Sam shuffled in his chair. God sat silently; affectionately staring at Sam with that same wild grin. God was with him, and he was evidently enjoying their time together, but he was silent nonetheless. Sam wondered why God didn’t keep the conversation flowing? Why the silence? Sam gazed back at God; he couldn’t rationalise any good reason for such periods of silence, but if nothing else, the silence between them gave Sam the opportunity to study God.

God wasn’t beautiful; that puzzled Sam. His appearance was rather routine, simple; commonplace even. Sam pondered why God, who could have presented himself in any form he desired, chose to present himself in a way that was so, well, ordinary? God had chosen to meet with Sam emptied of any majesty; a man with neither athletic physique nor good looks; a man void of outer appeal. Yet, despite any outer grandeur or brute strength to attract Sam to him, God had captivated his heart nonetheless.

Over the years, Sam had developed his own picture of God. He envisioned a towering image of strength that cast a constant shadow of judgement over him. He saw the back of an angry, bitter ruler who loathed his lifestyle, rejected his cries and scorned his infidelities. He saw the outline of a judge who screamed; who burned; who drew his sword against him. He saw a figure like steel that crushed his hopes and condemned his failings. He saw a mighty, demanding authority who shook his head in disappointment. He saw a silhouette that caused him to run; a judgemental god; an unfair god; a god he could live without.

Sam sat in the silence, looking into the eyes of the vulnerable, ordinary God before him. He stared in awe as he realised how this God was nothing like the god of his imagination. This God did not seek to drag him before his judgement seat; rather he met him as an equal; a servant even. He didn’t expect Sam to beg forgiveness, rather, he took his side; he defended him; justified him. He silenced the roars of violence and condemnation; he overcame the strong man who crippled him with fear and despair. He set him free; he met him in his mess, and yet declared him clean. He didn’t talk about his faults, failings or unbelief; rather he just talked; how incredible that God just wanted to talk; no stings attached.

The body God chose to reveal himself in was limited; weak even, but there was more to God than the jar of clay sitting before him. There was an eternity within; a power that could not be contained; a love that was limitless; a Spirit that was radically free. Sam looked at the visible God before him; the humble, unspectacular God in human skin, and somehow, through being able to see him in such a fragile shell, it enabled him to see the glorious, invisible God who reigned within.

Sam could see God; his eyes were open! Life erupted. He stood atop a mountain; his feet secure; his heart ablaze; his hands raised. The heavens roared; the sun engulfed him; the wind encircled him, the world was alive; Sam was alive; new life had overtaken him. He could see God. After all the visions of a harsh, vengeful, disappointed god that one preacher after another had painted for him, Sam could finally see the reality of the loving, embracing, graceful God. It was a moment of clarity that disarmed years of distortion. A breathe of grace that extinguished the a fire of lies. (Continue reading)

God was sitting in peace; relaxed and patient. He seemed to be enjoying the moments of silence between them. Sam studied God. In contrast to Sam’s own insecurities, God seemed unusually comfortable in a human body; this amazed Sam.

How could God feel more comfortable in a human body than he did? He was, after all, the universe creating being; limitless in power; divine in glory. He was, in his natural state, bigger than all things, yet he had limited himself in order to meet with Sam. God had limited himself – for Sam? That thought rattled Sam; he didn’t know to respond to such a profound act of grace.

The limitless God had limited himself, taking on the very nature of a teacher; a servant even? But the almighty wouldn’t really do such a thing, would he? Yet, there he was, sitting before Sam; he was with Sam.

The prison warden within Sam was outraged, for he could see the walls of enslavement were being shaken; the defence system that reigned for so long was now being challenged, for the first time, by a greater force. The enemy within screamed, he threw his full force of fear upon Sam, but his tools of deception and fear mongering lacked their previous power; something had changed. The war veteran within had found himself unexpectedly up against a greater power. The still, silent power of love was at work within Sam, and it was quickly establishing control.

This was not a battle Sam was fighting; rather it was one that God seemed to be fighting on his behalf. The strong man within,  that had ruled with an iron fist for so long, had been tied up by a freedom fighter of greater strength.  God was sitting before him in the likeness of a man, but Sam could also feel the almighty at work within.

Sam reclined in his chair; he breathed easy. God raised his eyebrows, as if he was looking for permission to continue. Sam smirked and tilted his head slightly; he was intrigued as to what would come next. God began to speak, “So we’ve talked about verbs, now how about nouns?” God’s request was accompanied by an embracing grin. He continued, “Sam, give me an example of a noun, any noun will do.”

Sam closed his eyes, he cried out, “A noun, I need a noun!” as he raced hysterically through a long white corridor, overturning bins full of garbage and trying to open locked doors everywhere,  “Where are the nouns?” He screamed, the question continued to echo down the endless corridor. Sam recklessly searched for a noun, any noun. Sam could still hear his own faint echo, “Where are the nouns?” Sam broke down doors and overturned the tables in desperation, he uncovered evidence of a past he’d rather forget, and current pains he’d rather avoid. He had stored so much rubbish in his mind, so much waste, so much clutter, but what about a noun? He just needed one noun, but it was hopeless, he couldn’t find one. He collapsed; he squirmed; oh the agony!

Sam opened his eyes, and before he could hide in shame, he found himself staring directly into the face of God, and instantly the agony of being caught out as a fool disappeared. How did God manage to do that? How was God able to assure him that even in the midst of his lack, his weakness and his foolishness, he was accepted? God didn’t use words to convince Sam of this; he just seemed to instil it in Sam whenever he looked at him. Sam was perplexed; how could there be so much transformational power be at work within him whenever he simply looked at God?

Sam thoughts returned to God’s original question. Sam sighed, shook his head and playfully threw his arms up in surrender, ”God, you’re well aware that I don’t know the answer!” God smirked; Sam was expected a wagging finger, but instead God appeared pleased, impressed even. “The answer”, God repeated, “How ingenious of you Sam”, Sam’s jaw dropped as God enthusiastically continued, “that was a fantastic example of a noun!”

“A noun is any word that you can use ‘the’ with.” God went on to explain, but Sam was lost; he still couldn’t see it. Just as he was about to close his eyes and retreat inside once more, God leaned forward and whispered to Sam, “You don’t have to dive into your minds storage house to find a noun, you only needed to look around you, nouns are everywhere! God looked around the room and started calling out what he saw, “The table, the chair, the wall, the television, the window, the pencil, the door”, turning back to Sam, he continued, “and in your case, ‘the answer’ was also a great example of a noun!”

Sam mumbled God’s words to himself, “A noun is any word I can put ‘the’ before.” He pondered the thought for a moment,  then threw out the first noun that came to his mind, “The grammar lesson”. God laughed, he was evidently enjoying his time with Sam. “Exactly” God said; he continued, “and you even threw in an adjective for good measure!”

Sam groaned inwardly and sighed once more; an adjective? Oh boy, this was going to be a long day. (Continue reading)