Sometimes I give Baxter a bad rap. To emphasize his antics, I may appear to say that he is trouble all the time. In fact, he is far from it. Baxter does have his crazy moments and quirks of habit like all of us. But most of the time, he is just there, lying on the rug or the blanket on my bed, keeping me company. He's a quiet presence -- no talking, no movement, just there -- wanting to be where I am but without any need to stir the scene or be the focus of attention. When he isn't in the room with me, I have a flash of fright. Did he get out? Is something wrong? But usually it’s only that he is hiding for a while under the bed or table, just to keep me guessing.
That steady, quiet presence is like God's way of being with us most of the time. He doesn't make a big scene. He is quiet and unassuming, but He wants to be where we are. God is the "Other" in our midst. His mystery isn't easily described. In fact, it is more often noticed in its absence than when it is regularly present. God doesn't need a lot of fanfare to be a part of our lives, but He doesn't like to be taken for granted. Maybe that's why He sometimes seems hard to find or distant. It's a way to keep us on our toes to His life with us.
With all the hustle and bustle of our lives, is it any wonder that we forget, ignore, or miss this quiet, loving presence that lives with us? He doesn't make a fuss to get our attention as we so often do with each other. He doesn't stand out from the crowd but is content to share with the crowd the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears of us all. God doesn’t shout, "I'm number one!" He's content to share our victories and console us in defeat. He doesn't need to be the center of attention all the time, just the center of our lives from their beginning to their end.
Yes, we are born with the divine mystery; we live each day of our lives with it; hopefully, we die in its arms. And we don't have to do much to care for it, just acknowledge the presence, be grateful for its love and care, and seek it out when we need its guidance, forgiveness or healing. In other words, we need to worship. A little food, water and clean litter are all it takes to keep Baxter around, and what a joy it is to have him there. A little faith, regular worship and a clean heart are all it takes to keep God in our lives. The joy that can bring will surprise you.
