THE GOD EXPERIENCE

The “God experience” is what the Bible is all about.

This is what the story of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and her impossibly-late-in-life pregnancy was all about: (“The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day...Now Sarah was listening...” Genesis 18:1ff).

It is what the story of Moses’ receiving the Ten Commandments on the mountaintop was all about: (“The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone…” Exodus 24:12ff).

It was at the heart of Elijah’s hearing that “still small voice” in the sheer silence: (“He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."  I Kings 19:11ff)

It was what Jesus’ mother experienced in her encounter with the angel Gabriel (“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin…The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:26ff)

It was what Jesus experienced on the day of his baptism (“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water…a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Mt 3:15ff)

It was Peter’s experience on the Mount of Transfiguration (“…Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white…” Mark 9:2ff)

It was the Pentecost experience (“When the day of Pentecost had…All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…” Acts 2ff).

It was Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus (“Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus…” Acts 9:3ff)

From the Book of Genesis to the Book of the Revelation, the whole purpose of the Bible and every individual part of it seems to be to reveal what an actual and authentic experience of God can look like in our lives.

Further, its purpose is to put on display what an actual relationship with God looks like.

Finally, story after story, the Bible demonstrates what transformative power such personal experiences and such a personal relationship offer us.

What are we waiting for?

THE SOUL'S QUIVER

It is difficult if not impossible…

…to unhook completely from our ego’s incredible grip upon our psyche.

Insofar as we are able to do so, it is only through that within us that is even more powerful than our ego.

That would be our soul.

The soul, the medium or essence of God within us,

fights only with love.

Like God, it doesn’t do battle with the ego…or at least, it doesn’t play the ego’s game.

Its weapons include forgiveness, mercy, compassion, inner clarity, joy, peace, thankfulness, awareness and self-control.

These are the “arrows” in love’s quiver.


"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23a NRSV)

ON WINGS OF WILDNESS

Into the wild I come
And You are here
You throw mountains together
And fling planets apart
You bless my life with just such wildness and freedom.

Giving me hope, a wild, wild thing,
You bring me into the wild place of your love
You break me forth from my self-said bounds
You crown me with laurels of ever-expanding thoughts.

Like a sea, your wildness seeps into and out of my being
Inundating me, undulating me.
You take me, toss me, turn me, trust me.

There is no wild place that you do not call home
No place where you are not at ease and in repose
Even in the midst of all that is dead within me
You bring me safely through the worlds of “Unknown!” and “Beware!”

You carry me on the wings of your wildness there...here
The wind of your Spirit beckons me,
“Come away, my beloved”
And I come.

You call me into the wildness that is in all
Gladly, gladly I come.
For I know, you are calling me
Into You.

"My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; 11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:10-13 NRSV)

THAT'S LIFE

 “Do what you love…in love…for love.”

While in prayer last night, this thought (or leading as I call it) came to mind—and did so in a moment of inner silence without prior conscious provocation.

First, the still small voice that lies deep within each of us said, “Do what you love.”

More silence.

Then, after several moments, came the words “…in love...” 

More silence.

Finally, after several more minutes, came “…for love.”

“Do what you love…in love…for love.” 

Simple to the point of being simplistic and even cliché, this is a very obvious, rich, and compassionate “train” of thought. The whole three-part phrase is directive yet wide open for us to fill in each of the train cars with our own interpretation of what these words might mean for us personally.

But where did they come from?

Personally, I think they came from the Holy Spirit.

Hello? Are you still there?

Just what is the “Holy Spirit?”

Not magic. Not mystical. Not made up.

It is life’s innate energy to create life out of Life. Some people personify this life force, calling it God (but even this name is limiting and subject to frequent—and even abusive—misinterpretation.)

Why do I suspect this came from the Holy Spirit? Because it just sounds like something the Holy Spirit would say—and has been "saying" to the world for a very long time.

Like a loving parent this ancient yet timeless penchant of Life-for-life guides and gives.

In the thought, “Do what you love...in love…for love,” it gently nudges us toward Life and life-granting choices.

Then it gives to each of us the ultimate gift saying, “Now, you get to decide on the outlook, attitude, perspective and approach you want to use toward your life…toward me…toward every other being…and toward the world as you see it today.

In other words, it gives us the freedom to choose, hoping (but never forcing) we will choose to do what we love…in love…for love.

That’s Life...with a capital "L."


"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth;" (John 16:13a NRSV)

BENEATH THE CRUST

Who am I?

The “who” I am on the outside is just the crust--sometimes crusty. This me is obvious to both of us—and everyone else, whether they see it for what it is or not. Fortunately, I like the crust of most things…pie, pizza, artisan bread, prime rib, etc.

But who am I on the inside…at the next level deeper?

Of course, there is the “me” I know through my ego. Others recognize this me even at times when I don’t. Unfortunately, my ego is not exactly what I would call unbiased. Worse! It seems to take on a life of its own. Sometimes I think it’s my best friend when actually, it’s my worst enemy.

Is there a “me” tucked even deeper in…deep beneath my ego? What button on the self-elevator do I press to get down to this floor? Seems to me this is the level of my soul…the true, raw and beautiful essence of who I am…and am becoming.

I know precious little about the person I am down here, God. Far beneath my crust, being at this soul level feels like I’m traveling in a foreign land—at times exciting, at times frightening, and almost always full of surprises.

I will say, here I gain alluring glimpses of something I can only imagine to be my essential being. Here I see through my ego to one who is peaceful and pliable…one who is full of joy and unthreatened…one who is pleasantly open to your life-giving, life-transforming presence.

This, I know, is your realm, God…the realm of true Life...the "kingdom of heaven" which Jesus spoke of living from, within and toward. It's the level to which you beckon us, in which you meet us, and through which your Spirit invites us to know all things.

Including you.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10 NRSV)