I Didn’t Catch That
– Ponderings:

Have you ever had one of those “technology has now gone too far” moments? I’ve had a few. I’ve looked, merely out of curiosity, at things on Amazon or Google, and then seen them appear in my Facebook feed. It’s like “they” are reading my mind. There was a song that came out years ago with the line, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me.” As they say, “You’re not paranoid if it’s true.” A couple of months ago, I was visiting a friend’s house. She’s got Siri (the thing where you can ask it for information or tell it to play a song).
We were in the middle of a quiet, profound conversation when it happened. She said something, and Siri interrupted with a “I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat it?” I think we both had the same look on our faces: equal parts shock, confusion, and a touch of horror. We ended up laughing about it but since then, I’ve wondered what it would be like if God used Siri to communicate with us.
“I didn’t catch that.” When we mumble something we wouldn’t want to repeat under our breath. “Could you repeat that?” When we speak before thinking. “Are you sure that’s what you want? When we’re grasping at straws and not trusting God. Or, in my case, maybe just the sound of divine laughter when I get myself into a situation and then wonder how I got there.
Does God laugh at us or with us? There is a difference, as you know. Zephaniah 3:17 gives us a clue. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Does that sound like a distant deity watching from above and laughing at our every move (and maybe eating popcorn as he laughs)? I don’t see it. It sounds like a God who delights in us and rejoices over us — even in our messes, missteps, and misfires. It’s the picture of a parent watching their child perform a clumsy dance or messed-up piano recital; off-beat and a little out of rhythm, but with such heart that it brings tears of joy.
We often get so serious that we forget God also speaks in joy. We forget that God loves us so much that he delights in us. He wants us to sing and dance no matter how silly we sound or look, because it shows we’re enjoying the life he gave us. He wants us to laugh. But not just for ourselves. The amazing thing about God is that he wants to sing and dance and laugh with us.
So, maybe here’s a different way to look at it. Don’t be afraid to laugh a little more, even at yourself, and imagine God laughing right along with you. And remember that God is laughing, not at your expense but because he’s enjoying his beautifully chaotic masterpiece called you.
Prayer: God who sings over us, thank you for delighting in us and rejoicing over us, in good times and messy times. Teach me to laugh more, to take myself a little less seriously, and to rest in the joy you find in me. Amen.