Have you ever gone on a God Hunt? A God Hunt begins when you teach yourself to look for God’s hand at work in the every day occurrences of your life. Here’s one of my personal God Hunt Sightings:
David ordered tickets to attend the Ballet Folklorico at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, IL. This auditorium restoration has returned the theatre to its original art-deco style. It is gorgeous and has served the western suburbs with dance and theatre for the last couple of decades. My husband invited some of the Hispanic friends who serve us in the bank we frequent.
We were not prepared to be stunned by the sheer beauty of the traditional costumes. It felt like the majority of the hundreds of Hispanic Americans in the audience were friends and family of the performers on stage, a local dance troupe. Everyone—kids parents, grandparents—were all certainly boosters.
At the end of the evening, the dancers came down off the stage into the aisles, and I noticed one middle-aged man stepping out of the audience and moving to the traditional rhythm with a teenage girl between 13 and 16 years of age. It felt like the people around me, even with the music and the dance and the clapping, took special notice. They nodded to one another and fixed their attention on this man and his young partner.
The Cuban émigré sitting beside me, with whom I’d been chatting during the intermission whispered, “You see that man? He is a priest in town here.”
Suddenly the picture became enchanting. This was a local pastor, known and beloved by many, grabbing the opportunity to celebrate the music of his native country by dancing part of the ballet folklórico in the aisles!
That piece ended. The dancers proceeded back up to the stage for the curtain calls. One woman in front of me motioned to the man who had danced, who was across the aisle from her. He collapsed in fake exhaustion back into his seat, pounded his chest with his hand, then made the sign of the cross over his heart.
The Ballet Folklorico provided us with a lovely, lovely pre-Christmas evening. “We’ll have to do this every year,” whispered my husband.
Yes, I thought. We must celebrate the fact that the High Priest has edged into our human performance and is wanting to step beside us to the rhythm of life’s music. Those who have eyes to see understand that this Dancing One is the One whose birth and life we celebrate this Christmas season.
Olé!
I spy God!
————————————————————————————–
Award-winning author Karen Mains has long had an interest in spiritual formation and the obedient Christian walk. She has written about the God Hunt in her book by the same name, The God Hunt: The Delightful Chase and the Wonder of Being Found. A hardback copy can be ordered from Mainstay Ministries for $10.00 plus $4.95 shipping and handling. Contact Karen at info@mainstayministries.org and she will be happy to autograph a copy for you.
Karen continues to write content for her Christian blog, “Thoughts-by-Karen-Mains.” In so doing, she desires to touch the lives of Christian women and men and help them find ways to walk closer with the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, through silent retreats, spiritual teaching, women’s retreats, Christian vacation opportunities, and other ministry activities, Karen helps each Christian woman and man receive vital spiritual food.
Through her Hungry Souls ministry, Karen serves as a spiritual coach to many Christian women and men, and teaches a mentor-writing class. And, through the Global Bag Project, she is working to develop a network of African women who sew exquisite cloth reusable shopping bags, Africa bags. This micro-finance women opportunity helps provide a much-needed sustainable income for struggling African families. For more information on this critically important project, please click here.
For decades, Karen and her husband, David, have served God through religious communications—radio, television, and print publication. They are the co-authors of the Kingdom Tales Trilogy: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance, and Tales of the Restoration. To find many valuable resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries main website, please click here.
Likewise, pastors will find special resources to help them prepare effective, life-transforming Sunday sermons by visiting David Mains’ website by clicking here.
