What We Talk about When We Talk about God

1. God is With Us: The Divine Presence in Everyday Life

You are already experiencing the presence of God with you in countless ways every single day.

Divine electricity. The ancient Hebrews believed in a cosmic electricity called "ruach" that flows through all things, holding everything together and giving the universe its life and depth. This divine energy is not distant or detached but as intimate as our breath. It's present in every moment, from the mundane to the extraordinary.

Awakening to the sacred. Our task is to become more aware of this divine presence, seeing God in more people, places, and events each day. This awareness jolts us into the affirmation that everything matters - every person, interaction, and moment. It's about recognizing the sacred in the common, the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Examples of divine presence:

• A profound conversation with a friend
• The beauty of nature
• A moment of unexpected kindness
• The feeling of connection during a shared meal

2. God is For Us: Unconditional Love and Grace

Gospel is the shocking, provocative, revolutionary, subversive, counterintuitive good news that in your moments of greatest despair, failure, sin, weakness, losing, failing, frustration, inability, helplessness, wandering, and falling short, God meets you there—right there—right exactly there—in that place, and announces, I am on your side.

Radical acceptance. The core message of Jesus is that God's love is unconditional and available to everyone, regardless of their background, beliefs, or actions. This love isn't earned through good behavior or religious rituals but is freely given.

Grace over merit. This understanding challenges the common belief that we must earn God's favor through our actions. Instead, it affirms that God's love is a gift we simply receive. This realization can be profoundly liberating, freeing us from the constant pressure to prove our worth.

Implications of God being "for us":

• Freedom from shame and guilt
• Motivation for positive change rooted in love, not fear
• Increased compassion for others
• A foundation for self-acceptance and growth

3. God is Ahead of Us: Progressive Vision for Humanity

A careful reading of the Bible reveals a book about people having their minds blown and hearts exploded with a vision for humanity so thrilling and joyous it can't be grasped all at once.

Divine pull forward. Throughout history, we see God meeting people where they are and calling them to move forward. This progressive movement is evident in the Bible, where we see gradual improvements in ethics, justice, and human rights.

Continuous evolution. This understanding challenges the notion that God is stuck in the past or trying to drag us backward. Instead, it presents a God who is constantly pulling humanity toward greater peace, love, justice, and joy.

Examples of progressive movement in the Bible:

• "Eye for an eye" as a limit on revenge, not a call for it
• Improved treatment of women and vulnerable groups
• Jesus expanding love beyond tribal boundaries

4. Rethinking Sacred and Secular: All of Life is Holy

Jesus doesn't divide the world up into the common and the sacred; he gives us eyes to see the sacred in the common.

Breaking down barriers. Jesus challenges the traditional division between sacred and secular spaces, times, and activities. He teaches that all of life is infused with the divine presence, making every moment and every place potentially sacred.

Holiness in the everyday. This perspective invites us to see our work, relationships, and daily activities as opportunities for encountering and expressing the divine. It elevates the significance of our ordinary lives and challenges us to live with greater intention and awareness.

Implications of seeing all life as sacred:

• Finding meaning in everyday tasks
• Treating all work as potentially holy
• Recognizing divine encounters in unexpected places
• Living with greater reverence and mindfulness

5. The Power of Confession and Vulnerability

Confession is like really, really healthy vomit. It may smell and get all over the front of your shirt, but you feel better—you feel cleansed—when you're done.

Liberation through honesty. Confession isn't about punishment but about freedom. By naming our fears, doubts, and failures, we rob them of their power over us. This act of vulnerability allows us to integrate the hidden parts of ourselves and live more wholly.

Communal healing. We need safe spaces and relationships where we can be honest about our struggles. This vulnerability not only helps us but also creates opportunities for deeper connection and mutual support with others.

Benefits of confession and vulnerability:

• Release of emotional burdens
• Increased self-awareness
• Deeper relationships
• Opportunity for support and growth

6. Integrating Mind, Body, and Spirit

We are integrated beings, and aesthetics matter.

Holistic humanity. We are more than just our rational minds. Our bodies, emotions, intuitions, and spiritual experiences all contribute to who we are and how we understand the world. Jesus invites us to integrate all these aspects of our being.

Embodied faith. This understanding challenges purely intellectual approaches to spirituality. It invites us to engage our whole selves in our spiritual journey, recognizing the wisdom of our bodies and the importance of physical practices in our faith.

Areas of integration:

• Trusting gut feelings and intuition
• Recognizing the spiritual impact of physical practices (like yoga)
• Appreciating beauty and aesthetics as spiritually significant
• Honoring our bodies as sacred gifts

7. Interconnectedness: Our Impact on Each Other and the World

Deep calls to deep.

Quantum connections. Modern science is revealing how deeply interconnected we are with each other and our environment. Our actions, emotions, and even thoughts have ripple effects far beyond what we can see.

Ethical implications. This interconnectedness underscores Jesus' teaching to love our neighbors. It's not just a nice idea but a fundamental truth about reality. Our well-being is tied to the well-being of others and our environment.

Examples of interconnectedness:

• Mirror neurons causing empathy
• The contagious nature of emotions
• Physical and energetic effects of our interactions
• Environmental impact of our choices

Last updated: November 29, 2024