Last week I wrote about seeing God in a generous exchange at a Nebraska restaurant as we travelled to Colorado. My point was that God is always active—and sometimes we see it. Seeing life through a God-shaped lens doesn’t just happen. Identifying God at work requires • knowledge of how God operated in the past (knowing how God acted in Bible stories and church history), • curiosity, • humility (e.g., acknowledging that I am not the center of the Universe), • daily practice (i.e., devotions/quiet time like this), and • a faith community to guide us (through worship, small group, personal conversations). 

Many times we miss seeing God at work. I love a line I learned from a wise soul in Duluth: “coincidences are simply miracles where God chooses to remain anonymous.” Ideally, people of faith can sense God’s autograph on otherwise anonymous occurences (e.g., healing, personal or social peace, problem solved, reconciliation). I pray we all can continue to develop better spiritual vision through our faith practices. (How can we ever get better at anything without practicing?).

In response to my devotional our daughter, Sarah Richter, wrote to me: “nice devotional, Dad. We saw God through the eyes of children watching and playing in majestic nature.” (Currently they are in Montana, working and playing while staying with Doug’s mother.) Sarah and family know that behind all the natural delights of the Rockies there is a good God of amazing creativity. The delight in their children’s eyes reveals glimpses of how this works. 

I recently met that same God in the face of a dying RLC member. His last words to me, delivered through an iPad held over his face by a relative, were “takk sa mykett” (Swedish for “thank you very much”). I believe that he had seen God as well—as he was taking his final breaths.

Spiritual growth continues from childhood to death. It’s a byproduct of faithful living, of staying connected to the Source of everything good: the God who came in Christ and who continues to work among us through the Holy Spirit. St. Paul describes this in Galatians 5:22-23...

The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

I pray for you lots of spiritual fruit this summer as you see God at work all around us. Let us know where and how. We’d like to hear it!

– Rolf Olson, Visitation Pastor