Reflection of
the Month - June 2006
God Talk
If talking to God were like talking to my long-time friend Andrea,
then we could pick up right where we left off, no matter how many weeks
or months had passed since we last talked.
If I could talk to God like I talk to my old friend Catherine, then
not only could I talk to God about anything, but I’d be compelled to
talk honestly about my shortcomings and struggles. And I’d learn to
recognize humor in everyday things, as humor would dominate the tone of
long conversations.
If talking to God were like talking to my new friend Coy, then I
would try, sometimes in vain, to listen more than I talk. Though fast
friends, the more I learn about my friend the greater my respect for him
and his character and the deeper my appreciation for his friendship.
If I could talk to God like I talk to my friend Jeff, then I could
philosophize and theologize while trying to work out what I believe and
make sense of a faith which sometimes wrestles with difficult questions
to find order and beauty in the grief and chaos that life sometimes
seems to be.
If talking to God were like talking to my friend Paul, then as I
listened, I would observe incredible patience, kindness, and generosity
towards others. I would hope that I could emulate this goodness in my
relationships and that, like my friend, I would treat even strangers as
friends.
If I could talk to God like I talk to my friend David, then I could
vent a morning’s routine frustrations. And I could come away with a
renewed gratitude and a reminder that no matter how unkind the morning
has treated me, others suffer true injustice and unrest that I will
probably never know.
If talking to God were like talking to my friends, then I could
hardly wait for the next communion … Amen.
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