My board chair just sent me this:
First Baptist Church in Forest, Ohio, made all the papers last summer. According to CNN, a guest evangelist was "preaching repentance and seeking a sign from God" when lightning struck the steeple.
Ronnie Cheney, 43, a member of First Baptist, put it this way: "You could hear the storm building outside. The evangelist just kept asking God for a sign; and my goodness gracious, did that evangelist ever get one!
Evidently, according to Ronnie, a lightning stroke traveled through the steeple, down the wires and through the microphone, blew out the sound system and enveloped the preacher in an amazing BOOM and a flash of light! Fortunately, the evangelist, though seriously shaken, was not injured.
The service continued for another 20 minutes until the parishioners realized the church was on fire and evacuated. Total damages were kept to just under $268,000 . . . and a new hair-do for the evangelist.
God may certainly do those things. But the Almighty doesn't seem to have a very good track record of repentant results from razzle-dazzle, or from Cecil B. DeMille, or from make-all-the-papers type miracles. After God's "Top Ten" plagues in Egypt, the Hebrews went right back to doubting His existence.
After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, which would appear as pretty convincing proof that He was who He said He was, the religious leaders got together to plan His execution for first-degree heresy.
You'd think that parting the Red Sea, raising the dead, or zapping a visiting evangelist with mega-volts of electricity would make a believer out of any hell-bent infidel. But Jesus warns, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!" Then Jesus says, "All will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Imagine that? ! Love, not electricity, as THE "sign"? Could it be that his followers loving others (including their enemies) is more convincing proof of God's existence and activity on earth than lightning from heaven? Unselfish love in loving our enemies, caring for the least of these, feeding the hungry and nurturing faith in God's love is like a bolt from the blue . . . and that's even more impressive than a lightning-zapped evangelist!
I can see that God is in your midst becasue I can see the love and caring and support you all have for each other. You may call it something other than god but its there. For me its God (big G) becasue that's the language I grew up with. A more universal term would be Love (with a big L).
Its a little incongruent for me to say this - but when talking about their faith and loving one another, many of our more fundamental brothers and sisters really are talking about God with a litttle g and Love with a little l.
You gals and guys are big L people !!!
A(WO)MEN!
;)
Cindi
Quote from: debbiej on March 22, 2007, 12:55:11 PM
Imagine that? ! Love, not electricity, as THE "sign"? Could it be that his followers loving others (including their enemies) is more convincing proof of God's existence and activity on earth than lightning from heaven? Unselfish love in loving our enemies, caring for the least of these, feeding the hungry and nurturing faith in God's love is like a bolt from the blue . . . and that's even more impressive than a lightning-zapped evangelist!
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You gals and guys are big L people !!!
When you feel Love, Deb, it's much more powerful than some small lightning bolt. It has always been the sign for me and guided me.
You're a big L lady too you know!
BTW: Thanks for the story I hadn't seen it before, I almost spit my water through my nose reading it. Something about still preaching and the church is on fire...
-Sandy (anybody, got a hankie?)
True story.....about a year or so ago (pre divorce) I was debating a MAJOR job change and having a very very hard time with making a decision. I had until 3 pm one day to call the new employer if I wanted the position they'd sought me out for (I am an Interior Designer by trade and Ethan Allen was hounding me to come on board). Anyhow, I was on my way home from the grocery store and as I sat at a red light to make a left hand turn I said a little prayer asking for some sort of sign as I had less than an hr before my time to accept was up...when the light changed, I made my left hand turn and there was a church and the church sign said.....drum roll please...................................
"If you're looking for a sign from God, this is it"
I took the job at Ethan Allen...I wasn't gonna question it.
Purple roses falling from the sky.
Quote from: togetherwecan on March 22, 2007, 06:45:39 PM
I made my left hand turn and there was a church and the church sign said.....drum roll please...................................
"If you're looking for a sign from God, this is it"
I love it!!!! If only it were always that clear :)
Looking for signs and omens is sorta my passion in life. I'm actually quite insane, relying on signs and omens and intuition to pretty much dictate everything I do. "Sign from God" is a bit of a metaphor to me, more than an actual fact. I view it as a way we all tell ourselves what we already know, but haven't SEEN yet for some reason (don't want to, in denial, haven't put enough puzzle pieces together yet, etc.).
But these Signs are everywhere, IF you look for them. And the more you look, the more you find, and the more personal and amusing they get. The World is interactive - if you appreciate it, applaud it, it'll show off for you.. like a child showing off to a parent. It WANTS attention, it's trying to GET your attention through all these signs and hints and displays of natural art. Pay attention to it, talk to it, and it'll take care of you too ;)
Kate
Quote from: Kate on March 23, 2007, 11:06:42 AM
But these Signs are everywhere, IF you look for them. And the more you look, the more you find, and the more personal and amusing they get. The World is interactive - if you appreciate it, applaud it, it'll show off for you.. like a child showing off to a parent. It WANTS attention, it's trying to GET your attention through all these signs and hints and displays of natural art. Pay attention to it, talk to it, and it'll take care of you too ;)
Kate
Absolutely!!!
Some people call it a "convergence of circumstances". I see it all the time in my ministry. Its how things get done. It can't always be explained how one persons need gets filled by another. The pastor that put up that "sign" for her to see certainly didn't know the personal struggle she was having. She knew that people were having struggles in the world so he put up a sign he/she thought was a bit amusing. What is really amazing is those convergences that can only be explained by the connections between people over time and space. I've seen it over and over again. Someday I'm going to write a book. I just shared one in a post yesterday. If I knew how to link to it I would. We are ALL connected and it is in those connections that we find our gods. Its where we find our signs.
Debbie
Quote from: debbiej on March 23, 2007, 11:29:49 AM
Its how things get done. It can't always be explained how one persons need gets filled by another.
Consider checking out a book called,
"The Celestine Prophecy." It gets kinda off-track and reaching after awhile, but the basic idea is kinda neat. The idea being that we're ALL carrying around the answers to other people's life questions, we're all sorta messengers for God whether we know it or not. And that if we carry our questions around in our hearts, openly and honestly without trying to force or "figure out" an answer, our answers will find US. And in doing so, by truly empathizing with other people, we provide answers for them too in a synchronistic, cooperative dance.
Kate
Kate,
In my ministry I tell people that I'm comfortable with a certain amount on ineptitude on my part as I try to do my job. If I did it all or knew it all then I wouldn't need anyone else. We're all wandering around trying to figure things out and its been amazing what we've accomplished together. People try to give me credit but I hit them with the above line and tell them none of it would have happened without an army of volunteers with great ideas and great answers. All I really do is say, "yeah, we can do that and how do you want to help".
The same can be said for finding answers in our personal lives. Something more than just google led me to Susan's Place and all of you!!!
Debbie
Simply one of the most moving things i think i've read in a long time - almost ever, because of it's perfect and beautiful simplicity.
Truly thank you for this.
Lovingly Always,
Love Forever,
Sincerely,
Annagirl
:'( I also have to thank you for sharing this. We do need more posts like yours around here.
tink :icon_chick: