Recognizing the Spiritual Context in Which We Live: Part 1

Recognizing the Spiritual Context in Which We Live

In the month of July all the glory of God’s creative order comes to full bloom. In these warm summer days amidst the life-giving sunrise & the glorious sunset of each new day we can see new life bursting forth with reverent beauty, mediating the glory of our Holy Creator’s presence all around us. When we allow ourselves to pause amidst the busyness of life & take in the natural beauty of this season, our whole being; mind, body & spirit seems to naturally shift into a spirit of gratitude, joy & hope in response to the beauty of new life that is springing up all around us. As we take in the natural beauty of creation, regardless of what season of life, or what condition of wellness & health we might find ourselves in, I think we’d all agree that it is impossible, at least to some degree, not to feel grateful for God’s gifts & presence in all of creation. This deep gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life & the world. When we feel deep reverence toward our Creator, we are more open to receiving & living into the fullness of the gift of life. When we fail to recognize the spiritual context in which we live, we lose sight of our Creator & our whole being; mind, body & spirit become broken & separated from our life-giving force. Though the reverence of creation transcends our full understanding, by the very fact that God is in all creation, & all creation is part of God, we who are created in the image of God are pulled into sacred harmony with God’s creative order & made whole. Creation is the healing balm that makes us whole & brings us into balance regardless of what season we may find ourselves in.

Living in Sacred Harmony with God

As humans created in the image of God, we come to know God, the Holy of Holies, by trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life, in the real world. The soul & the flesh cannot be separated. When you think of it, there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. To enlighten our souls & grow ever closer to the heart of God, we need to grow to trust our body, our senses & our feelings. Our human experiences are pathways to our ever-present God. God’s true nature is revealed by the manner in which He is present & interacts with all of creation. Our spiritual life depends upon the manner in which we engage our earthly life. It is in the common bodily practices of living: of walking in nature, of sharing with friends, of cooking & sharing a meal, of planting a garden, of loving one another & of living in our bodies fully human, that change our lives, sometimes all at once, sometimes slowly, the way dripping water changes a stone. Our everyday living reminds us that we are made whole as we live in sacred harmony in the presence of God our creator.

~Posted by Rev Kathryn Bindig MDiv. MS; Spiritual Consultant with assistance from Rich Muscatello; Director of Business Development & Strategy