Have you seen those folks in church on Sunday, getting notebook and pen out during the sermon and taking notes? I’m one of those people. And in case you wondered, I rarely look at my notes after the sermon. The reason that I take notes is to keep me focused. My daughter thinks I have ADHD, and she might be right – staying focused on anything has always been a challenge for me. But I have found ways around that, and taking notes during the sermon is one of those ways.
Now occasionally something will be said that strikes a chord with me. Then I underline it, maybe even circle it too, and I promise myself that I will go back to it again. This past Sunday the pastor asked a question – ‘What are five things that you love about God?’ I lost the thread a little after that, because I wanted to answer that question. But then I circled it a few times and asked the Lord to bring me back to it later.
The biggest surprise to me, though was what first leapt into my mind. I love that God is light. I think the time of year has something to do with that. The days are getting shorter, so it’s dark when I get up, and dark again soon after supper. I have a new rescue dog too. When I take her for a walk during the day, her tail goes up in the air, and it slowly moves from side to side. She loves going for a walk. When it is light, that is. Occasionally I take her out after supper, when it is dark, or soon to be dark. Whereas at other times of the day she walks in front of me, tail raised, head up with excitement. Now in the dark she walks behind me. She’ll tolerate going for a walk, but she is no longer excited about it. I don’t like the dark much either.
I love that I don’t have to hide anything from God. I feel better when I bring things into the light, things that I have done that I wish I hadn’t. I say that I am sorry, and I am forgiven. I bring things that I am afraid of to the light. I shouldn’t be afraid because I’m a Christian, right? But sometimes I am, and I bring those things to the Lord. I’m honest about how I feel. I bring everything to the light, and I feel better. God doesn’t berate me, he doesn’t laugh at me, he puts his arms around me, and he loves me.
That was the first thing that came to my mind, and when I look at it now, I realise that I have encompassed more than one facit of who God is. I’m going to say the second thing that I love about God is that he continues to love me, no matter what I have done. I have hidden from the Lord in the past when I know I have failed him. I have learned that that is stupid. He loves me when I have done something wrong and am not yet aware of it, and he loves me when I become aware of it and am sorry. Sometimes I just sit with my hands raised to the Lord and say quietly “I receive your love.” And God loves on me. And when I’m tired, and don’t do the things I probably should do, again I can still receive God’s love.
Probably the third thing I think of should have been the first – I love that God invited me into a relationship with himself. I have read a little about various other gods that people worshiped in the past, and all that they had to do to appease these gods. The sacrifices, the self-inflicted pain. And yet the God that I worship was the one who provided the sacrifice, the one who suffered, for me to come into relationship with him. How can I not be grateful? How can I not love that about him?
The fourth thing that I love about God is that he likes my worship. I enjoy dancing before the Lord, although sometimes I think the word dancing is not very accurate. Perhaps I should say that I like to ‘move’ while I worship. I’m not elegant, or graceful. I just get excited. I do it at home, I do it when I’m out walking sometimes, and I do it in church. I always used to stay at the back of the church so that I would not be a distraction to anyone, but since I have a hearing problem, I need to be near the front now. I don’t know if some folks don’t like it, but I do know that the Lord does.
And my fifth thing that I love about God is that he allows me to be a part of the answer. I can make a difference. Through my worship I am breaking down spiritual barriers. Through my intercessions I am releasing the Holy Spirit to move. Through my financial giving I am a part of all that my money is going towards. Through my service in Sunday School, and the prayer team, and group leading, and talking with different people, I am bringing life to others.
The pastor asked for five things so I will stop at five. I wonder, what would your five things be?
