God Responds in Evolution and Immediacy
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
God uses the evolutionary process to create transformation. We get angry with God when divine intervention does not take place in our personal lives quickly enough, or we curse God for “allowing” negative things to happen. Yet often, it is the same ones making the complaint that scream the loudest for belief in evolution. You cannot have it both ways. My grandmother used to say, “God’s time is not our time.” The older I get, the more intelligent Granny becomes.
Our world is constantly changing and evolving, but often in response to our free will. For every two divinely positive reactions God provides, there is one colossal setback created by us humans. It isn’t God’s fault we are so difficult to work with individually and globally. Once we affirm God’s continued work through our evolutionary process, we can remain trusting and believe God still works in our world. This evolutionary process of divine impact requires time and reflection to see the hand of God at work.
Where God does intervene in our daily lives, in recognizable ways, is in care and support. God cries with us, God listens to us, and God speaks through us. With, to, and through are descriptive words that clarify our relationship with our Triune God. The Almighty One honors our personhood as independent beings who choose to be in a relationship, not based on coercion. The lack of manipulation necessitates time for divine transitions in our lives, but that does not preclude God from providing care through the miraculous love extended to our hearts, minds, and souls.
While I’ve had ten different surgical procedures and other challenging health issues, I remain healthy and blessed because I’ve never felt lost or alone. Each time the Holy Spirit has brought people into my life for support, I’ve felt comforted and strengthened by the Spirit of the living God. Today, affirm God’s evolutionary process, always moving toward “the new heaven and the new earth.” Yet, while that long-term process can often make God feel distant because we cannot see change with our five senses, God remains at work. While some of God’s actions are not readily apparent, think about those times when God has felt close. The strength you’ve received, and the clarity in making profound life choices create visions of divine activity. When we affirm God’s intimacy from one vantage point, it is easier to trust the God we cannot prove from another point in life.