y how we see ourselves. Those who view God as a demanding perfectionist often see themselves as failures, unable to live up to God's exacting standards. People who truly believe that God is love are more likely to love self and neighbor freely. Of course, as Bruce Epperly is quick to point out in Week 1 of his book, all our images of God are flawed. We cannot come up with one word, image, or description that fully encapsulates who God is. God is too big, too mysterious, too incomprehensible, too holy. And yet, Epperly also says, “God does not hide from us. The God of scripture, tradition, and spiritual experience wants to be known.” (pg. 29) Though the words and images we use to describe God are imperfect, they are materials through which God can work to reveal aspects of God's character to us. Epperly invites us to go deeper in our search for God, to be “playful mystics,” delighting in the discovery of God in unexpected places or circumstances.
The universal nature of God's love is something that is often mentioned in church, but few are willing to fully embrace it in all its implications. Epperly believes that not only does God love every human – regardless of gender, religion, race, nationality, physical or mental health, social class, or any other barrier – but also that “God's love is not limited to humankind. All creation bears the divine image and reflects God's love. . . The adventurous God loves fox terriers, Siamese cats, and the color purple! God has sufficient stature to reach out to Islamic fundamentalists and American entrepreneurs alike, as well as Pentecostal preachers and progressive professors.” (pg. 32) We often overlook the importance of the non-human elements of creation in God's dream for the universe, but surely we cannot be the only creatures about whom God cares. In a later week, Epperly will expand on this idea, so we will return to it then.
Seeing God as Creator is not a new idea for most of us. We have most likely read the creation story (actually two stories) from Genesis, and have heard from people who believe that God created the world in literally seven days. But what happened after that? Did God stop creating? Was divine creativity spent after a week? No, I don't believe so, and neither does Epperly. The world around us and the intricate tapestries of our own lives testify to the continuing creativity of God. Instead of thinking of creation as a finished process, Epperly invites us to see “that God is continually working in our personal,
planetary, and cosmic evolution, and . . . that we live in the 'eighth day' of creation. . . Though we live in a risky universe in which happy endings cannot be presumed, we can choose to become God's partners in an open system whose best days lie in the future.” (pg. 40) We are creative people because we are the children of a God who is constantly creating anew, and who invites us to be partners in the ongoing process of creation. That is an exciting prospect! In our first group class, some of us told stories of times we could clearly see God working in our lives and the lives of those around us, when we got to be part of creating something new together with God. They were wonderful stories, and I think we all have them, if we only pay attention. Sometimes we need to hear from someone else's viewpoint in order to see clearly. As an example, Epperly points to the story of Esther, from the Old Testament book of the same name. Though she was a wife of the king, she felt powerless to stop the plot she had heard about to destroy her people. It took her cousin Mordecai to show her that perhaps God had worked to bring her into the royal court “for just such a time as this.”One tool that Epperly gives us for turning our focus more toward the adventurous activity of God is daily affirmations. In each day's reading, he gives several short sentences for the reader to cho
ose from and repeat throughout the day. This may seem a strange exercise for those who have never done it before, but something so simple really can help change our perspective. For example, I found my feelings toward someone I had had a disagreement with soften as I repeated the affirmation, “God's love embraces both me and _____.” As I filled the blank with this person's name throughout the day, the truth of the affirmation began to sink in, and I was able to see him not only as someone who had angered me, but as someone loved by God just as much as I am. I would invite you to give daily affirmations a try if you have never done so. Here are a few Epperly gives us in week 1:God loves me (fill in your name), yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
God's love embraces both ________ and ___________ (name two political, military, or personal adversaries).
Nothing can separate me from the love of God.
God is my companion in (name a particular situation).
God and I are partners in God's new creation.
Divine creativity is revealed in (a particular life situation or aspect of your life).
Divine wisdom is at work in my life right now.
I awaken to divine inspiration in synchronous moments and encounters.
God is inspiring me with every breath.
God is inspiring me in (a particular life or work situation).
God loves me just as I am. I am God's beloved child.
My life brings beauty to everyone I meet.
God forgives my mistakes and helps me begin again.
God is helping me find the best path in my life.
Epperly's challenge to see God and ourselves in new ways is an exciting one. Such a change in perspective has the power to transform the way we interact with one another and the world. As we go forth this week to love and serve in the name of the creative Creator, here are some questions to ponder and respond to in the comments below:
- What does it mean to you to be a “playful mystic”?
- What words have you used in your life to describe God? Which ones still work for you? Which do not, and why?
- When did God become more than a word for you? How?
- As you reflect on your life, what new adventure is God calling you toward?
- When have you experienced divine synchronicity? How has it changed your life?
- What difference does your life make to God and others, as a cocreator with God?
- Do you think we can surprise God by our thoughts and actions?
5 comments:
"Epperly invites us to go deeper in our search for God, to be “playful mystics,” delighting in the discovery of God in unexpected places or circumstances." Fantastic. I really dig seeing this Epperly character and his book through your eyes. I also really enjoyed a lot of those statements he suggests you repetitively read throughout the day.
So what does it mean to me to be a "playful mystic"? To me, it means deconstruction. I understand/embrace mysticism as an attempt to experience and understand God, love, life, and the self in a sort of existential experiment. Like Gandhi's experiments with truth, I play with the idea of describing God in a certain way and learn from that description--the via negativa.
In the experiment, I seek to see how the description insufficiently mirrors reality. I say God is love, but seek to see not how God isn't loving, but rather how the word "love" cannot properly describe how I understand love and God. It is like Goethe's Faust who cannot translate the "logos" of John 1:1 into German. Words are always insufficient carriers of reality. To be a playful mystic, I play with the language, always changing, always learning--always deconstructing the words and going beyond the words and the deconstruction to the "love" and "God" at which the words grasp.
I have used many words/names for God:
Father--particularly during a time when my biological father was absent in my life.
Present/presence--I really embraced this when I did CPE and ministered to people dealing with illness, death, etc. and have continued to hold on to it as I have walked with friends and parishoners through tragedy and difficult times. No word/name/description seemed to fit in those times, but what we could cling to was that God was present with us.
Creator--as I was seeking to find a gender-neutral way to talk about that figure in the Trinity.
YHWH (Yahweh)--I loved learning that in the Hebrew language, God was so holy, so unique, so special that God's name had no vowels and thus unpronounceable.
God--rather than use any name that puts God in a specific role or using gender-specific pronouns (he/she) that forces God to take on our image, or finding a name that "fits," lately, I just stick with God understanding there is no name or word or description that will ever capture all of who God is or what God does.
My thoughts on Epperly's daily affirmations. I love them and I am overwhelmed by them. I'm struggling to make it through one reading a day (and by struggling I mean failing to make it through one reading a day...)The affirmations are excellent and beneficial but by the time I can process them and choose to stick with one or two and remember to apply it in my comings and goings, I have a whole new list to process. ACK! I feel I'm missing their benefit. Any suggestions?
Thanks Stacy for your insights and leadership!
Great stuff, Trevar. I remember learning about the via negativa in div school, but never heard it put in such a meaningful way. Your definition of playful mystic is one of the most engaging I've heard. May we all keep changing, learning, and deconstructing as we pursue the holy adventure!
Amy, I'm so glad to see you join us! Beautiful thoughts on names/words for the indescribable God. As for the affirmations, I've had the benefit of reading through the book twice, so have had more time to integrate and process them. I think if there's one that is really rich for you, it's fine to stick with it for a few days, or even the week. Then as you read, maybe you could highlight ones you'd like to return to even after you've finished the book. I think they'll still be a great spiritual practice even after the 41 days are over! I'm amazed that you find time for the readings at all in your busy life! Thanks for your comments. I'm really starting to see this as an online community experience, and I love that.
Stacy, I'm so glad you are doing this! I will enjoy reading along and participating "from afar" - and I am enjoying the new voices already! There are some deep thinkers in this group and I look forward to everyone's input. I happened to watch the movie Invictus last night and I think some of Nelson Mandela's message to those around him is appropriate for this discussion: "I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul," from a poem he found inspirational while imprisoned for many years in dismal conditions. He said it inspired him to "be better than he thought himself capable" with God's help, and then he used that strength to make a difference in South Africa. It is exciting to think we are "partners in the on-going process of creation!" It's a powerful thought.
I loved the quote that "God's love is not limited to humankind," of course (I am a veterinarian and have made my life about caring for God's other creatures and for those who love them.)
Amy, I liked your names for God - I particularly share the name Present, as that belief gets me through every hour of my life, both good and bad.
Post a Comment