Finding God

 God is always ready, but we are very unready. God is near us, but we are far from Him. God is within, and we are without. God is friendly; we are estranged. --- Meister Eckhart

How can this be true? you might ask. I'll share how it speaks to me.

•  Unready. Do we spend time in prayer, meditation, contemplation daily preparing ourselves? Do we work on ourselves to remove resentments, fears, unkindness, anger and work on living those things Paul calls the fruits of the spirit?
• Near yet far. The creative energy of God is at the heart of every whirling atom, in all of the ways the universe and nature work, as it all follows the laws set down (gravity, inertia, electromagnetism, photosynthesis, etc.) Everywhere present, omnipresent, if we have eyes to see. Spend time with a flower, learn its secrets. Really see the rolling waves, the majestic mountains. Listen to the birds celebrate and scold and sing. Move out of the asphalt and concrete world, and commune with the natural for awhile. 
• Within but without. Yes,within our souls is a constant spark of God. It resides in us. It will never leave us. Where are we? Busy mostly with nonsense. YouTube, TikTok, television, addictions, upsets, pontificating, racing here and there, busy, busy, busy, too busy for God. Or we are satisfied with someone else telling us their ideas about God once a week, even though we're pretty sure they are only mouthing something they don't know personally.
• Friendly. The only definition of God in the Bible is that God is unconditional Love. How much more friendly can one be? But we are often preoccupied, and so estranged. God is relegated to the scrap heap of ancient superstition, or is at the bottom of our priority list.
• But, we can get ready. We can see again and hear again. We can find the Spark within. We can accept the most important Friendship of all.  I know because I follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before me to a successful spiritual quest. Just set your foot on the path and begin.