The Coffee Shop: Peculiar
Is your life peculiar at times?
peculiar
strange or odd
particular
special
INVITATION.
Begin with silence
Quiet settling in
A deep breath, slowly let it out
Meditation
Blessed be he that comes in the name of the Lord:
we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and He has shown us His light;
bind the sacrifice with cords,
even unto the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
for His mercy endures forever.—Psalm 118:26-29 [CEV]
Invitation.
Peculiar
God invites us where we are.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, my grandson was over at our house, and he remembered hiding Easter eggs several months ago in the backyard. He asked to hunt eggs like at Easter time. I was delighted he had enjoyed the egg hunt so much to ask for it again. This was good timing, I had two hard boiled eggs I made the day before in the refrigerator. I smiled and said, “What a fun idea!” “I’ll go get the eggs and you stay inside to wait until I have them hidden.” He smiled and giggled very excited to get to do this again (though this time with only two plain white eggs, but this plainness didn’t matter to him).
I knew I had made these eggs for some reason but had no idea this fun play time with my grandson would take place. As he waited inside, I hid the two eggs, one in a large pot, and the other in a tall grass in one of our planters. I called out, “Ready, come find the eggs!” Delighted, he walked outside and began looking with anticipation and curiosity as to where he’d find the eggs. “Are they here?” “Are they over there?” I smiled and decided, we’d play the game “Hot & Cold” to give him hints, clues to the eggs whereabouts. He was learning this part of hunting for the first time. It took him a bit to catch on and become familiar with these instructions. As he listened intently, he began to realize these were important and helpful words in finding what he most anticipated '“the eggs.” He found the first egg in the large pot pretty easily, then the second in the tall grass where I knew he found one at Easter previously.
This was round one, I learned.
He asked, “Play it again, Mimi!” and of course I was excited to watch him play, hunt, and be thrilled when he found the eggs.
Something new and familiar all at the same time.
We played the egg hunt with “Hot & Cold” for at least an hour.
Exploration and fun. Hiding and finding.
A beautiful kind of peculiar.
Those listening inside or over the neighbor’s fence, hearing me say aloud “hot, hot, hot, cold, cold, warmer, warmer, hot, hot, hot” may find this peculiar. Strange, odd, or particular.
But for my grandson it was a special kind of peculiar. He knew the words, as they became familiar. Each word as a clue to help him come closer to finding the egg, which he had his heart set on finding while we played. An onlooker seeing my grandson walking around the yard following these clues to find an egg may also find this peculiar.
We both didn’t!
We both knew exactly what we were looking for, anticipating, and hoping to find. He was trusting and listening carefully to my voice to find the two eggs. He never gave up or became frustrated.
Why?
I was there; present and watching him, guiding with a gentle and promising voice until he found the eggs. What he asked for, and what I desired also for him to find, one by one in different places, situations, scenes. He knew I had placed the eggs in reach and for his understanding. He knew I was going to keep giving him clues, helpful words to find each egg.
Peculiar, Yes! But also trustworthy.
Enjoyment and joy flowed out of both of us when the eggs were found each time. We did this again, and again. It wasn’t Easter but an ordinary Sunday afternoon.
God’s peculiar love
Reflection.
As I began writing about my Sunday afternoon, this sweet company with my grandson, I was struck by how similar life with God can be, and yes maybe even peculiar. Revisiting the definition above, peculiar means: strange or odd, particular, and special. To be honest, our life with God, our relationship with and to Him is all of these.
He even tells us this is, and that we will be, and we are:
1 Peter 2:9.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. [AMP]
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; [KJV]
Day by day, God calls His children, His family—special people because we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light. In one peculiar way or another, in each of our unique person’s and live’s, and also collectively in a family of community, we are given His light to shine into our darkness.
May God’s peculiar love invite us into listening for His peculiar, particular, special voice where we are today. If it’s darkness or an experience of not being able to hear Him, that’s okay, He is there. If it’s sadness, or pain, He is there. If it’s unknown and adventure, He is there. If it’s a hard workplace or home environment, He is there. If it’s praying, gleaning from His word, or waiting for things in life to unfold, He is there!
Let these places be invited into quiet and pause, giving them over to the One who calls us special.
In your prayer.
Listen for what is resonating, give this a name.
What is peculiar, strange or odd?
In what way do you long for God in this place of peculiar?
Offer your present longings and curiosities to the Lord. Wait and see how God hears and gives you His promise.
Let the word peculiar become a path of God’s love in your life.
