“God is not a name, but represents the idea,
innate in human nature, of an inexpressible reality”
– St. Justin Martyr
When Moses asked the burning bush to know GOD’s name, the response was: “I AM [BEING] WHATSOEVER I AM [BEING]” (Exodus 3:14 from the Torah) almost as if to say, “I am simply too much for a name”. So, in the wonderfully mysterious way that the Maker does things, we are given lots of different names; each one revealing a unique glimpse of the character of the Divine… Creator. Sustainer. Provider. Healer. Comforter. Deliverer. Teacher. Light. Truth. Goodness. Peace. Love… and the list goes on and on.
To me, GOD’s choice to remain without a “proper” name communicates a playful desire to be experienced intimately, rather than studied theoretically. The living, moving, Author of the universe cannot and will not be reduced to a static entity that sits on the pages of theology textbooks. Even the most clever analogies for the Lord of Hosts will always fall short… the Spirit transcends our understanding of gender, colour or class… GOD is always More.
When I write or type the name of GOD, I often like to capitalize every letter of the name as a simple reminder that I am making reference to the One who is too amazing for words. Perhaps the easiest way to broaden our understanding of our Heavenly Parent is to spice up our spiritual routine. It’s too easy to fall into ruts of praying the same name every time, so I challenge you to use a different name every day this week… It may be uncomfortable at first, but if we are willing to be wooed into the depths of the Great Mystery, there’s no telling what we may find.
Can there be a dark light? Can there be bad goodness?
I believe that every good and perfect thing comes from GOD (James 1:17 from the Christian Bible). I believe that if something is honourable, just, excellent, admirable, or praiseworthy, then its worth thinking about (Philippians 4:8). I believe that we will never be alone, because GOD is with us, and will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6 from the Torah).
Therefore, it’s a no-brainer to say that if something is not good, it is not of GOD. Period. GOD did not give you cancer. It is not a part of GOD’s “plan” to just sit back and watch people starve to death. And GOD definitely didn’t take your child from you to teach you some kind of twisted lesson. When our hearts break, when the vulnerable are exploited, when tragedy strikes, the GOD of all goodness, whose very nature is Love, is heartbroken. Love is not to blame. Darkness cannot come from light.
I feel no need to dance around the “problem of evil”. Let me be perfectly clear. Suffering, pain, poverty, and systemic injustice can not come from the hand of a good GOD… they are byproducts of a system corrupted with greed, pride and selfish ambition. Furthermore, guilt and shame are not gifts of the Spirit… they are coercive tactics employed by oppressors to keep us from being free.
There are many things that I will never fully understand (my protology, ecclesiology, eschatology and every other dogmatic-ology are subject to change) but I cannot compromise on the nature of GOD. Some days it feels like everything I’ve ever known is shifting under my feet, but even on those days, I know GOD. When I observe the natural world around me, when I read Holy Scriptures, and ultimately, when I look into the face of Jesus the Christ, I see my GOD with crystal clarity.
So, this is where I hang my hat:
GOD is Love… unqualified, unconditional, always.
GOD is Light. In GOD there is no darkness at all.
GOD is Good, without exception.
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love.”
– Psalm 103:8
sit down to share a meal with friends
… incoming call… txt… tweet…
offer an insincere apology
interact with a stranger in the coffee shop
… the conversation is boring… glance at the clock…
daydream while they blather
retreat to a quiet place to pray
… the mind races… the ego doesn’t shut up…
wonder why GOD never says anything
Why is it that we are so afraid to give our undivided attention to the now? Perhaps it’s easier for us to live our lives in the “what if” than the “what is” because in that world we have total control over the imaginary construct of our desired reality. We can spend our lives so preoccupied with the possible future that we never really live at all; as each moment is consumed with worry for the moment that would soon replace it.
Why would Jesus direct our attention to the lilies? How can the birds be our teachers? It’s really quite simple. The now matters, because your presence in this exact time and place matters. We all have one chance to change the world… and no, it can’t wait until tomorrow.
“Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself”
– Jesus (Matthew 6:34 from the Christian Bible)
If I have loved myself,
It is because I have learned that GOD loves me.
If I have loved others,
It is because I have learned what it means to love myself.
If I have loved GOD,
It is because I have learned from the Teacher in our midst.
– Phil (June 2012)
The Spirit of GOD is “hovering over the waters”, creating, renewing, restoring and transforming.
The beautiful thing about Pentecost is that it reminds us that we can be infused with the Holy Spirit. The Creative Energy that calls new life into existence, the Comforter that binds up broken hearts, the Giver every good gift, and the same Spirit that anointed Jesus Christ in his life and ministry is still actively engaged in the world all around us, because this world matters to GOD. You matter to GOD.
When you and I allow the Spirit to flow in and through us, “tikkun olam” is possible, because we are empowered to be agents of positive change in our world. We can bring life where there is death, beauty where there are ashes, comfort where there is mourning, hope where there is despair, and we can strive to do all things in love… This is what it means to be Spirit-filled.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
– Jesus (Luke 4:18-19 quoting the Prophet Isaiah)
When was the last time you made a list of some of the people that have shaped and influenced your life?
Who I am today has been greatly influenced by the example of godly men and women in my life who have loved me and shown me what it is to practice the presence of GOD. From my grandparents and parents, to roommates and friends, to mentors and spiritual fathers/mothers, I have been on a journey of falling in love with the journey itself. They have taught me to see the Sacred in the mundane, they have shown me what it looks like to value the image of GOD in others, they have spurred me on to discipline in my spiritual life, and they have laid the foundation for the person that Christ is building me up to be.
Community helps to mold us into the people that we are becoming. There are things that we can learn through the experience of being with each other that are not easily discovered alone. We all have blind-spots that require an outside perspective, burdens that are too heavy to carry alone, and difficult days that need a friend.
GOD eternally dwells in community… so it’s no wonder that we were designed for one another.
***
Who are some of the people that have taken time to invest in your life? How did they influence who you are today? Share your story in the comment section below!
“Being a mystic simply means one who has moved from mere belief systems or belonging systems to actual inner experience”
– Richard Rohr
Some people get a little turned off when they hear the word “mystic”, and I have had a few people question why I identify with the word. When I use the term “Christian mystic”, I am referring to the deep tradition of the Church that seeks to experience the mysteries of the Sacred in a profoundly personal way. As a follower of Jesus I strive not only to understand truth, but also to know Truth as intimately as I know my closest friends. I enjoy reading theology, studying the Scriptures and having “holy discourses” as much as the next church-nerd, but I also realize that my faith is not in a set of doctrines or practices, but in a personal GOD.
It’s likely that you and I will experience the presence of GOD in different ways, at different times, and we may describe it using very different language… but there’s nothing in this world quite like knowing that you have encountered the Living GOD.
***
When have you been most aware the presence of GOD? How have you personally experienced the Mystery of Faith? … I’d love to hear your stories in the comment section below!
Solitude is by far my least favourite spiritual discipline. I’m an ENFP (based on Myers-Brigg personality type indicator) so, I would rather get a paper-cut on my tongue than spend an entire day by myself… and yet, Jesus modeled solitude as an integral part of his life and ministry. Jesus would often withdraw from people to meet with GOD, and whether I like it or not, he taught us to do the same.
So, I’ve designed this guide for all my fellow extroverts who, like me, struggle with being alone. Hopefully by following these steps you too will find the discipline of solitude to be spiritually enriching… or at least, tolerable.
Why not try some solitude today? Who knows, you may even like not hate it…
“Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est” – this Latin phrase has been chanted and sung in places of worship around the world for centuries, and it simply means “Where there is charity and love, God is there” … Those words have been echoing through my heart since Easter, and I am being challenged to consider what it means to live them out as truth.
Sometimes we need the reminder that we are not the only ones in journey with GOD. In fact, GOD is constantly persuading everyone and everything to be a greater reflection of Love, and thankfully, we are not the only ones who have responded to the call. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (from 1 Corinthians 13 in the Christian Bible).
Whenever someone is patient with you, GOD is there. Whenever someone extends kindness to you, GOD is there. Every time someone shows you mercy instead of anger, protects you, trusts you, hopes for you, perseveres alongside you… GOD is there.
Heaven… I get emotional when I think about the day when all wars and oppression will cease, when swords will be made into plowshares, and when every person will be treated with dignity, respect and equality. In the prayer that Christ taught us to pray we ask for GOD’s Kingdom to come and perfect will to be done… However, can we really pray, “Thy Kingdom come” with our words, while neglecting to live the kind of life that would bring about its fulfillment? On one hand, we talk about seeing our world transformed by peace, hope and love, yet on the other, we make excuses to blatantly ignore the teachings of Jesus as they pertain to the transformation of our personal lives.
Perhaps a part of the problem is that many have bought into an understanding of Heaven that is entirely other-worldly. Some people push Heaven as the primary motivator to drive up church attendance, because it’s just a better place to spend eternity than in the burning lake of hell’s fiery torment, right?… Others think of Heaven as a vending machine in the sky. If we could only push all the right buttons, say all the right words, pray hard enough, or cry loud enough, Heaven’s floodgates must open and shower us in blessings… Jackpot!
When Jesus was asked when the Kingdom of Heaven would come, he responded by saying, “Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21 from the Christian Bible). I will be the first to admit that it is always easier for us to look somewhere else, for someone else, to do something else, but the message of Jesus is crystal clear, this needs to start within us. We must be people who truly believe that, “Thy Kingdom come” is possible, and therefore, live our lives to that end.
“He who carries God in his heart bears Heaven with him wherever he goes”
– St. Ignatius of Loyola
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