That was my prayer for months. In my despair and pain and amidst my crisis of faith, I just wanted God to show me that He hadn't abandoned me. I wanted miraculous tangible proof that He was there and that He was actually Good. I seethed when the response seemed quiet and empty, despite my pleading.
In Matthew 25:34-46, Jesus tells a parable of the King who sorts the people before Him into two groups: those that helped Him when He was in need, and those who didn't. Once He had done His sorting and commended those on His right and condemned those on His left, each group was left confused. No one remembered ever seeing the King show up in their lives, much less asking them for help! How could this be??
The King responded: "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
In reflecting on this parable recently, a question occurred to me, "Why couldn't the reverse also be true?"
While I had been demanding that my God-King SHOW UP, a flood of compassionate believers--His Children, His Body, His Dwelling, His Heart-Homes-- came knocking on my door. I had person after person after person bring me meals to nourish my body, give me hugs to soothe my suffering, and offer empathy as they listened to my pain and my anger and my confusion and wiped away my white-hot tears.
I didn't see it or understand it at the time, but God did show up. Over and over and over again. In fact, He never left. Because God doesn't just "Show Up", He abides. He dwells. He stays. And He mercifully blessed me with tangible love in the hands and arms of my brothers and sisters in Christ. God in them ministered to me. God in them.
"Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?"
(1 Corinthians 3:16)
