The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 3:15
My traumatic brain injury was in 1997. After emerging from a coma, I imagined an invisible friend named Michele. I have no memory of this…but family members have told me I was always gabbing on the phone, going shopping or out for lunch with Michele.
My mother told me of a time when I had children’s art work on the bulletin board in my hospital room. She was commenting on how pretty they were and wanted to know who sent them to me. Apparently I shrugged and said, “Must’ve been Michele’s kids.”
I think that must’ve been my mind’s way of NOT letting me feel so isolated and alone. That was almost 25 years ago. Michele is no longer a part of my life. Now when I feel isolated or alone, Jesus is my invisible friend.
When we are in trouble or feel separated from others, it should become very natural to turn to God for direction. It’s hard for me to fathom not having our invisible God to give me solace and companionship during those times.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17 (NIV)
God is not just the God of bad times though. He wants us to acknowledge Him in all things. My invisible
friend is always with me…even when I’m not thinking about Him. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Let’s try to make it our ‘default’ position to keep God always in the back of our mind.
When I ALMOST lose my balance…which unfortunately is more often than I like, I immediately think, “Good save Lord!” We could give credit to our own abilities, but it seems to be MY normal to give credit to someone/something bigger than my own aptitude. That always leaves me with a feeling of gratitude as well.
Starting our day with the Lord is always a noble idea. So is special evening prayer time. Time spent in church, prayer groups or Bible studies are also exceptional ways to spend SCHEDULED time with God. We should be careful in our scheduled prayer time though. The objective is not just to check something off our ‘to do’ list. We’re communicating with the Lord.
When we see Jesus as our invisible friend, prayer time becomes much more personal and natural. We’re not just reciting memorized prayers with our mind on something else. We’re talking to a dear friend…someone who cares…someone who can help us.
Traditional prayers are certainly valuable. If prayed from the heart, they also put us in direct communication with God. Whether talking to an invisible friend or reciting a long-held conventional prayer, always remember we are talking with our God. Enjoy the fellowship…and if making requests, have faith that the prayers have been heard.
Dear Lord,
I’ve read so many books on the right way to pray. The bottom line though is that You just want to hear from us.
We don’t actually see You. So in that regard You truly ARE an invisible friend. We see You in the faces of family, friends and total strangers. We see You in circumstances…in nature. That’s usually where we hear from You too.
Please give us the wisdom to hear Your voice in all the clatter of this world.
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