splash!

This morning I want to share another Alton Towers reflection with you. Sorry to anyone who hates theme parks and is bored already.

If you have read my previous post on the subject you will know that Sally (my wonderful wife) does not like white knuckle rides. In fact she does not like rides that change the colour of her knuckles at all. Just before lunch Thomas, Hannah and I went on a ride that gets you very wet and Sally went on the River Rapids (that have the potential to get you very wet, but it’s more random). We sat soggily through lunch and then decided that since we were wet we might as well get wetter. We are good baptists!

So we all went on the River Rapids and got damp. Then we went on what used to be the log flume but which has now been revamped so you sit in a bath as you go around and there is soap-related sponsorship. While waiting for the ride we discussed how we would like to look in the photo.

Hannah decided she would pose spectacularly.

Thomas decided he would be mischievous.

I decided the Dr Evil look would be good.

Sally decided to see what happened.

This is what happened.

We all react differently to events. Some of us seem to be able to strike a pose and sail through. Some of us work out how we can make others look bad. Some of us pretend to be someone else. And some of us just scream.

Okay, that’s awful. It is a joke (honestly!) It is not intended as a genuine reflection on tough or scary times in life. I do not wish to belittle the genuine feelings of others going through tough times with crass humour or trite comments. In those times followers of Jesus are prone to do that. We try to resolve the issues with a quick: “All things work together for the good of those that love Jesus.” Or we say that God is testing us, but he won’t test us beyond what we can bear. Or we make other comments from which those who are suffering infer that they are somehow second class Christians if they do not smile and sail through the problems and come out the other side smelling of roses.

I do believe the truth of the first two comments in the previous paragraph, but they are not the whole story and are not what people may need to hear. The reality is that for some of us life simply is tough. Sometimes we can’t be placated with trite comments or pat answers. Sometimes the reality is that life sucks and we wonder where God is because he feels a long way away.

But the reality is also that he is right there with us, sharing whatever we are experiencing. He’s there in the house that is swept away in a flood or crushed in an earthquake. He’s there in the car that is hit by another. He’s there when the income is dwarfed by what we owe. He’s there when our relationships are falling apart. He’s there when we feel unloved.

What’s he doing?

He’s being Immanuel: God with us. That’s it at the most fundamental level. He is in it with us.

How is he there? He’s present by his Spirit. He’s present in the people who come and share our burdens without telling us it will be all right. He’s there in the phone call or note that assures us of someone’s prayers. He’s there in the silence.