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Dalton
Roberts |
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Alice
Walker in The
Color Purple says,
"Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me." Where did
we ever get the notion that God lives at church and we go there to meet
Him? If God is omnipresent, there is no reason at all to suppose there
is more of God one place than another. "Omni" means
everywhere, so God is present everywhere. I love the
story about the old cowboy who was converted in the bunkhouse by the
witness of another cowboy. He wanted to be with other Christians so he
rode into a nearby town the next Sunday. He was dressed roughly and
smelled of horses and cattle. The preacher took him aside and asked him
to talk to the Lord about proper attire for worship. The next Sunday the
cowboy came dressed the same way and the preacher said he had been
hop[ing he would check with the Lord on proper attire. The cowboy said,
"I did talk to the Lord and He said he had no idea how to dress for
this church because He has never been here." A good joke
but the truth is that God is in that church and every church but his
presence is only known in the hearts of people who are aware of his
presence. When our
hearts feel bare and empty, it is good to declare, "God is in my
heart because he is omnipresent." Having established that fact, it
is easier to develop an awareness of the presence. I remember
going to my first Quaker silent worship. I had no idea what to expect.
They sat in a big circle and no one spoke a word. I was uncomfortable
for at least ten minutes. Then I thought, "These folks are
experiencing something here and maybe I can feel it, too, if I will just
become open, aware and still." It worked. It was an experience I
have never forgotten. If we are
aware of the presence in our hearts, any place and every place is a
place of peace and joy -- a place to experience the omni-presence. Dalton's
website is www.daltonroberts.com.
His writings are gathered at www.ipsfeatures.com.
Write him at DownhomeP@aol.com
or DaltonRoberts@comcast.net.
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