The Unexpected God

 Yes, since the sustained 107 fever thing, I talk with God. Didn't used to, but now He just walks in, makes Himself at home, and we have these conversations.

And they don't always go the way I think they'll go.

Recently, I was thinking how grateful I am for this second chance, to not be the 'old me'.

And God said, "I like the old you."

Huh?

The day before yesterday, the cancer pain's back, especially the metastasis in my right femur, and I'm saying - out loud - "Pain is just weakness being forced from the body."

God blew a Bronx cheer, and then said, "Pain can be a warning, and it's always a byproduct. it's just pain, and being proud of how much you can tolerate is infantile...something like being proud of the smelliest bowel movement."

Oh-kay.

I don't think God likes pain. Recently I was watching the Hillsong Channel, and a preacher said that "Great things are birthed in pain." Behind me I heard a Bronx cheer (God does seem to like those).

I guess maybe He's seen more than enough hurt, and so I don't use my old favourite expressions, like "Blood makes the grass grow green."

Offending the Almighty's a bad idea.

The point of this is that in the past, I really didn't believe people talked to God. I thought they were having conversations in their own heads, perhaps informed by the Almighty, but that's as far as it went.

To be honest, I didn't really pay attention to what they said, tuning them out after "God said to me..."

No more.

Aside from the reality of His Voice (He's got a distinct Chicago accent, in case you were wondering), the deciding 'reality check' for me is that He flat out contradicts things that I say, and for a long time held dear ("Pain is merely weakness being forced from the body.")

A God who backed up my prejudices would be fun, be would also be a little-'g' god.

This dude is willing to fight me (like it's a contest, right?)...He's my Big G God.

Some folks said they talk to God,

and I thought, well, maybe true,

but it sounds to me, like, really odd;

hope I don't cross paths with you.

And then I faced my quiet death,

and I saw the Other Side;

my lungs were filled with Holy Breath,

and I learned how to abide

with a God who talked a lot,

'bout life and death and love and pain,

some things He said, well, I forgot,

but it seems enough remain

that the God I knew and formally respected,

has become Lord of the Unexpected.

The only song I could think of that was about talking is Toby Keith's I Wanna Talk About Me, so here goes. I rather doubt the video could be made in today's cultural climate, which makes it either more worth watching or a good reason to turn my metaphorical picture to the wall. (If your device doesn't play the video, please click here.)

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.