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| Lake Michigan, from Holland State Park (MI) |
The great Old Testament theologian Walter Eichrodt writes:
"The person who knows God hears God's step in the course of daily events, discerns God close at hand to help, and hears God's response to the appeal of prayer in a hundred happenings even when seemingly small and insignificant, whereas another person can only talk about remarkable "coincidence," amazing "accidents," or weird turns of events. That is why times when the life of faith is strong, and people have passionately surrendered themselves to God, have also been times rich in miracles." (Cited in James Houston, The Transforming Power of Prayer: Deepening Your Friendship with God, 75; translation mine)
Here we see the link between faith and the activity of God. "Faith" is not some magical thing that, when exercised, guarantees the presence of God. Yet without faith it is impossible to please God. This kind of faith is about expectation and anticipation in regard to God. It's hope-filled and welcoming. The faith-filled person anticipates God and welcomes God and the ways and activity of God. God's not necessarily going to show up for people who don't want Him. But for those who do, and lives lives of faith, they can expect God-encounters, even daily.
