The Lurking Presence of God

“Our world is saturated with grace, and the lurking presence of God is revealed not only in spirit but in matter--in a deer leaping across a meadow, in the flight of an eagle, in fire and water, in a rainbow after a summer storm, in a gentle doe streaking through a forest, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in a child licking a chocolate ice cream cone, in a woman with windblown hair.  God intended for us to discover His loving presence in the world around us.”  Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

God rarely shouts for our attention.  He is often subtle and quiet.  Lurking, even.  Hoping we’ll perceive His presence in the room.  Hoping we’ll see that He has carefully and deliberately planted clues about Himself all around, hoping we’ll recognize them for what they really are.

Everything God has done is relevant.  Nothing He has done is irrelevant to who He is.  All creation.  All revelation.  Every inspired word of Scripture.  Every order He has put into place has a purpose greater than itself.  Everything we see exists not for itself.  Every encounter, every universal law, every person exists for a God-inspired purpose.

What is that purpose?  What exactly is the relevance of the oak tree in my backyard?  And just why should I concern myself with it?  And is there something about the celestial sky that has meaning?  What difference does it make if the planets rotate in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction on their axes?  Could the structure of a cell possibly tell me anything about the Creator of the universe?