GOD EXPERIENCE

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28; Ps 148 Heaven and earth are filled with your glory; Matt 17:22-27

What happens when someone experiences the presence of God?  How does that encounter affect the the life that is lived?

Something has to give if the encounter is true.

Ezekiel experiences the "hand of the Lord" in today's first reading.  This is not a life changing experience but rather a life directing experience.  This is important.

We focus to much energy on looking for that life changing experience and not enough paying attention to the life directing experience that God relays to us on a daily basis.

We want so much to fully grasp God all at once and fail to realize the grasping of God can only be done gradually has life unfolds on the path God directs.

Life directing message is way more challenging than a life changing message.

The vision as Ezekiel describes is startling.  God appears wrapped in a storm wind and huge clouds flashing fire and brightness.  Then Ezekiel describes the Lord  as surrounded with splendor like the bow that appears in the clouds on a rainy day.

What a unique description and powerfully meaningful.

Remember the first time the bow is described in scripture.  It was used with the covenant God makes with Noah and humanity after the flood.

Here Ezekiel sees the Lord of the covenant, the one who is enveloped by his promise he has made to humanity.  The rainbow has lost its original meaning to us but to God.

He is a Father who keeps his promise and not only keeps it but wraps himself, clothes himself in the promise that he gives.