How are things?

The question should rather be: ‘Where do you look to?’

  · Translated by Nicky Seadon

11 SEPTEMBER 2016 · 11:50 CET

Image: Alain Auderset. ,
Image: Alain Auderset.

Hi Alain! How are things?

Whoops! Now, how do I respond to that?!

I have seen quite a number of guys who, with three times fewer bowel movements (‘bowel movements’ is there to avoid saying ‘shit’), have literally gone ballistic!    

As I don’t fancy puking up my problems all over their beautifully clean shoes, I have come up with a few customised answers:

‘To be honest, if I look beyond the things that aren’t going well, I’d say that everything’s pretty much alright...’

or:

‘When I look to God rather than to my problems, things go amazingly!’

I refuse to regard all the poop (I didn’t say ‘shit’, I didn’t say it) that happens to me as misfortunes, NO, I am a tree and the Lord is my gardener:

The shit is fertiliser! Glory to God! (Oh dear! Oh no! Help! Some are going to have cherries the size of watermelons!)

Basically, I notice that everyone has his share of problems... and it’s not necessarily the best-off who are the happiest...

The question should rather be:

‘Hey, Alain, where do you look to?’

 

Praying in the rain

First misfortune. As well as business being deathly quiet for yonks, I’ve forgotten my mobile (my Bible’s on top of it).

Second misfortune: I reach the edge of the forest and: it’s raining!

What shall I do? Go back? No way! Away from the prying eyes of the town, I so need to spend some time now with God. Already I am soaked through.

‘Hey, It’s funny! The rain won’t kill me!’

The water is trickling down me everywhere. The further I go, the more I have the impression that I am entering another dimension.

I recall the ‘angels’ standing still that I had come across a few weeks ago (I know, it sounds crazy, but maybe I’ll tell you about it later on...). The noise of the lashing rain merges with what might be mistaken for an entire celestial army of horses and chariots that has set off with me to conquer the world. I raise a stick in the air and shout out:  

‘Yahoo! They have arisen! Lord, set the captives free!’

(I know, you’re thinking: ‘This guy has lost it...’ I’ll see you on the battlefield when the victory’s won and we’ll talk about it again then, OK?’)

Beneath me the ground gives way! Streams of water form and grow as I move forwards. They are all going in the direction of my workshop.

When I get there, I don’t have the time to take off my clothes than already there’s an order for 300 comic books! (a landscape designer who is giving them away to his customers!)

The days that followed were astonishing rivers bringing with them their share of editors, key contacts, international distributors, grand openings, etc.

Victories are won first of all in the unseen world. 

Published in: Evangelical Focus - Appointment with God - How are things?