Pastor Ash Dotson
Have you noticed that the arts (poetry, music, painting, etc.) and metaphor seem to be the language of God? I’m not sure why this is, but please consider this: God is creator. Humankind creates all kinds of physical things, and some of those creations are good, but others are destructive. However, when humans create using the arts and storytelling that relies on metaphor (parables), there often seems to be a spiritual element to the creation. Is that because art and creativity come from within, where God resides? Jesus almost always taught in parables; was that so we would look within to find the understanding?
Could it be that art is the language of creation, the language of the Spirit of God? For instance, as the trees are God’s creation, the music of the wind blowing through the trees is God’s voice. We hear God by listening to and observing God’s creation not with our external senses, but with the internal … the senses of the mystical heart. Think of Elijah hiding in a cave on Mount Horeb where he experiences a divine revelation in a “still small voice.”
It seems the only way to interpret or understand some scripture, the only way to truly hear Jesus in the scriptures is by using our mystical heart just as Elijah. For example, we can use Lectio Devina (praying the scriptures) so that the scriptures flow through the mystical heart and reach the true self and love within. There was once a young woman in my wife’s church (my wife is a pastor) who does interpretive dance, and in doing so encourages worship through the mystical heart. If we just look for understanding in the head, true meaning is usually lost.
I think of when the church split into Eastern and Western factions in the 11th century, it seems the Eastern Church took with it most of the mystical (heart) practices of Christianity, and sadly, the Western Church (which now includes most protestant denominations) was stuck exclusively with head knowledge as handed down by the officials of the church. Thankfully there were a few holdouts to reteach us. In modern times, folks like Matthew Fox, Thomas Merton, Cynthia Bourgault, and Richard Rohr come to mind. Celtic spirituality (almost wiped out by the Western church) also has a lot to teach us.
You see, as believers most of us lost the gift of rivers of flowing water emanating from us. If we don’t receive the living water through the heart, we tend not to send out the living water. The art of scripture and the art in worship has, sadly, been lost to intellectual interpretation and law making for which they were never meant. Are you seeking God from within … look to creation and creations!
I invite you to join us at Oasis UMC where we seek to better hear God, where we seek to love all through living water which Jesus provides. We meet in the Cheyenne/Laredo Room at 9:30 a.m. Sundays. All are welcome!