God reveals his truth to many people in parts and the whole comes through connections
Today I heard Lisa Sharon Harper speak at the 6th Annual North American Conference of the Society for Social Work and Spirituality in Washington DC. It was amazing. A wow, in a number of different ways. Part of me says it was amazing because her thought, evangelical orientation, human compassion, delivery, articulation, humor, points and text were amazing. It was also amazing because that has been my text in several messages ove rthe last two years. She said, in Genesis 1 has no word for shalom but God rested on the 7th day as shalom. I sat there amazed at another level entirely. As arrogant as it may sound a part of me said, she is preaching my sermon. Then another part of me said, "remember the other day you were saying to a client that was affirming truth, that God is the keeper of all truth. While you believe God has given you a message for the 21st century you are not so naive to believe that God is only giving this truth to you."
As God reveals the hidden truths that are the divine secret to hearts that are open. Then another part thanked God for the suffering and pain in my life for that suffering has created an "open heartened" that sees and receives when parts are not activated or are not under the illusion that you are special. Humility and honesty and holiness all of a new and different kind. I will re-defined these three later.
She began her talk by asking everyone to close their eyes and imagine a new world. I have started a sermon from this exact same text. In the same way I had begun a blog the day before imagine a world. It was surreal and eery. The details about what she said that I had said, the parts she filled in that I did not get, and the parts that I want to offer her that she said she did not get, are intentionally to connect us. That is what it felt like.. It was light the universe was putting us both in the same place at the same tiem to give us the opportunity to connect but the universe does not direct that connection. As God is not in and does nto want the director's chair. That is what people want so why would we project that onto our concept of God. God is above that. This average place seemed like a palace of deeper truth. This safe space is sacred place, holy ground. The ground of all being! I felt it. I took off my sandals and set my feet pn God's ground to get grounded. I thanked God.
It seemed to me that God had brought her to this place and me to this place both in the physical world and the spiritual world to give us the opportunity to connect. I know it sounds egoistic and egotistic but it is what it felt like. I know it as the opposite of the experience of darkness of depression I have been through. It felt like the other side. The other side not as a counter point but as counter-balance.
God has revelaed to her the same things that God has revealed to me. Then I heard pieces that she go that I did not get. Then I realized I got some piece that she did not get. Then as I closed my eyes I saw that God is moving in our day in and among many people. That when the love of many may be waxing cold the love of God's servants who clarify internally God's eternal message of love and peace. They present, warmed in God's oven, the holy truth that is holy in a new way. God is still speaking and many of us have been given different part as we need to find each other come together and challenge the church and the world to hear the liberating message of God's love liberated from any theological, ecclesiastical, or self-serving agenda. Then I recalled several years ago meeting a servant woman who had suffered violent loss. She had asked me to share at a small gathering in Buffalo. Evie was her name in this human space but I am sure she is an angel with a new name now. In any event she led me into thinking that it is when the pieces of our lives are sown together in a patchwork of quilting (un-guilting) like the depression quilts made in the early 20th century. Those pieces sown together rather than fragmenting apart become the peace that the world needs. Peace not achieved by the dicatatitatorship of any person, or the military dominance of any power, or the winnowing of words. This peace is the peace that passes human understanding for it is a peace of inclusuion of positive intetnional care foreverything created by God. and infusion of love and peace.
Peace and justice will only be achieved when we go inside and resolve to dissolve the apparent convicts with everything in my internal system. Then from a place of peace with all the pieces (parts) woven together in a tapestry of understanding everything inside, we will begin to bring that peace to the world outside.
God was and is Love (Hesed) and Peace (Shalom). In peace God made the world. He is at peace no matter what happens in the world for "everything" is "very good" when we see everything form the place of love and peace. The I see (faith sees what no one else sees) that everything is good and good is in everything. I become a steward not just of me but of earth and all people and things, thoughts and feelings in and around me. Peace on earth will result in good will toward all humanity.
This is the Jesus way. It is not a particularly religious or ecclesiastical way that is the truth way as defined by any particular group (church, temple, or mosque, etc). It is a way beyond words. It is the way the heart is with all. A heart full of peace and love. A spirit full of rave and truth.
Imagine such a world. Be that world, inside and live that world into the outside world.
"World peace will be achieved through inner peace"
Shalom
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