What Is God Saying To Me?

As I write this it is early the morning the day after our country’s Election Day. 

I still don’t know the results.

Yesterday, on Election Day, I went to 10AM mass at Domino’s Farms, the large office building in Ann Arbor which houses Domino’s home offices and a number of University of Michigan medical offices.  There is a chapel in the building which seats about 100, and each workday there are masses at 8, 10, 12, and 5.  (Wouldst that all offices had such a convenience!)   After mass, all present joined me in singing God Bless America, and again I heard thanks from the many attendees.

After mass I stayed to pray my morning prayers, and was surprised to notice that I had not brought my bible to the chapel.  I have a small bible which contains the New Testament and Psalms, and every day for about the past year I have been reading one chapter from each.  I reminded myself to read the bible passages when I got home --- but I forgot.  Later I met with a young man for lunch who is about to embark again to Lebanon, to work in the refugee camps there (I’ll write more about his work another time.).   Then I went to vote; coming out of the elementary school where I voted, I told someone just entering that the line inside was two hours long.  “Really,” they asked?  I laughed and said: “Did I neglect to tell you I was running for office, and so I lie a lot?”  And they laughed.  (There were no long lines.)

After a great dinner (Did I ever write about what a great cook I am? Oops, that’s the politician coming out in me again!), I finished reading a really great book --- and that too I shall write about on another day.  And then at 9PM I lay down to nap, before going to my midnight adoration hour.  And going to and from the chapel, I listened to a CD, deliberately not wanting to listen to election coverage --- I’m sure I’ll hear enough about the results in the days and months to come.  My time in the chapel went quickly; it was a good night with God.

Back home again, I slept soundly for a few hours until the alarm woke me this morning for the early 6:45A mass. Again, going to and from church I listened to music on the CD.  The mass was good, the homily focused on the readings, and no one made mention of election results.  And this time I remembered to take my bible with me into church, and so after mass I opened the bible to my two bookmarks, where I read the next chapter of the New Testament, and the next Psalm.

The bookmarks were at Revelation 18, and Psalm 57.  Reading them, I was confident that God was speaking to me in the quiet of the church, about the past day’s election results and my concerns over them.  And it gave me a great peace.

When I get around to reading the paper later this morning and see the actual results, will the thoughts I had about those bible readings change?  Perhaps, but I DO think that I WILL read those chapters again, and ponder them more later on today.

It is a good thing to read the bible each day.  It is one thing almost all Christian churches agree upon.  And in reading His word, God sometimes DOES speak to us.  Perhaps today you too might begin reading a chapter a day, as I do. 

Might I suggest that you start with Revelation Chapter 18 and Psalm 57? 

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Oh, as I approached home from mass this morning, the CD was playing this song, most appropriately:

Forever

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise [2x]

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
And by the grace of God we will carry on
His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise [2x]

[2x]
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever

Sing praise, sing praise [4x]

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever

Forever You are faithful
Forever You are strong
Forever You are with us
Forever

(-- Lyrics by Chris Tomlin)