be aware Of the Mighty Love which doggedly follows me.  That, though I may not respond, I be aware That God-my Silent, Mighty God, Waits each day.  Quietly, hopefully, persistently, Waits each day and through each night For me, For me-alone.

-From Psalms of a Laywoman

God never moves away from us.  He is always there.  If there is a distance, it is the distance we choose, for many different reasons, to create.  Whether we have the faith of Mary or the doubts of Thomas, God is still here right now with us.  He has given us the freewill and mind to reject Him altogether or to accept Him and all He has in store for us.  Whether we choose to believe or not believe He still exists and I believe is waiting for us to come back to Him.  He created us and loved us enough to not control our thoughts, desires or actions.  We choose the path we walk each day.  Does your walk include walking with God?  Has it been a long time since you have felt His presence in your life or have you ever felt His presence?

I sincerely believe the people who raised you either gave you a way to God or pushed you away from God.  That is one of the reasons parenting is so crucial to a child’s entire life.  How many experts lecture parents about every move they make and how it effects that child’s self esteem, self image and confidence?  How many doctors come back to the health habits of the parents and the examples they have set for their children? How many psychologists have traced behaviors back to the parents behaviors?  How many people take the time in life to say to the parents are you going to introduce your child to God?  How many parents just neglect that part of a child’s life?

I cannot imagine my childhood without God in it.  One of the first things I wanted to give my children was the faith that they would never be alone because God is always with them.  This need came from a desperate desire that they never feel alone in case, God forbid, they were ever to be kidnapped.  So from infancy I use to sing “Be Not Afraid, I go before you always, come follow me and I will give you rest.”  From talking to my children from a young age about God and praying with them openly my children know that God dwells within their very hearts.  If you ask any one of my children where God is they will point to their heart.  I want them to always feel His presence and know that no matter what they face even if they cannot come to me God will be there to comfort, console and to love them completely through it.  Who else could I trust so completely with my children than the very One who created them.

So think to yourself for a few moments today; Do I know God is here?  Do I have the faith of Mary or the doubts of Thomas?  Have I tried to look deep into my heart to grow my faith or is it on the back burner because my life is too busy for that part to be explored?  Do I want to introduce my children to God through my understanding of God?  These are not easy questions but being a parent is not an easy job. You are responsible for this child how do you want to raise him/her, and I’m not talking about a particular religion I am talking about believing in God and having Faith that He will never leave your child’s side, no matter what Church you choose to enter or not enter.  I am talking about the core of Faith: Belief that there is a God.  “Of the Silent God, Who stands by me, waits each day and through each night For me”.  Is that Faith something you want to give your child, Oh what a precious gift to give and how life changing for a child to receive.