God and small children

I'm only posting right now because Jeremy's reading my homework. Now I remember why buying only one book and saying we'll share it is not such a good idea. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages due Tuesday and Jeremy got to the book first. Anybody with an extra copy of DeSilva lying around?

Of course, when you speak to God, think about God, or actually hear from God... some sort of characterization comes to mind. Maybe an old man with a long beard. Maybe you see Charlton Heston (God forbid). Perhaps you see Whoopi Goldberg (what movie was it that Whoope ended up playing the part of God in the end?). Or maybe Bruce Almighty's Morgan Freeman takes up his all-white residence in your imagination.

My examples are a little tongue and cheek, but I am convinced that more than the letters 'G', 'O', and 'D' fill your mind when you connect with God.

Lately, I've been allowing my mind's characterization (or is it that God is allowing His characterization in my mind...?) to be a little more child-like. Of course, my 10 month old daughter, Macy, helps me along.

Revelation 1:15 compares Christ's voice to 'mighty ocean waves'. And I'm telling you, that the laughter of a small child sounds more like strong rushing water than any adult's half-hearted guffaw. We've snickered too many times at the wrongs things or let out a few snorts for the wrong reasons. We've given a meaningless chortle out of etiquette. As a result, even our most genuine laughter is left sounding forced; tainted with sarcasm and self (dis)approval.

When Macy laughs... she uses every muscle in her little body, she throws her head back, she closes her eyes, her mouth opens into a smile that shows all three teeth and lots of gums. But what's more is the sound. Her laughter is louder than people ten times her size and it is contagious while at the same time it taking my breath away.

Thing is, it doesn't take much to get Macy to laugh. In fact, she looks back and forth between me and Jeremy - eyes already twinkling, corners of her mouth already upturned - daring us to make her laugh. A silly face, a funny noise... and she bursts into out-of-control laughter.

Anyway - I think that's how God laughs. Forceful, unencumbered, all encompassing, beautiful. Like mighty ocean waves.

GK Chesterton wrote, "Only God and small children can bear constant repetition."