My Friend Talks With God

My Friend Talks With God

by Marilyn Mackenzie

I have a friend in Texas who walks on the beach at Surfside and takes gorgeous pictures of sunrises.  He allows me to share them with you.  I think that's because he feels that the sunrises are God's gift to each one of us.

He draws his inspiration from the sunrises, God's early morning greeting to us. 

William Taylor is his name.  He has Lupus and is often tired and sick.  But he doesn't give up.  His joy and strength come from God...the God who designs special canvas skies each morning and evening for us to enjoy.

William began writing poetry after he was diagnosed with Lupus, after he could no longer work, after his family didn't understand the pain and illness that could not be seen, only felt.  He paints word pictures, drawing his inspiration from the sunrises and from his early morning talks with God.  His life is no longer fettered by work or other worldly events.  And as he lifts his arms to God in praise, God pours words into this heart.  Words that he can - and does - share with the world around him.  Words that are his reaction to God's grace and are meant as a love letter back to our Creator.  They words are personal, deep, admiration of the One who loves us most.  And still William shares, knowing that others might draw inspiration from those words and be lead to watch the sunrises and to allow God to speak to his heart or her heart as well.

Today, I received a short message from William Taylor and I immediately wrote back, asking if I could share his words with you.  He gave me permission.

Here's what he said:

I had a thought come to me that other morning.  I had to pray another day or two before I had any idea what it meant. 
 
The Bible - be still and with the Spirit of God it will be like a GPS.  It will tell you where you are and how to get to where you need to go.
When you have an agenda of your own - it is like an etch-a-sketch - you turn the knobs and draw the picture you want to see and you find verses to say that your sketch is correct.
 
That said - this was God talking to me about what I have done on occasion in the past and need to be care full of in the future. 

When William responded to me and gave me permission to share these thoughts with you, he also told me that there are a few ministers that he sees regularly at the gym.  Sometimes they argue, sometimes they agree.  This week, they're all writing sermons about the Bible being like a GPS.

Isn't it amazing how God can use each one of us?

 

 

Psalm 46:10 NIV

"Be still, and know that I am God; 
I will be exalted among the nations, 
I will be exalted in the earth."