The following anecdote is fiction but an excellent story to reflect on (apologies if you’ve heard it before) the importance of Being Present.
The town is flooding, and this man is on his roof, trying to avoid the rushing water right below him. A police boat comes by and wants to take him off the roof. He turns the offer down and says, “G-d will save me.” A few minutes later, an emergency boat comes by to pick him up. He again turns them down and yells, “G-d will save me.” The emergency crew has much work to do and continues looking for people to save.
Three more emergency boats come by, all shouting to the man to go with them. He turns them all down, screaming, “G-d will save me.” The water rises and sweeps him away to his death. He is now facing St. Peter as angry as possible, and he screams out, “I am a true believer in G-d, and I’m angry as hell. Why didn’t G-d save me?” St Peter calmly answered, “G-d sent several boats and people to save you, and you turned them all down.”
Apparently, the man drowned because he was unwilling to listen or understand that G-d did come to save him several times. Did his exercise of “free will” make those efforts unrecognizable to him? Was he expecting the almighty to make a personal appearance?
I have heard that G-d speaks in every possible way, through the sounds of wind, seas, the Mountains, forest, desert, and every existing language. And that HE/SHE speaks to mankind all the time. But we have also been given “Free Will.” And if so, all is explainable. G-d does communicate to us, but are we present? Do we hear, do we listen, do we understand? All this demands that we be present.
Are you present now? Do you hear what is spoken? It is your message.
Sy