Pastor Ash Dotson, Oasis United Methodist Church
We meet in the Robson Ranch Laredo Room at 9:30 a.m. Sundays. Please join us!
Have you ever wondered what comes next in human evolution? Where are we headed—not just biologically, but spiritually?
I believe we’re on our way toward becoming more deeply aware of who we already are: spiritual beings. In fact, we’re born naturally contemplative. But as we grow, our ego-driven personalities tend to pull us away from that innate awareness. What if the next step in our evolution is to return to that contemplative state—not by going backward, but by moving forward into deeper spiritual connection?
This was a core part of what Jesus came to teach us. But we humans can be a stubborn bunch.
Consider the story of the feeding of the 5,000. When Jesus asked Philip and Andrew how to feed the crowd, they immediately focused on how impossible it was. They approached the problem through the lens of scarcity and logic. But Jesus was inviting them into something deeper—something spiritual.
That’s still where we are, isn’t it? We’re conditioned to seek solutions through facts, numbers, and quick fixes. We want to solve problems our way, with human logic. But Jesus calls us to think spiritually—to see through the eyes of faith and love. When we do, new answers emerge. Answers rooted in abundance, compassion, and trust.
What if Philip had said, “I don’t know, Jesus, but I trust you?” That simple shift would have shown that his heart was opening, that he was learning to live from a deeper place. That’s what spiritual growth looks like.
Now imagine a world where we all lived like that. A world shaped not by fear, but by love. A world grounded in the awareness of God’s presence in all things. That’s the vision I saw so clearly in Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. He said:
“When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again. When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook. When love is the way, poverty will become history. When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary. When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields, down by the riverside, to study war no more. When love is the way, there’s plenty good room—plenty good room for all of God’s children. Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other, well… like we are actually family. When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all, and we are brothers and sisters, children of God.”
Isn’t it time we followed Jesus more fully—learning to find God within and to live from that love?
Let love be your way.