Just what would you ask God Almighty?

Mark Pavilons

“Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.”
– Swami Vivekananda

Not all of us have faith or strongly believe in the Almighty.
But for many, God is as real as the raindrops on the tulips that welcome us every spring.
The legendary Bob Marley wrote that his hand was made strong by the hand of the Almighty. He also spent a lot of time “jammin in the name of the Lord.”
A movie on Netflix raised some really interesting questions for yours truly, since the theme is right up my alley.
“An Interview With God,” by director Perry Lang, is presented as a rather simple Q & A with the big guy. A troubled journalist has many issues to work out, but he's always had “faith,” and that's brought to bear when the interview of a lifetime presents itself. Yes, an interview with God himself.
David Strathairn plays God in this entertaining film. It's purposely vague yet compelling at the same time. No concrete answers are provided, but there are still many hints at what's important in God's eyes. But yes, there are answers to inquiries such as “does Satan exist?” and “why do bad things happen to good people?”
Being a journalist, I've often wondered what historic figure I'd love to meet and interview. Of course, Jesus springs to mind as first and foremost. But there would be a heck of a language barrier. Just where would I learn ancient Aramaic? I don't think there's an app for that, yet!
There are so many famous and infamous characters throughout our jaded history who would be so very interesting to speak with. From joining Ernest Hemingway for a drink in Key West, to discussing politics with JFK, the subjects are endless.
Back to the Most High.
For me, there's little interest in past events, and obvious questions of God's power, existence and handiwork. It's all around us.
For me, humankind's beginnings, while fascinating from a historic perspective, are well documented. There's more than enough reading material to keep one busy for months.
What I would want to know is something no religious text can definitely guarantee. What waits for us in the great beyond? What memories will I retain and what senses will I experience. Just what will I do for all eternity?
It's possible that none of these things would be relevant. Who needs a sense of smell if you are one with the universe? What's there to touch when you are in all places, at all times, across all galaxies?
I would have to think long and hard about the questions I posed to the All Knowing. Then again, he would anticipate them, right?
Some of us have formal and informal conversations with the Creator on a regular basis. Praying is a very personal thing.
In his book, “Conversations With God: An Uncommon Dialogue,” Neal Walsh addresses some really pertinent questions.
God created perfection in us and the world around us, he noted. And he didn't simply walk away from us after Jesus came for a brief visit.
The author also contends there's no such thing as “coincidence,” since we are in control of our actions and the results. “For you are the creator of your own reality, and life can show up in no other way for you than the way in which you think it will.”
In loving relationships, our better halves don't “complete us,” but rather we share our “completeness” with one another.
“The laws are very simple: 1. Thought is creative. 2. Fear attracts like energy. 3. Love is all there is.”
Heaven, according to Walsh, is here, now, all around us.
We all know that life is filled with challenges and hurdles. That's part of the learning experience. I'm not sure why we shelter and protect our children from experiencing these road blocks – they're necessary for personal growth.
Walsh said knowing there will be tough times is part of life. We shouldn't avoid them, but rather welcome them, and cultivate a method of finding the silver linings, or the opportunities in the problems that await. These opportunities, he says, will help us determine who we really are.
There are no guarantees in life, and it has been designed that way, Walsh attests. We can't “rehearse” for a script that's already been written. “Life by its nature cannot have guarantees, or its whole purpose is thwarted.”
Here's a key to life, in my opinion. Walsh suggests we live our lives without expectations and the need for specific results. This is freedom; the God-given freedom of choice.
The singer Prince said every day is a blessing from God “and I consider it a new beginning.”
In a way, he was right. For those who've seen sunrises or sunsets in majestic places around the globe, you can see the beauty and power of it all. The universe is not a collection of coincidences, but a finely tuned mechanism.
Very few of us get the chance to look back at our home world from space. Astronauts who've experienced it note it goes beyond science and nature; it's almost spiritual.
RCAF pilot John Magee once wrote that when he flew and reached incredible heights, he put out his hand “and touched the face of God.”
Wonder and curiosity are two of our most interesting qualities as human beings. And so is faith.
Always keep a notebook by the bedside, I say. You never know when you'll need it!