I was found...

"Been reading in Romans, "I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."
Whew... Christ reveals himself to people like me who were not looking. He showed himself in the mountains where I grew up. He showed himself in the trees and the mountain goats, in the mosses and the granite rock. He showed himself in the myriad clouds and the shadows of nightfall, and in the starry skies. I did not seek but I could not help but to find Him.

Blindness to the presence of Christ is like ignoring the tree that is growing in my back yard. It started as just a seedling: tiny, a few leaves. Nothing to be concerned about and yet... it was there and its presence bothered me. I did not want to notice. I was preoccupied. The seedling grew, and became a sapling. Long and thin, it was rather gangly and I could not identify it. Perhaps I would pay attention to it next fall, pull it out with the fall weeding chores. Or perhaps I could nurture it, transplant it and call it my own. Perhaps.

The tree grew, despite my lack of interest and it could not be ignored. It grew under the cement and stone in my yard and it swelled and fractured the very foundation it was growing under. I could not ignore it anymore.  But what was I to do with this tree? Was it in my way, or was it offering shelter and shade if I would only nurture it and pay it a little attention?

Do you have a sapling growing in your life?  Are the roots trying to catch on and flourish, if only you would feed it and water it a little?  Its so easy to ignore saplings, and yet, they produce shelter from the storms if you will only encourage the growth of that young tree.

The Lord is a very strong presence. He is there, nudging at you, at me. He is willing to reveal himself to those who are not looking for him. Are you looking? Has He nudged you?  Bring to Him the water of your presence, soak up the wisdom in His word and see if the very roots that grow and the leaves that flourish don't offer you the sustenance and protection that you need in a future storm.  He is waiting.

Turn on the faucet of acceptance, and let Him flourish in your garden.