I’m always interested in translations. Translating Yeshua’s Aramaic a sacred language opens many doors into the infinite sacred we embody.
The Book of Exodus having to do with Moses -- whoever wrote it -- seems that Name of the divine, usually translated I Am That I Am, was Yod Hey Vod Hey -- which forms the Tetragrammaton -- sacred geometry formation basic to the structure of creation.
To change it to “who” I am ... God names itself that?!! Known also as the Unnameable by virtue of being pre- or nonconceptual.
That there is a personal relationship in Moses’s direct connection and experience is also quite vital to our understanding of the attention grabbing burning bush and ensuing conversation -- a communion of impartation.
We are in need of liberation today. We’re enslaved. Most working folk have a bit of time between chores, errands, to recreate on weekends.
Yeshua didn’t have a church, people gathered and sat upon holy ground to hear him. Sangha, community, the enhancement of worship that happens as we unify in song and prayer, speaking to how we are living what the teachings offer about how holy people we are live and work. How we take that outside and live the garden of this living Word planet.
When that is meaningful enough for people to put it into their over-busy schedules where time to rest and recreate is all too scant as it is, to be nourished by the forest as the Japanese tell us, by the natural world restoring us to our natural state in the recognition it’s sacred ground, sacred life, sacred humans -- they’ll make time.
To Sabbath is to RIP, rest in the resurrecting presence, let our world and all its problems bereft of living Presence active in people’s day to day activities, be given back to the LORD: law of radical dominion. It’s for us to be restored in the Real with One another. It’s to revel in the Truth made alive in us, coming through us that it might carry over into all our activities throughout the week.
Is this a good enough invitation for people to make good use of going to church, temple, meditation gatherings, or whatever?
To realize we are spiritual Being living This Life living as US, intimately, personally and collectively among our infinite diversity of all of Life, our planet, all people and the world we’re making together through our daily actions, receptive of daily manna from the heaven that is within us is the purpose of human life, isn’t it?
I want to add my comments to Sunday's Musings and the burning bush as an in your face Holy Ground moment. I am in day 8 of my first bout with covid. {Well taken care of trying to come out of "fog" not terrible but annoying.} First on the Sept. 1st World Day of Prayer and the Season of of Creation. I wondered how to share this important day even electronically then the opportunity came from your writing. I had a telephone visit with my Physician PA on the first. Before we closed I asked her if she had heard about the Word Day of Prayer for Creation (after I made sure she understood I was not proselytizing for anyone faith) I then told her about and told her how she could look it up. She seemed really excited to do so. I also, first told her about the history of World Council of Churches and World Day of Prayers that I remembered from childhood so I kind of felt this is a 2023 take or focus from that .I think it was a holy Moment for both of us. Also shared it with my sister. Two trips to Hawaii when son in law was stationed there I knew I was on Holy Ground "taught" by native people just in having conversation with them and by signage about sacred spots and treatment of the land. I brought that explicit message back. and maybe that is a key to churches to continue the conversation that church is sacred ground but most importantly when we walkout of church we are also on sacred/creative ground!? From moments of Clarity!? over the last several days! In Peace, Bonita and in Gratitude
This is somewhat related: In Gary Thomas's book, Sacred Pathways, he speaks about "nine different ways to connect with God, " one of which is as what he calls a "naturalist," --that person who experiences God best through God's creations of mountains, forests, oceans, etc. Basically that outdoor person. I think the point here is that every single personality will have a prominent way in how they experience God best. I know a couple of the churches I've attended will have a yearly service outdoors, in the park. Perhaps we should have that type of service--with food and music--more often.
Much thanks for this comment. It really put things in perspective for me. We are all on the same path, just walking it/celebrating it in different ways.
Thank you Diana. I’m planning to attend the Southern Lights Conference. Your Cottage offerings are manna to me. They cause me to pause and reflect deeply. I‘ve always been a nature girl; a morning walk on the beach, a walk in the woods, listening to the birds. To say I’m feeling a deep calling to a different way to worship and share the Way of Jesus, is an understatement. It is a longing I can’t shake. I look forward to the conference and the discovery of where God is leading us, me. Thanks again!
I have always sensed the presence of the Devine in nature; in a flowering meadow, on a high mountain pass, or hearing coyotes howling in the middle of the night while camping. I could go on and on. We forget that we are also animals still intricately connected with nature, whether we realize it or not.
Thank you! Your piece has sparked an inspiration (definitely not original) to see Christians (maybe from my church) gathering in small groups to worship out in nature on weekends (not organized campground services), getting out in nature on hikes or river trips to listen to the Holy Spirit speak. Church doesn't need to be large groups. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there ." I'm hopeful of there being interest. I'm in a neat non-denominational Evangelical non MAGA type church. All people are welcome there!
Diana, this morning's devotional really shook me to my core! For the past few years I have been experiencing a calling and tugging at my heart that would take my life in a new direction. At times I felt I was going crazy. But when I experienced this sense of calling most profoundly was when I was alone in nature and most at peace with myself. So I learned to trust and have faith in this "benevolent presence" that was laying out a new path for me to follow. But in reading your devotional this morning I sensed that "benevolent presence" right here in my home office. It seemed to be making a covenant with me, saying, "I will never admonish, chastise, or criticize you as you step out in faith upon this new path. All you will ever experience from me is encouragement." I sobbed! For too much of my life that "bully inside my head" has done a damn good job of admonishing, chastising and criticizing. This was a profound sense of relief. I'm now in my mid 60s and trying to walk by faith into a somewhat clouded future. But I feel an increasing sense that there is a benevolent spirit out there that has my back and is looking out for me. This morning I experienced Holy Ground. Thank you!
How wonderful! Are you excited? It feels like you can take your next steps with a new advocate in your head to help silence the bully! Keep your feet treading on hallowed ground!
"Hallowed humus" - what a wonderful image? What if more of our elected officials, corporate executives and boards, and even clergy were required to spend one week a year in wild places?
I am wondering why God lead the Israelites to the land of Canaan,the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites where these tribes had problably clamed land to live and farm. Has we know the Iseralites had battle with these tribes and even today Palestinian and Jewish are not living in peace. My comment is maybe God could have directed Moses to guide the Hebrew to nutural territory.
Here's a good article by the late Rachel Held Evans -- it extensively quotes my friend, Pete Enns (who has a new Substack called "Odds and Enns) -- on this subject. A good place to start with your question. https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/peter-enns-bible-tells-me-so
Thanks for the recent church history on the Season of Creation. Seems long overdue.
A few months ago, a pastor asked me: "What would you tell our church planting committee to do differently if they were starting a new church today?" I said, "That's easy. Three things the early church did:
1. Have services outdoors
2. Teach contemplation
3. Add economic solidarity
The New Testament is an outdoors book about people who lived outdoor lives. Our friend Jesus was among the most outdoors of all.
As Wendell Berry wrote: "I don’t think it is enough appreciated how much an outdoor book the Bible is ... a book open to the sky. It is best read and understood outdoors ... Passages that within walls seem improbable or incredible, outdoors seem merely natural." ("Christianity and The Survival of Creation")
Thanks also for the Ojibwe meditation, very fitting and useful. : )
Now that I am retired, I find plenty of time to worship God in my garden where I raise vegetables, a few for my husband and myself, plus the bulk for the soup kitchen in a different denomination from mine-but who work together raising food for the indigent from our community. I have no problem spending one hour teaching Bible study before church and 60 minutes in church with fellow believers of all ages. All is Holy ground. God is everywhere!
Thank you for this beautiful post from a new perspective! It caused me to search the internet for “outdoor worship services near me” and I was pleasantly surprised! We’re heading out to a 5 pm service tonight! I especially like the Ojibwe Evening Prayer...”Bind us together in the circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and one another.” Alleluia and Amen. Blessings to you all!
I appreciate your comment on being in the wilderness. Too often it seems to worship in a building we are trying to hide, to not be seen who we claim to be, as if we are embarrassed. In the wilderness we are fully visible with our faults and insecurities and questions, to the creation and the world.
An inspiring post. Thank you. My own musing lead my to connect holy ground with “ I Am”. The sacred IS the land, the trees, the plants, the waters the air , the insects etc. Without all of that we would and could not exist. Awe , reverence and protection is our duty.
Nice. I hope you don’t mind a question though.
I’m always interested in translations. Translating Yeshua’s Aramaic a sacred language opens many doors into the infinite sacred we embody.
The Book of Exodus having to do with Moses -- whoever wrote it -- seems that Name of the divine, usually translated I Am That I Am, was Yod Hey Vod Hey -- which forms the Tetragrammaton -- sacred geometry formation basic to the structure of creation.
To change it to “who” I am ... God names itself that?!! Known also as the Unnameable by virtue of being pre- or nonconceptual.
That there is a personal relationship in Moses’s direct connection and experience is also quite vital to our understanding of the attention grabbing burning bush and ensuing conversation -- a communion of impartation.
We are in need of liberation today. We’re enslaved. Most working folk have a bit of time between chores, errands, to recreate on weekends.
Yeshua didn’t have a church, people gathered and sat upon holy ground to hear him. Sangha, community, the enhancement of worship that happens as we unify in song and prayer, speaking to how we are living what the teachings offer about how holy people we are live and work. How we take that outside and live the garden of this living Word planet.
When that is meaningful enough for people to put it into their over-busy schedules where time to rest and recreate is all too scant as it is, to be nourished by the forest as the Japanese tell us, by the natural world restoring us to our natural state in the recognition it’s sacred ground, sacred life, sacred humans -- they’ll make time.
To Sabbath is to RIP, rest in the resurrecting presence, let our world and all its problems bereft of living Presence active in people’s day to day activities, be given back to the LORD: law of radical dominion. It’s for us to be restored in the Real with One another. It’s to revel in the Truth made alive in us, coming through us that it might carry over into all our activities throughout the week.
Is this a good enough invitation for people to make good use of going to church, temple, meditation gatherings, or whatever?
To realize we are spiritual Being living This Life living as US, intimately, personally and collectively among our infinite diversity of all of Life, our planet, all people and the world we’re making together through our daily actions, receptive of daily manna from the heaven that is within us is the purpose of human life, isn’t it?
I want to add my comments to Sunday's Musings and the burning bush as an in your face Holy Ground moment. I am in day 8 of my first bout with covid. {Well taken care of trying to come out of "fog" not terrible but annoying.} First on the Sept. 1st World Day of Prayer and the Season of of Creation. I wondered how to share this important day even electronically then the opportunity came from your writing. I had a telephone visit with my Physician PA on the first. Before we closed I asked her if she had heard about the Word Day of Prayer for Creation (after I made sure she understood I was not proselytizing for anyone faith) I then told her about and told her how she could look it up. She seemed really excited to do so. I also, first told her about the history of World Council of Churches and World Day of Prayers that I remembered from childhood so I kind of felt this is a 2023 take or focus from that .I think it was a holy Moment for both of us. Also shared it with my sister. Two trips to Hawaii when son in law was stationed there I knew I was on Holy Ground "taught" by native people just in having conversation with them and by signage about sacred spots and treatment of the land. I brought that explicit message back. and maybe that is a key to churches to continue the conversation that church is sacred ground but most importantly when we walkout of church we are also on sacred/creative ground!? From moments of Clarity!? over the last several days! In Peace, Bonita and in Gratitude
I watched Exodus gods and kings on HBO last night. It included the Burning Bush episode..
Great timing.
Beautiful reminder... the holy ground, Earth.
This is somewhat related: In Gary Thomas's book, Sacred Pathways, he speaks about "nine different ways to connect with God, " one of which is as what he calls a "naturalist," --that person who experiences God best through God's creations of mountains, forests, oceans, etc. Basically that outdoor person. I think the point here is that every single personality will have a prominent way in how they experience God best. I know a couple of the churches I've attended will have a yearly service outdoors, in the park. Perhaps we should have that type of service--with food and music--more often.
Much thanks for this comment. It really put things in perspective for me. We are all on the same path, just walking it/celebrating it in different ways.
Thanks, Diana. A crucial truth beautifully expressed.
Thank you Diana. I’m planning to attend the Southern Lights Conference. Your Cottage offerings are manna to me. They cause me to pause and reflect deeply. I‘ve always been a nature girl; a morning walk on the beach, a walk in the woods, listening to the birds. To say I’m feeling a deep calling to a different way to worship and share the Way of Jesus, is an understatement. It is a longing I can’t shake. I look forward to the conference and the discovery of where God is leading us, me. Thanks again!
I have always sensed the presence of the Devine in nature; in a flowering meadow, on a high mountain pass, or hearing coyotes howling in the middle of the night while camping. I could go on and on. We forget that we are also animals still intricately connected with nature, whether we realize it or not.
Thank you! Your piece has sparked an inspiration (definitely not original) to see Christians (maybe from my church) gathering in small groups to worship out in nature on weekends (not organized campground services), getting out in nature on hikes or river trips to listen to the Holy Spirit speak. Church doesn't need to be large groups. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there ." I'm hopeful of there being interest. I'm in a neat non-denominational Evangelical non MAGA type church. All people are welcome there!
Diana, this morning's devotional really shook me to my core! For the past few years I have been experiencing a calling and tugging at my heart that would take my life in a new direction. At times I felt I was going crazy. But when I experienced this sense of calling most profoundly was when I was alone in nature and most at peace with myself. So I learned to trust and have faith in this "benevolent presence" that was laying out a new path for me to follow. But in reading your devotional this morning I sensed that "benevolent presence" right here in my home office. It seemed to be making a covenant with me, saying, "I will never admonish, chastise, or criticize you as you step out in faith upon this new path. All you will ever experience from me is encouragement." I sobbed! For too much of my life that "bully inside my head" has done a damn good job of admonishing, chastising and criticizing. This was a profound sense of relief. I'm now in my mid 60s and trying to walk by faith into a somewhat clouded future. But I feel an increasing sense that there is a benevolent spirit out there that has my back and is looking out for me. This morning I experienced Holy Ground. Thank you!
How wonderful! Are you excited? It feels like you can take your next steps with a new advocate in your head to help silence the bully! Keep your feet treading on hallowed ground!
I like that word "advocate". And yes, I am excited. Still a little bewildered and confused at times, but definitely excited.
Awesome! Keep us posted! I’m
Excited with you!
Wow! How beautiful, Steven. Thank you for sharing your story with me -- and the entire community here.
Thank you Diana for your kind words.
"Hallowed humus" - what a wonderful image? What if more of our elected officials, corporate executives and boards, and even clergy were required to spend one week a year in wild places?
I am wondering why God lead the Israelites to the land of Canaan,the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites where these tribes had problably clamed land to live and farm. Has we know the Iseralites had battle with these tribes and even today Palestinian and Jewish are not living in peace. My comment is maybe God could have directed Moses to guide the Hebrew to nutural territory.
Here's a good article by the late Rachel Held Evans -- it extensively quotes my friend, Pete Enns (who has a new Substack called "Odds and Enns) -- on this subject. A good place to start with your question. https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/peter-enns-bible-tells-me-so
Thanks for the recent church history on the Season of Creation. Seems long overdue.
A few months ago, a pastor asked me: "What would you tell our church planting committee to do differently if they were starting a new church today?" I said, "That's easy. Three things the early church did:
1. Have services outdoors
2. Teach contemplation
3. Add economic solidarity
The New Testament is an outdoors book about people who lived outdoor lives. Our friend Jesus was among the most outdoors of all.
As Wendell Berry wrote: "I don’t think it is enough appreciated how much an outdoor book the Bible is ... a book open to the sky. It is best read and understood outdoors ... Passages that within walls seem improbable or incredible, outdoors seem merely natural." ("Christianity and The Survival of Creation")
Thanks also for the Ojibwe meditation, very fitting and useful. : )
Now that I am retired, I find plenty of time to worship God in my garden where I raise vegetables, a few for my husband and myself, plus the bulk for the soup kitchen in a different denomination from mine-but who work together raising food for the indigent from our community. I have no problem spending one hour teaching Bible study before church and 60 minutes in church with fellow believers of all ages. All is Holy ground. God is everywhere!
Thank you for this beautiful post from a new perspective! It caused me to search the internet for “outdoor worship services near me” and I was pleasantly surprised! We’re heading out to a 5 pm service tonight! I especially like the Ojibwe Evening Prayer...”Bind us together in the circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and one another.” Alleluia and Amen. Blessings to you all!
I appreciate your comment on being in the wilderness. Too often it seems to worship in a building we are trying to hide, to not be seen who we claim to be, as if we are embarrassed. In the wilderness we are fully visible with our faults and insecurities and questions, to the creation and the world.
An inspiring post. Thank you. My own musing lead my to connect holy ground with “ I Am”. The sacred IS the land, the trees, the plants, the waters the air , the insects etc. Without all of that we would and could not exist. Awe , reverence and protection is our duty.