My God is So Big

I just realized that when I think about God, I envision him up in Heaven looking down on us. But that's not what I believe. I believe that God is all around, that his spirit resides in each and every one of us-even those who don't believe in him. I believe he lives in his entire creation. So why do I put him up in the sky every time? This view of God lets me think that God is up in Heaven watching everything I do instead of an active part of every decision I make. More of a babysitter who is making sure I don't kill myself.

God should be a part of every decision I make. Every word that comes out of my mouth, every thought that crosses my mind and every action I do. God is in me and everyone else in the world. We don't exist without God, but he exists without us. It's not me, it's him. I don't do things for him, he does things through me. I am just the instrument. I am charged with bringing Heaven here on earth, and that involves realizing that God is already here, and I need to live that way. He's not up in Heaven just watching me; he is here on earth, in heaven, in nature, in the city and, yes, even in ugly West Texas. No more categorizing God as living a separate life from me in Heaven.

I don't want the 4 and 5 year olds that I help teach to think that God only lives in Heaven. I want them to know that God lives all around them including inside them. Patrick and I discussed the values and beliefs we hope our children have, and this is definitely one of them. That even through dark times when it feels like God is nowhere near, he is in fact there, inside, and he is inside everyone around.