Last night hubby and I were invited over to our daughter’s place for a hot-dog/s’mores party with her friends. It was so much fun!
Our daughter has a fireplace where she lives, so after a cozy fire had been lit, we all cooked our fancy chicken/apple hot-dogs over the fire. It was terrific fun!
In the past, hubby and I have cooked our hot-dogs over a bonfire outside … where the wind invariably shifts, causing billows of bonfire smoke to envelop you! (and permeate your clothes and hair with the smell of bonfire smoke!) But cooking hot-dogs over a fire in the fireplace was absolutely delightful! No unpleasant smoke wafting over you at all!
And then s’mores! They had gotten fancy schmancy chocolate for our s’mores! Amazing!
We had the best time hanging out together!
As I was pondering what spiritual lesson God had for me, I couldn’t help but think of yesterday’s blog post about the gift of being able to communicate. In order to have a relationship with someone … there must be communication!
But at the same time … there must also be response!
The reason last night’s hot-dog/smore’s party was such a special time together is because our daughter communicated with us (by inviting us over to her home) … and hubby and I, in turn, responded (by coming over and hanging out together for the evening).
Having a relationship with someone requires both communication … and response!
When it comes to life (regardless of whether or not someone believes in God) God is always communicating with humanity!
For example, on our way down to take the car to the auto shop early yesterday morning, the sky came alive with the most amazing sunrise! It was breathtaking!
I wasn’t able to take a photo because I was driving. But I couldn’t help but respond in gratitude for God’s beautiful early morning gift!
As I gazed at the sky ablaze with color (as I was driving), I couldn’t help but wonder if any other people cruising past on the road were likewise responding in gratitude to God for such an amazing gift to start the day.
My guess is probably not that many.
Our God is a relational God. God the Father … God the Son (Jesus!) … and God the Holy Spirit. One God, three persons. The Trinity.
God doesn’t need humanity. God has perfect relationship within the Trinity.
But when God created humanity, God made us relational … just like himself. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
God gave us the gift of being able to communicate … because God wants to have a relationship with us!
God gave us the gift of being able to respond … because God wants to have a relationship with us! Is that not mind-blowing?!
And as part of that … God regularly communicates with us!
God communicates with us through beautiful sunrises … and beautiful sunsets! God communicates with us through the Northern Lights! … letting us know how majestic and powerful he is! And how much he loves us!
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” – Psalm 19:1-2
God communicates with us through mighty storms … as he protects us in the middle of the storm; and shows us how mighty and powerful he is!
“He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them.” – Job 37:11-12
God communicates with us through the special book he wrote just for us – Bible! God wants us to know who he is! God wants us to know what he is like! God wants to have a relationship with us!
God gave us the gift of being able to communicate … because God wants to have a relationship with us!
But in order for there to be a relationship, there must be communication … and response!
Having a relationship with God requires both communication … and response!
Have you ever had anyone “ghost” you? You try to communicate with them … but they totally ignore your text messages and don’t respond. You call them but they don’t answer. You leave voice messages … but they never respond.
It is really hard to have a relationship with someone who never responds.
In fact, it is impossible to have a relationship with someone who chooses not to respond.
Have you ever had someone “ghost” you for weeks! … then suddenly respond one random day, with lots of gushing words … as if to act like they care (I guess to make up for the fact that they ignored you for so long!).
I can’t help but think this is how many people treat God.
God reaches out … and reaches out … and reaches out … etc.
People totally see his beautiful sunrise gifts. But they don’t respond at all in acknowledgment or gratitude.
God has given his special Word (the Bible) to invite people in to know who he is and how much he loves them! But people don’t bother to read it.
God speaks to people in their conscience … perhaps about some issue which needs change. And people don’t respond at all to God’s prompting.
I’m sure it breaks God’s heart when we don’t respond to God’s efforts of communicating with us.
I’m sure it must be very sad for God to lavish such beautiful gifts on humanity … only for humanity to totally ignore him. And proceed about their merry way.
Back to the topic of today’s blog post: Gratitude … for a hot-dog/s’mores party at my daughter’s!
It wasn’t necessarily the delicious hot-dogs roasting over the fire … or the tasty, toasted marshmallows … or the cozy sound of the crackling fire in the fireplace which made the evening so special.
It was the relationship!
It was the fact that our daughter communicates with us … on a regular basis.
And we in turn, respond!
It’s the fact that hubby and I communicate with our daughter … on a regular basis.
And she, in turn responds!
In order to have a relationship with someone … there must be communication! And response!
Summing it all up:
Thank you God, that you have given us the gift of being able to communicate! Both with each other … and with you, God! Thank you God, that you want to have a relationship with us! That’s mind-blowing!
Thank you also, God, that you have given us the gift of being able to respond! Both with each other … so that we can have meaningful relationships with each other. But also with you, God.
Thank you God, that we have the beautiful gift of responding to your love for us!
Thank you God, that we have the beautiful gift of responding to what you show us in your Word!
Thank you God, that we have the beautiful gift of responding to what you convict us of in our conscience.
Thank you for the gift of being able to respond!
