Are You Fresh for Everything?

Here are Oswald's phrases that stuck out to me today:

• "as mysterious as the wind, as surprising as God Himself"
• "a perennial, perpetual and eternal beginning"
• "the continual surprise of the life of God"
• "freshness does not come from obedience but from the Holy Spirit"
• "don't pretend with Him"

I read in a book once where the author said she often wanted desperately to stand up in the middle of the church service and shout, "God is not ordinary!" I want to shout that -- to myself -- because, even though I know he isn't, I often act as though he is. Prayer -- ho hum. Church -- ho hum. A relationship with the Almighty Creator of the universe -- ho hum? I don't think so.

Mysterious. If he knows when a sparrow falls to the ground and the number of hairs on my head, if he loads the clouds with moisture and tells the rain, "Be a mighty downpour," then he knows when an island country will be devastated by a 7.2 earthquake. If he spreads out the skies and makes the lightning flash, then he could prevent tragedy of epic proportions, but this time -- in Haiti's case -- he didn't.

Surprising. Almost 20 years ago, he gave me -- a barren woman -- not just one child, but two. One in my arms and one in my womb. The first was born on the day of love, and four years later on the exact same day, he gave me a third child.

Fresh. Like a deep red strawberry plucked warm from the vine. Like the whisper of breeze on a horribly hot day. Like orange juice squeezed moments before drinking. Like a baby's fascination with his newfound toes. Like words or colors unexpectedly thrown together or the smile of a stranger.

Perpetual beginnings. What I can have day after day after day if I am honest and don't pretend.

If I confess my sins, he is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteouness.

God is not ordinary.

Barbara