“God,” our creator — it’s really just a human-given name
Humbly self-described in the book of Genesis as “I am”
The source of life known to the ancients, likely not tangibly seen
Stories of a burning bush and following a cloud or pillar of fire
Hebrew scripture exalting the divine-dwelling Holy of Holies
Jewish people hungering to be filled with Yahweh’s presence

History moving to Jesus, God’s presence clothed in mortal form
A Messiah of age-old expectation, humanly bringing people to God
His teaching wisdom seemed to people nothing short of miraculous
Some claimed God had become incarnate and dwelled among them
Even surmounting death to bring us to an eternal divine awareness
Christian scripture keeping alive the torch of God’s caring presence

On to current times, the yearning to know our God has never abated
Aside from the Bible, we may also know God today in “everyday” ways
God’s spirit “clothed” in multiple manifestations, myriad divine revelations:

A gorgeous sunset — color pallet and brush strokes of God-like expression
Symmetry in nature — seemingly no end to natural ordered patterns
Surging lake waves — “living” waters rushing to sustain and nourish life
A howling wind — overall sensation of, sometimes, awesome invisible power
A gentle breeze — soothing comfort felt on the skin from head to toe
A bird in flight — God, through Jesus, setting our spirits free
A fragrant meadow — life forms living in relationship and harmony
A sunrise — a radiant life-sustaining orb “rising” to light the Earth
A wagging dog tail — unconditional and companion-like loyalty and affection
The singing of a song — such melodious tones of infinite variety
A tender caress — God reaching out with care through human community
An act of kindness — “doing onto others,” unselfishly, in a loving way
Tears shed for someone — an act of divine-given, empathic compassion
Saying “I’m sorry” — asking to be forgiven as God would forgive us
Holding no grudges — forgiving others as God would forgive us
A baby’s birth — sign of God “watching over” the created generations
A child’s laughter — epitome of the joy of living (joie de vivre)
A human death — celebration of a life lived and eternal life to come
A star-filled sky — such majesty to be seen in the unfolding of creation
A silent time — living in the moment of sensing God in the peaceful quiet
Feeling awestruck — trying to capture the depth of the divine mystery
Self-conscious mortality — God reaching out to bring us to eternity

We trust distant futures to also show signs and assurances of God’s ever-presence
A creator always to be there regardless of the name of the Ultimate Reality
For that Spirit is eternal as we go forth, to be revealed in ways not yet fully known
And were we to physically inhabit new worlds in the realm of endless star-filled space
God would not fail to “clothe” such a Presence in ways loving, revealing, and knowable

Verse by Randall Wehler, 2014