In His presence

In His presence

God. The single most remembered thing in life of any human. Theist or Atheist, ardent worshipper or just “wish me good luck” remember, in any difficult times, it is His help that we desire; it is Him that we remember. But how can faith be so strong, that someone who has never been seen, or proved, is such an important part of our life?

Many people claim to have felt His presence, or His grace, or, well; His anything! And I have a personal experience of mine that I would like to rather discuss.

It was a normal monsoon evening; grey, dispersed cumulus monsoon clouds showering just a light drizzle on the earth heavily lashed by a thunderstorm the other night in the beautiful rain-gifted area of South Gujarat, Tithal. Meteorology department had declared that this time of the year the coastal areas will be witnessing waves as high as 20 feet, and still, even on a busy weekday of Thursday, almost a quarter population of Valsad had gathered at the beach to witness the monstrosity of the Arabian Sea.

There has always been a rather vacant, clean and cosy part of the beach where I usually go and visit the sea, which I like to call “my personal beach”, for most of the times there isn’t a soul to be seen for at least 100 meters around. Usually the sea is gentle, the sea water just brushing my sandals upto ankles, and the waves so predictable that no way does the water come anywhere near my three-quarter jeans. A dreamy salty breeze evaporates every last drop of sweat from your body, chilling you upto a slight shiver; throwing even the most well set hair out of order. Just standing amidst the water, which playfully rushes to and away from you; gives the most pleasing feeling that one would like to describe but never can; it is to be felt for oneself.

But today was different. The sea was not welcoming and gentle; it was rather hostile and dangerous. It was definitely raging its wrath. The sufferers were the year old built stairway into the sea from the cliff, which faces the same fate every year. Police patrol had keenly requested not to go near the sea; casualties had already been reported at a nearby beach where in an unfortunate accident, the Arabian Sea had consumed two children and their parents. So stepping in the water was out of question. The wind was no less than a fiery gale, threatening to throw you over, and making it difficult even to stand; they had a score of uprooted trees to prove their power.

Just standing near the edge of the cliff, where some years ago were rumours of haunted sightings, came a rather strange thought in my mind; all through summer, when I visited this very place, I was welcomed, by none other than God himself! He is everywhere, He is the sea! When I stood within the waves, water nearly ankle deep and surrounded by water on all sides, I was actually in His presence. He was the one playing with me, trying to wet my clothes which I tried to avoid it every time by moving just a few steps backwards. I was not standing alone there; I was with Him.

Faith is a gift not everyone is blessed by. Students of science need a proof for everything to be believed in, which unfortunately includes me too. I have seen scores of people, blindly following religion, worshipping idols and claiming to be “blessed by faith”. But every definition of God has described Him as omnipresent; then why join hands or kneel in front of an idol and not just, anywhere? The answer, I have already given; Faith is a gift not everyone is blessed by.

And how do I explain feeling His presence? It was the monstrosity that I witnessed; such extreme display of power that could frighten the most courageous of souls; how could it be the same place that I found so lovely a few days back, be so dangerous! A beach that can be described as the most beautiful and harmless scene in the terrain had become a place of extreme fear and caution. A sea, usually so calm and quiet was now suddenly so threatening and hostile. Such extremes can be very well be compared to God’s nature, in every religion: Shiva and Vishnu in Hinduism, “Noah’s Ark” in Christianity, and numerous other examples over mythology. A rather self-realisation I guess.

In His presence, shall we always be.....