And an invitation to a radically different relationship with God.
And a challenge to each believer, in each moment of our lives.
Job's friends piled up towers of theology, logic and verbiage that were supposed to showcase their brilliance and insight, but instead provided a perfectly appalling window into their cruelty, jealousy, pride in logical debate, and utter inadequacy to comprehend the majesty and subtlety of God's True Being.
Job 's "box of God concepts" was such a distortion of the Truth that God decided to lovingly carry Job out of the prison of "painfully too small".
God JOINED WITH Job "up on the mountain" (I.e., in a Mystical Unitive Experiece) and then Job stepped WAY out of his painful but comforting familiarity into...
AWE,
Awe is the True expression of the Soul when it steps outside the door of known concepts, familiar boundaries, and ideas that fit (or are "close enough") to any new experience. Awe tells us that our "ideas of the world" and "ideas of God" are pinching our soul, and we've outgrown those confines. Awe reminds us that our "concepts" are man-made, limited and LIMITING boxes that WE create and then try to stuff all our experiences into.
Sometimes. experiences refuse to stay in our boxes.
Awe is the ONLY adequate reaction to the Mystical Encounter, the shared Glory of God, the moment that shatters all boundaries, ideas, theories, assumptions, and expectations.
God invited Job into a whole new level of shared intimacy and radically different theological concepts. The Glory of that Unity was a deep, Loving encounter and invitation to a new Journey which God offered -- and challenged -- Job to embark upon.
But Job's invitation and challenge was NOT about an ancient man long ago on some distant mountain. It's about US -- EACH ONE of us.
NOW.
in THIS moment.
Are we clinging to a confining, arrogant, impeccably-logically/theologically argued but cruel, judgemental, petty, small, God-concept-Love-concept-Reality-concept? Do we insist on making God reflect our own meanness? Our own eloquent but ridiculously inadequate theological verbiage?
Is "our God" more "us" than "God"? How big have we made OURSELVES, in our "god concept"? How eloquent is our ego in the mirror that it labels "God"?
The Biblical Mystical Revelation steps into sacred Awe, flows through it into Direct Encounter and deepest Union, and flows out into even more profound awe and stunned amazement. It is God's jewel in the Soul, a stunning God-stretching Experience of radically profound Intuitions, an invitation to a lifelong Path that opens up and unfolds into each moment, an eternal challenge to unwrap its astonishing implications. It was the gift of ancient Biblical mystics,' preserved and lovingly handed down through the eons, a Sacred gift of Awe and ever-new intimacy and insight. It was, and is, the Ground of God's Biblical message to every one who Hears.
Does' God fit in our boxes?
Does our love fit into those same boxes?
God carried Job into the Answer, and
AWE was the ONLY adequate response to what Job Saw.
Every time I read or hear this passage, I hear audacity in God's voice! Who are we to question God? How wonderful are the works of God's hands. When I hear, "Why did God allow this to happen?" I wonder if the person who is questioning knows that God set all this into motion, but gave us free will to do as we might. I am grateful for all I have been given, even my sassy attitude.
You have added a dimension to the doing of social justice, and a way to make a difference everyday . Enjoy the majesty of creation and "Be still and know that I am God," at the beauty of the sunrise or sunset. And I would add looking down ; and catching the beauty of a "pesky little chipmunk<" running across my patio who gave me a chuckle in the early morning, yesterday. And later being allowed to give fresh lettuce to a 1500 lb. juvenile giraffe (His choice to come and take it from me) We had a strong fence between us! And his human care giver was right there. He was born in the US. Enjoying Creation by looking at your surroundings and when given the chance to see the spectacular pictures of the universe and remember we are all but dust--beautiful dust.
I have a painted stone that says Never Stop Looking Up. My life is a quiet one now as I am recovering from illness, and managing two chronic diseases. Yet I am "in awesome wonder at at Thy universe displayed." Yes, I experience these emotions, but God is greater than my heart.
Awe . . . the reality of that word when referring to the vast magnificence of the Lord's creation or the beautiful truth of His Word or the total awesomeness of the unfathomable depth of love that the Lord Jesus has for us . . . Awe! . . . We stand in awe of Him. Thank you, Diana, for bringing us up . . . up and not down . . . Looking up . . . thinking up . . . speaking up . . . worshipping up . . . . Up and up and up . . . UP to AWE!!!!
Thank you for reminding us of awe and wonder. As I listened to your sermon I was also listening to horns honking as people driving around the Oval downtown past a Trump rally. There is fear of what might haooen during and after this election. However we have to hold on to the wonder of God's creation and pray for the best.
Yes! Our pastor @ 1st Pres Berkeley (PCUSA) is doing a series based on Keltner’s book and research on Awe. One Sunday just music. Last week an art show in the sanctuary. Two weeks ago she had Dr. Keltner for a Q&A about his research. (Cool to be close to UCB!) All on YouTube. It’s gotten me to the point where I recently was in awe -literally- of a drop of water in the sink. Just where had that drop been before?
I am part of another study group and the topic in October was awe. The author is Dr Dacher Keltner. AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it can transform your life. He heads the Greater Good Science Center and teaches at the University of California, Berkeley.
Incredilble sermon!
I believe I’m subscribed but can’t find the sermon.
Job's Revelation is a Love Story,
And an invitation to a radically different relationship with God.
And a challenge to each believer, in each moment of our lives.
Job's friends piled up towers of theology, logic and verbiage that were supposed to showcase their brilliance and insight, but instead provided a perfectly appalling window into their cruelty, jealousy, pride in logical debate, and utter inadequacy to comprehend the majesty and subtlety of God's True Being.
Job 's "box of God concepts" was such a distortion of the Truth that God decided to lovingly carry Job out of the prison of "painfully too small".
God JOINED WITH Job "up on the mountain" (I.e., in a Mystical Unitive Experiece) and then Job stepped WAY out of his painful but comforting familiarity into...
AWE,
Awe is the True expression of the Soul when it steps outside the door of known concepts, familiar boundaries, and ideas that fit (or are "close enough") to any new experience. Awe tells us that our "ideas of the world" and "ideas of God" are pinching our soul, and we've outgrown those confines. Awe reminds us that our "concepts" are man-made, limited and LIMITING boxes that WE create and then try to stuff all our experiences into.
Sometimes. experiences refuse to stay in our boxes.
Awe is the ONLY adequate reaction to the Mystical Encounter, the shared Glory of God, the moment that shatters all boundaries, ideas, theories, assumptions, and expectations.
God invited Job into a whole new level of shared intimacy and radically different theological concepts. The Glory of that Unity was a deep, Loving encounter and invitation to a new Journey which God offered -- and challenged -- Job to embark upon.
But Job's invitation and challenge was NOT about an ancient man long ago on some distant mountain. It's about US -- EACH ONE of us.
NOW.
in THIS moment.
Are we clinging to a confining, arrogant, impeccably-logically/theologically argued but cruel, judgemental, petty, small, God-concept-Love-concept-Reality-concept? Do we insist on making God reflect our own meanness? Our own eloquent but ridiculously inadequate theological verbiage?
Is "our God" more "us" than "God"? How big have we made OURSELVES, in our "god concept"? How eloquent is our ego in the mirror that it labels "God"?
The Biblical Mystical Revelation steps into sacred Awe, flows through it into Direct Encounter and deepest Union, and flows out into even more profound awe and stunned amazement. It is God's jewel in the Soul, a stunning God-stretching Experience of radically profound Intuitions, an invitation to a lifelong Path that opens up and unfolds into each moment, an eternal challenge to unwrap its astonishing implications. It was the gift of ancient Biblical mystics,' preserved and lovingly handed down through the eons, a Sacred gift of Awe and ever-new intimacy and insight. It was, and is, the Ground of God's Biblical message to every one who Hears.
Does' God fit in our boxes?
Does our love fit into those same boxes?
God carried Job into the Answer, and
AWE was the ONLY adequate response to what Job Saw.
Then Job's New Religious Journey began.
And ours, if we choose.
Thank you. My soul needed this. And it reminded me of "Bring on the Wonder." https://youtu.be/T9JLZ4qWKMM?feature=shared
Every time I read or hear this passage, I hear audacity in God's voice! Who are we to question God? How wonderful are the works of God's hands. When I hear, "Why did God allow this to happen?" I wonder if the person who is questioning knows that God set all this into motion, but gave us free will to do as we might. I am grateful for all I have been given, even my sassy attitude.
You have added a dimension to the doing of social justice, and a way to make a difference everyday . Enjoy the majesty of creation and "Be still and know that I am God," at the beauty of the sunrise or sunset. And I would add looking down ; and catching the beauty of a "pesky little chipmunk<" running across my patio who gave me a chuckle in the early morning, yesterday. And later being allowed to give fresh lettuce to a 1500 lb. juvenile giraffe (His choice to come and take it from me) We had a strong fence between us! And his human care giver was right there. He was born in the US. Enjoying Creation by looking at your surroundings and when given the chance to see the spectacular pictures of the universe and remember we are all but dust--beautiful dust.
Beautiful and heartening! THANK YOU. Will share!
Thank you! Thank you! I am sharing with friends near and far. We all need to hear this.
What a blessed gift right now.
I have a painted stone that says Never Stop Looking Up. My life is a quiet one now as I am recovering from illness, and managing two chronic diseases. Yet I am "in awesome wonder at at Thy universe displayed." Yes, I experience these emotions, but God is greater than my heart.
Awe . . . the reality of that word when referring to the vast magnificence of the Lord's creation or the beautiful truth of His Word or the total awesomeness of the unfathomable depth of love that the Lord Jesus has for us . . . Awe! . . . We stand in awe of Him. Thank you, Diana, for bringing us up . . . up and not down . . . Looking up . . . thinking up . . . speaking up . . . worshipping up . . . . Up and up and up . . . UP to AWE!!!!
Thank you for reminding us of awe and wonder. As I listened to your sermon I was also listening to horns honking as people driving around the Oval downtown past a Trump rally. There is fear of what might haooen during and after this election. However we have to hold on to the wonder of God's creation and pray for the best.
Thanks Diana! I have three magnificent maple trees aglow in gold as I drive into my driveway.
This year they literally took my breath away.
A friend burst through the door this morning
Caviling. “Have you seen your trees. “!!! I had to stop my car and sit in wonder. Wow
Your message is mirroring this beauty…
Yes! Our pastor @ 1st Pres Berkeley (PCUSA) is doing a series based on Keltner’s book and research on Awe. One Sunday just music. Last week an art show in the sanctuary. Two weeks ago she had Dr. Keltner for a Q&A about his research. (Cool to be close to UCB!) All on YouTube. It’s gotten me to the point where I recently was in awe -literally- of a drop of water in the sink. Just where had that drop been before?
I am part of another study group and the topic in October was awe. The author is Dr Dacher Keltner. AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it can transform your life. He heads the Greater Good Science Center and teaches at the University of California, Berkeley.