The Gathering

How do you picture God? Is He some vapor way far away? Is He a big monster that you fear? Does He look like your earthly father? Take a minute and think about it. Just sit quietly and try to get a picture of what God looks like to you.
I was in a Bible study many years ago and that was one of the things the leader had us do. Get a mental picture of what God looked like to us. It took me a while....I couldn’t get a mental picture...He was like a cloud or fuzzy image. But after relaxing and just letting my mind go I got a picture. And to this day...it is the same.
There’s this big victorian house with a wrap-around porch. Couldn’t tell you what color the house is...but its big... and the porch is too. On this porch is at least one rocking chair. And there are 4 steps leading up to the porch from the sidewalk that crosses the lawn. Sometimes there are children playing in the yard. Sometimes there are teens sitting on the steps. Other times there are adults standing around talking. In that rocking chair is God. He’s got a glow to him...not a bright scarry light, just a warm, soothing glow. And even though His face isn’t clear to me I know He’s smiling.
When I’m feeling closest to Him I’m sitting in His lap with my head resting against His chest and we’re quietly talking. At other times I’m sitting on those steps visiting with friends and God is watching me as I occasionally look over at Him. Sometimes I’m in the yard, playing with the kids and not really watching God. Then God is standing by the chair still watching me. And sometimes I’m heading out the gate and not looking back at the porch. At those times God is standing at the edge of the porch motioning me to come back. Once in a while I’m not in the picture. And God is standing at that gate with an anxious look on His face. He’s looking up and down the block, calling my name.
When I get that last scene I know its time to get on my knees and start talking to God again. Its lonely out there away from the yard, away from the steps and away from His lap. I try not to get off of His lap...but you know how it is....friends call, or there’s this tv show I want to watch, or I want to go to the mall....and well, God wouldn’t want to go there with me. So I slip off His lap and head toward the steps. Sometimes I just sit on the steps for a while and then go back to His lap. But other times its easier to go into the yard to play. And from there its easier to slip out the gate and head down the block....but its lonely out there. I want to go back...but gee, I might miss some fun. No matter how far I get from His lap, though. He’s there, calling me back. Saying my name...drawing me close to Him. And I know...know it in my heart...that that’s where I want to be. All the time, forever safe in His arms.
How do you picture God? Is he calling your name? Waiting for you to come back to the porch and His lap?

MaryJo Ramsay 26 October 2005