Good morning…
I searched high and low, downstairs and up, trying to find the book containing the quote God laid upon my heart. During my early morning prayer time, I sensed somehow that at least one of you needs these words today. So I searched for the book, searched and searched. I finally found my well-worn copy of Paula D’Arcy’s Gift of the Red Bird. Skimming underlined page after underlined page, my eyes savor the wisdom sparked by the Holy Spirit.
“Being a good person doesn’t mean life won’t wound you. None of the protections I believed in were real. And now I am left either resenting my life because I didn’t get the things I wanted, or learning to love life on its own terms. Really, learning to accept God on his own terms. It is very, very quiet inside of me. My first honest prayer is a whisper. ‘God, if you are really out there, help me. Let me find you.'” Paula continues: “I have this growing conviction that when God first came to me in response to my prayer he dimmed himself. I know he is blinding white light. But I could never have withstood the brightness. Somehow that gesture moves me more than a thousand miracles.” (p. 33, 37)
The God of the universe dimmed himself before dawn, coming to help us that first Christmas morn. Wrapping divine light in the soft skin of a baby, our Savior was born into our dark, sleeping world.
Right now God is with us in our very, very quiet darkness. Like a dimmer switch slowly lifted by the Fatherly finger, Jesus gradually sheds light on the dirt path at our bare feet. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:4-5, NIV).
…Sue…
