by Emily Huff
For International Dance Day, I offer this song “Lord of the Dance” that I remember from my high school youth group days. It was written in 1963 by Sydney Carter painting a picture of Jesus’ life and mission as a dance.
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth:
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with me and the dance went on:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame:
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,
And they left me there on a cross to die:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone;
But I am the dance, and I still go on:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that’ll never, never die.
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me:
I am the Lord of the dance, said he.
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
This song is a beautiful invitation to us as we listen to God saying, “Come dance with me” to us through this day that God has given to us. What might it be like to stand on God’s feet just like a little girl might stand on her father’s feet in learning how to dance?
What might it look like to let God take the lead as we twirl and swing together around the dance floor and as everything else fades away as we dance?
What would it look like to dance through life holding people’s stories tenderly knowing that sometimes we all step on each other’s toes? How might we dance more freely if we could only anchor ourselves in the present moment and delight in the person in front of us? (1)
As you turn towards this day and turn towards those who will be in your path, may this prayer put a spring in your step in your dance with God.
Fill us up with edge-of-seat anticipation
to listen to Your Spirit and
to take your hand as you lead us.
Focus our attention
so that we won’t miss out on ways to participate
in bringing the kingdom here on earth.
May our words, choices, and actions
be offered as true expressions of worship. (2)
Give us courage to laugh at the days to come.
Give us hope to imagine and a heart to listen
to one another’s stories and to You.
Help us to see others as You see them
with deep delight
and help us to remember that
we belong to each other.
Take our eyes and allow others
to see Your tender gaze through us.
Through all circumstances, remind us that
we are always held in Your love, (3)
and let that love spill over into the people before us.
Wake us up to the ways we wound our lives,
the lives of others, and the life of this world,
and recalibrate our hearts that we would be well and whole
in our relationships
with one another and with You.
Through our learning and unlearning
and growing and changing
and becoming,
let us run to You again and again and again
with everything in our lives.
Help us to love you from deep within,
with the strength of our arms,
the thoughts of our minds,
and the courage of our hearts. (4)
Take us by the hand and lead us in the dance…
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Credit to Father Gregory Boyle for this beautiful mantra.
2 From Morning Prayer from Every Moment Holy
3 Inspired by readings from Julian of Norwich’s Divine Revelations.
4 Matthew 22:36, First Nations Bible Translation
return to our senses book and study guide
Return To Our Senses + Study Guide – Download
“What makes you feel closer to God?” When Christine Sine asked people this question, the answers she received surprised her. It wasn’t pipe organs and pulpits that most often opened people to God’s presence, but simple things in daily life. In Return to Our Senses, Christine Sine shows you how simple experiences – breathing, drinking a glass of water, walking amongst trees, shooting a photo, picking up a stone – can become “thin places” and pregnant moments in your daily life – helping you awaken to God’s presence, savor God’s nearness, and translate your experience of God into prayerful, compassionate action. It was written for those who hunger for a deeper, more life encompassing relationship with God.
Growing up I wasn’t allowed to express my emotions…at least not the negative ones. Especially not anger. We weren’t allowed to be angry…at least not in the middle of other people. When one isn’t allowed to feel things overtly, they go inside or have to come out in some other way. For me it wasn’t in rebellion or negative behavior, but it came out in performance and perfection. I did all the right things…made straight A’s, was student body president, and starred in the school musicals two years running. I truly thought I had to perform to be good enough for someone to love. One of my worst childhood memories was getting a report card that was all A’s but back then they were using number grades rather than letters. So one of my grades was a 99! My dad looked at my report card and doesn’t comment on the over all grades, but rather says “It’s a 99 was isn’t a 100?”! Well shoot! That ends us being how I lived most of my adolescence and young adulthood. Trying to make that 100! I was well over 30 when my boss, who happened to be an Episcopal priest, told me that it was ok to get a B or even a C!!! And that my C game was probably better than most people’s A game! Father Foote was also the one who introduced me to the practice of silence and the Abbey of Gethsemani! When I came to him frazzled and burned out, he said, “you need the Abbey.” And he taught this extreme extrovert how to enter silence and not get distracted by all the people!
This week at the Abbey, Jesus invited me to look at an idea I’ve shared about before…The Failure Box
I’ve discovered as I’ve gotten older that way too often, I put things in the failure box. If I lose my keys..failure box, If my house is too messy, failure box, if I said something I thought was right but got misunderstood, failure box. It seemed for a very long time like I lived in the failure box not realizing there were even other boxes to choose from! My husband Rob and my therapist both called me on this a few years ago and you can read more here. How about the “I just Human” Box ? You mean I can have that box? Wow!
journal at the Abbey
This week I looked into a couple of other boxes that I tend to live in…
The BOX of FEAR and the Box of NOT ENOUGH
I think Fear and Failure might actually fit inside the NOT ENOUGH BOX because when I feel fearful or like a failure, or like I’m failing at life, I feel not enough..
A lot of our culture is designed to make us feel not enough…especially social media. We scroll through instagram or Facebook and we see what other people are up to and we see the number of likes or followers people have and we start to put ourselves in the NOT ENOUGH BOX! Not enough time, not thin enough, not productive enough, not wealthy enough, not successful enough..not enough enough enough!
And to add to the NOT ENOUGH, we have social media feeds filled with all the news of the entire world, all at once! 24/7! So the FEAR BOX gets filled! Fear of all the political unrest, fear of people’s hatred of one another, fear of failing to do anything about the injustices of our world, fear of economic downturn or losing our rights. Fear of getting sick or having an incurable disease. Fear of losing someone we love. Fear of being unable to control much of anything in this crazy mixed up world of ours. ( which is actually true, only God can control and fix things so we need to Let Go and Let God!)
So what do we do with these boxes? What do I do with my failure box, my fear box and the huge box of NOT ENOUGH?
As I spent time in silence, Jesus showed me just how much I am loved. He wrapped me up in joy and peace and this big blanket of love and acceptance that I so need to be reminded of as my true nature. Our reality is that we are desperately loved by Jesus! We are intimately loved by the Creator of the entire universe! You and I are BELOVED! And that is way too big for any kind of BOX!
I had thought about what a box of love might look like… and JESUS showed me that LOVE is not a BOX to be put in or filled up…it doesn’t have sides or a top.
love and boxes
Love is much more like a large flower pot filled with rich earth…love grows beautiful flowers and healing plants and sustenance for the journey of life! It’s not a box at all!
And it’s more like a garden than even a flower pot!
garden on iona
Think about walking into a garden filled with Love! What would that look like? What would that feel like to you? What would be growing in that garden just for you?
How can I plant myself in the flower pot of love?
How can you and I let ourselves grow in the garden of love rather than in the boxes of fear, failure or not enough?
How can we plant more seeds of love in our lives so we can love ourselves like Jesus loves us and then love one another?
JESUS SAID :
John 13: 34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”John 15:
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Matthew 22: The Greatest Commandment
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 5:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,plant something!
ACTION:
If you have a garden, go take a walk through it and imagine it as a garden of love! A garden of love created by Jesus just for you! What do you notice? Take some time, sit still and ask Jesus to show you!
If you don’t have a garden, plan a field trip to some local gardens and receive the gift of this garden. Imagine Jesus walking with you in the garden surrounding you with his great love.
Plant something this week that reminds you of God’s love. It might be a fresh scented herb, a favorite vegetable, or a blooming flower. As it grows be reminded of how much you are loved by God.
You might even choose to bury a box of your fears, failures, and not enough’s in the garden and let Jesus grow love in you instead!
TRINITY Scott Erickson
REMEMBER that you are greatly loved and you are not alone! We are actually loved by and IN the community of the trinity! Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
1John 4:
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
1 Corinthians 13 says
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends.
Previously published in The Ecological Disciple, this article is part of a series about the seven shifts Christians need to make to develop a more ecologically conscious discipleship.
The current ecclesial crisis is an opportunity to reassess, among other things, the Church’s understanding and practice of mission. And this work is well underway ~ by James Amadon
A recent Gallup poll confirmed the continued erosion of Christianity’s privileged place in American society: the drastic decline in church affiliation and participation that began at the turn of the millennium has not slowed down. The Church is no longer a center of social and civic life, and local congregations cannot simply open their doors and expect people to show up. This moment of ecclesial (church) crisis is an opportunity to reassess, among other things, the Church’s understanding and practice of mission. And this work is well underway.
The word “missional” has become popular in Christian thought and imagination, showing up in book titles, sermons, conferences, and even entire movements. Growing numbers of theologians and pastors are encouraging people of faith to change their understanding of mission from the specialized work of missionaries in distant lands to the work of local churches right where they are; every believer is a missionary, every place a mission field.
I think this rise of “missional consciousness” is a helpful development, as long as we are clear about what we mean by mission. Earlier in this series, in Shift #2, we noted that followers of Jesus, and the communities to which they belong, tend to focus on parts of the biblical story, to the detriment of understanding the whole. The same is true of mission.
As we consider what it might mean to be part of God’s mission in an age of ecological and ecclesial crisis, it will help to see where some current missional models fall short.
Save the Individual, Damn the Rest
Dwight Moody, the famous 20th century evangelist, is representative of Christians who emphasize the personal dimension of mission, what Protestants often call evangelism, or “saving souls.” Moody once summarized his calling this way:
“I look upon this world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat and said, ‘Moody, save all you can.’”
This understanding of mission sees our primary task – in some churches it is the only task – as inviting people into a personal relationship with God. This invitation tends to focus on helping people receive forgiveness, follow Jesus, and go to heaven when they die. This is an oversimplification, but not by much.
There is much about this aspect of mission to admire and embrace. Millions have come to know the grace and love of God because of the evangelistic impulse of Christians through the ages. One of my childhood friends has become a Christian as an adult. The transformation in his life is remarkable; hearing him speak of the forgiveness he has received, the peace he feels, and the wonder at how God is working in his life has been energizing to my own faith. He is a living example of 1 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.”
But this approach often ends up privatizing faith and spirituality in ways that reduce religion to personal faith and empowerment. Churches that emphasize this form of mission often look at non-Christian individuals, communities, and cultures as completely depraved, and see the non-human world as valueless raw material created for human use and consumption. The world is seen like Moody’s vision, as a “wrecked vessel” from which to rescue “the lost.”
My friend’s church, for example, has no missional vision beyond bringing individuals to faith and giving them tools to grow their personal relationship with God and to invite more people into the faith. There is little awareness that God is concerned with alleviating social suffering or reconciling broken communities. There is no sense that the world God made is fundamentally good and part of God’s reconciling work. My friend’s faith is, at the moment, limited to practices that help him feel close to God and to strategies that encourage his friends and family come to believe as he has. There is more to mission than this.
LEEANN CLINE / UNSPLASH
End Injustice, Save Society
Despite those churches narrowly focused on personal evangelism, most followers of Jesus have understood that works of compassion and mercy are essential aspects of biblical mission. Throughout the last two millennia, Christians have cared for the sick, clothed the naked, visited those in prison, and fed the hungry. And there have been many people along the way who have called us to see that this social dimension of mission must include the pursuit of justice, which addresses the fundamental conditions and systems that create and perpetuate suffering and inequality. In the United States, we have figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., who called the nation (and Christians) to pursue racial and economic justice, and often rooted his vision in the language of salvation and new creation.
“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends…It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is the love of God working in the lives of men. This is the love that may well be the salvation of our civilization.”
King lived and died for this vision of beloved community, one in which social injustice is overcome by the reconciling love of God to change both individual hearts and the complex systems of society. Those who have embraced this vision understand that Jesus died not just to reconcile us to God, but to one another as well (see Ephesians 2:14-18). It is a mission that is rooted in an expansive understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation that calls followers of Jesus to actively work for justice.
In the last 60 years, however, we have come to see that this mission is not expansive enough, both in terms of what our faith and our planet require. I have often thought that if King had not been killed, he would have broadened his definition of the beloved community to include our non-human neighbors. I believe he would have realized that the “salvation of our civilization” is dependent on including environmental justice and care for the earth within our sense of mission. This is the vision we need today: an “ecological mission” that integrates the personal, social, and more-than-human aspects of God’s reconciling work.
Ecological Mission: Cultivating Life in the New Creation
Mission is oriented toward a vision of the future as it could and should be. For the personal evangelist, it is a world of people who live in the love and grace of God. For the social reformer, it is a beloved community reconciled with one another. For the ecological disciple, it is these things and more: a healed creation in which all things are reconciled and made new. Note how the following passage from Colossians 1 encourages us to see the personal, social, and ecological dimensions of God’s work in a vision of comprehensive reconciliation.
“For in [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross (See also Isaiah 65; Romans 8:21; Ephesians 1:9-10).”
This is what ecological disciples long for, pray for, and work for. We are to be agents of reconciliation within the interconnected and interdependent world we live in, partnering with God to cultivate peace among people, communities, and creation.
It is an exciting, and potentially overwhelming, mission. Where do we begin? Here are three ways to begin.
#1 – Learn From Traditions that Practice Ecological Mission
A great way to further our understanding of ecological mission work is to learn from those who already practice it. For instance, I have learned a lot from Celtic, Anabaptist, Orthodox, and Franciscan Christian traditions, as well as from Native American followers of Jesus. All of these traditions invite us to consider a more expansive vision of Christian life and mission. The gifted and accessible Orthodox theologian Elizabeth Theokritoff puts the invitation this way:
“If the large-scale destruction of God’s creation came only with a narrowing of the Christian vision and the growing fragmentation of the Christian world, this suggests that the fullness of the Christian vision might well be able to point us to a better path.”
I have also learned from other religions, movements, and organizations that practice aspects of ecological mission. In fact, working together on shared concerns is an opportunity to discover common ground and foster much needed reconciliation (more to come on this in Shift #6).
There are many books, websites, and resources that can help you connect with these traditions. If you want help finding something in particular, feel free to email me (james.amadon@circlewood.online) for recommendations.
#2 – Follow Others’ Examples
It is hard to integrate the personal, social, and ecological dimensions of mission in a world that prefers fragmentation, but there are great examples out there that can inspire and instruct us. One such example is Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden, an oasis of reconciliation in the heart of Kent, WA.
Formed as a partnership between refugees, immigrants, World Relief, Hillside Church of the Nazarene, and various public companies and agencies, the garden brings together people from 20+ countries to improve access to nutritious food, build community, foster economic independence, and practice environmental stewardship. The garden also brings people into the church and introduces them to the story of Jesus.
#3 – Start Small
You do not have to start a big project to practice ecological mission. Start with where you are and what you are passionate about, and then see how you can add other dimensions. If you enjoy telling people about Jesus, make sure to include the social and ecological aspects of his life and work. If you are committed to social reform, try to see and address the ecological dimension to your issue. If you care about local environmental issues, make sure to include the human element.
Try not to do it alone – we are created for community, and that includes whatever mission work we are drawn to. Celebrate any signs of renewal and reconciliation that you see, no matter how small.
I would love to hear your thoughts and questions. Feel free to leave a comment, or email me directly at james.amadon@circlewood.online.
With you on the Way,
James
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50 Simple Ways to Care For Creation
In this episode Christine interviews Lilly Lewin about creativity and worship. Lilly is worship curator of ThinplaceNASHVILLE and freerangeworship.com. She takes worship outside the box, beyond singing, through multi-sensory prayer, experiential worship, and art. Lilly leads workshops, & creates Sacred Space experiences in the US and abroad. Author of Sacred Space with Dan Kimball, and articles in Youthworker Journal, & Curating Worship by Jonny Baker.
Lilly Lewin shares her journey into art and worship curation including the importance of incorporating art and participatory elements into worship experiences. She also explains how she creates sacred spaces and prayer stations using everyday objects. She emphasizes the need to redefine worship and highlights the value of prayer as a practice of noticing the world. Lilly and Christine discuss the use of everyday objects as prayer tools and the concept of pilgrimage. They explore different forms of pilgrimage and the importance of noticing God’s presence in the journey. They also emphasize the need to live as pilgrims in our own towns and to make worship more participatory.
Takeaways
- Art is a powerful tool for worship and spiritual expression.
- Participation is key in worship, and incorporating art engages all the senses and create a more meaningful and memorable experience.
- Creating sacred spaces and prayer stations provide opportunities for people to encounter God in a tangible way.
- Prayer is not limited to traditional settings and can be practiced throughout daily life by noticing the world around us.
Columba’s Bay Labyrinth
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Yesterday was Earth Day, celebrating a wonderful movement that began back in 1970 when protest brought together 20 million Americans—10% of the U.S. population at the time—into the streets. In response the Environmental Protection Agency was created and a wave of laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act were were enacted. This movement is now a world wide movement and there is a growing cry to make every day Earth day, to recognize that care for our planet is part of God’s mandate to all of us to be responsible stewards of all creation.
Without the first Earth Day, global action against climate change would have taken much longer—or might never have happened at all. However, there is still much more to be done. Next week together with Forrest Inslee, I will interview Brian McLaren about his new book Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for A World Falling Apart. It is a very sober wake up call that challenges all Christians for grieve over the condition of our planet while maintaining the hope that creates the courage and resilience we and our communities need to find effective solutions. Brian encourages us to begin our fight with our contemplative lives. “In the stillness new insights, comfort and ways of being often arise” he explains.
I enjoy a similar experience as I pray in the garden. In my Meditation Monday: Best Ways to Pray in Nature, I share some of the ways I engage in prayer in the garden. It is an exhilarating, nourishing and invigorating experience that draws me closer to God and to God’s beautiful creation. I will share more about this at my upcoming Spirituality of Gardening seminar on May 11th. All of us need to discover the awe and wonder of interacting with God’s good creation that these kinds of practices make possible.
On Saturday Jeannie Kendall in her post St George’s Day gave us a fascinating look at the history of dragons both in the Bible and in history. As a lover of dragon stories, I thoroughly enjoyed this. In Freerange Friday: Rediscovering Joy Lilly Lewin shared about her time at the Abbey of Gethsemane and how she finds joy in the midst of silence. On Thursday Carol Dixon’s friend Margery Tate share a beautiful litany for Eastertide. I find that reading litanies like this nourishes my soul and my spirit. I hope you do too. I must confess that my favourite post for the week was Emily Duff’s Nesting Wonder in which she shared photos of the bird’s nest on her door wreath and a poem by Padraig O’Tauma. Very uplifting!
Tomorrow we will post the 6th episode of Liturgical Rebels, a fun filled and inspiring interview with Lilly Lewin about her role as a worship curator and artist. Make sure that you are up to date on your listening before this is published. My previous guests were worship curator Mark Pierson, poet Drew Jackson, visual artist Scott Erickson, and block print artist Kreg Yingst. The following episode will be with author and activist Shane Claiborne. I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing our passionate and fiery activist friend about his protests for Gaza and life as a new father.
Next week we will retire our mailchimp account so this will be the last Godspacelight newsletter that comes via mailchimp as we switch to Substack. Many I know will heave a sigh of relief as this means that you will not receive duplicate emails in the future. I hope you enjoy the new Substack format and the added richness it brings to what I share. Thank you for those who have signed up as paid subscribers. I really appreciate your support and encouragement for my work. Don’t forget though that this weekly email will be the only place you will be able to click directly to Godspace posts. However you can still visit the website or sign up through wordpress if you want to continue receiving notifications every time something is posted on Godspacelight.
Many blessings on you as you enjoy this Earth Day:
Christ of light and life and beauty,
We come into your sanctuary
This precious place we call Earth.
We give ourselves to worship you,
Its creator, its gardener, its nourisher.
You fill it with your glorious presence.
Every flower shimmers with your love,
Every forest quivers with your light,
Every wilderness pulsates with your beauty.
God reveal yourself to us in this place
And show us your face in all creation.
Photo by greg_rosenke on unsplash
Spirituality of Gardening – A virtual retreat
On May 11 from 9:30-12:30 pm PT (check my timezone) We will discuss connections between community, spirituality and gardening. Explore the wonderful ways that God and God’s story are revealed through the rhythms of planting, growing and harvesting as well as the beauty of nature. This webinar is for anyone who admires the beauty of God’s good creation, likes to walk in nature, sit by the ocean or just relax and listen to the birds in the trees. It is based on Christine Sine’s popular book, To Garden with God and each participant will receive a digital copy of this book.
by Christine Sine
Creation sings, giving glory to God. It’s easy to imagine this while out hiking in majestic mountains or watching the explosion of color as the sun sets over the ocean. But it happens all around us, every day, every moment, if only we’re alert enough to notice. One way to hone our sense of wonder as we join with creation in praising our Creator is to discover this symphony of worship in our own backyards or neighborhoods. or local parks and green spaces. Even a concrete jungle has greenery popping up between the cracks. It’s Earth Day, and many of us are wondering how to best celebrate. Getting out into creation to pray might be the way.
The garden is my sanctuary and, in it, God beckons me to draw near. However the suggestions below could easily be applied to your favourite park, nature walk, beach or even to an urban walk where you notice the “weeds” growing up through concrete or in vacant lots.
Last week I shared a couple of possible practices for walking through nature and alighting our lives more fully with the presence of God in nature. Lectio Tierra and Leaf Rubbing are some great ways to help us pray as we enter God’s world. However there are lots of other ways that the garden, neighborhood walks and forest wandering can stir us to pray.
Experiencing nature with all of our senses can provide doorways into this ongoing celebration of God.
Lectio Tierra: This was the focus of my post last week. This is really a simple way to pray that works well in the garden, in the neighborhood, or surrounded by nature in a forest. In the garden I simply wander around asking what God would like to speak to me through. It could be the splashing of birds in the birdbath, a particular flower or vegetable, or a worm wriggling around in the moist soil. The point is to find that element in the garden that seems to catch your attention, stop and take time to observe it. Try to discern its story. Discover the intersections of that story with your own, and sit with this common message from God shared with another of God’s creation.
Star Gazing: There’s something special about going outside on a cloudless and moonless night and looking up into the heavens. This is a delight that many discovered during the COVID lockdown when we were not allowed to wander far from home. Unfortunately in the city the lights often obscure the night sky, but if you have the opportunity to get out into the country for an overnight stay, take advantage of the darkness when the stars seem to pop out of the sky. I always feel so small and yet so awe-struck by wonder sitting under this bejeweled canopy. Even images of the sky and particularly the incredible images from the James Webb telescope are also helpful ways to enter into this kind of prayer experience. They fill us with awe and wonder at the immensity of of our God.
Lilac in the garden
Enjoy the smell of Fragrances: It’s not just the stars that compel my thoughts toward God. Scents from all around the garden flood my nostrils with a banquet of goodness. Some fragrances are most powerful in the morning, others after rain, others in the evening. Wander round the garden or through the neighborhood at different times of the day and evening your senses attuned to the fragrances around you. Today I walked out and smelt the lilac blossoming outside my office window. Its heady fragrance only seems to last for a few days but how intoxicating it is during that time.
Go out and smell the flowers around you. Which ones are particularly appealing to you? Which ones make you wrinkle your nose in disgust? As I do this I’m reminded of a passage from the Revelation to John: “The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand”. Indeed, the whole creation seems to join in my prayer, and that in itself fills me with wonder. Does God love all the scents in the garden or is it just the fragrant ones that rise like incense? I think all of them are like incense. After all some animals and insects are attracted by what think smells awful. Learning to appreciate the full range of scents in the garden and comparing them to our prayers, some of which I think might “smell bad” too is something to contemplate.
Releasing Fragrance with Touch: I love to meander the garden touching various plants as I go. Brushing up against the lavender or the rosemary, my senses are engulfed in a wonderful fragrance while running my hands through the hyssop yields a skunk-like odor. Not something I like to do very often. The Apostle Paul talks about our lives being an aroma to the world around us:
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Cor. 2:14-16
Personally I’d prefer to smell like lavender to the world rather than the skunky smell of hyssop. “Lord, make my life a pleasing fragrance to those around me.”
While rubbing my fingers over the tomato leaves, a very strong and distinctive fragrance is released. It’s not pleasing, nor is it offensive. It’s an odor that reminds me of the oils in the leaves that protect against aphids and other pests. I’ve never thought of odors as protection and yet in the garden there are many. “Lord, how can my life be the oily balm that radiate a sense of protection or peace in my neighborhood?”
Savour the Taste: A walk round the garden in the summer in particular can provide a smorgasbord of tastes for our enjoyment. The cherry tomatoes which I plant by the gate especially for this purpose, beckon every time I walk by. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” says the psalmist in Psalm 34:8. Tasting fruit, flowers and leaves as we wander is a wonderful way to savour the goodness of God and give thanks for the wonder of God’s presence around us.
Praying Barefoot: If you don’t have bark dust all over your garden or prickly leaves like from a holly tree, this is a fun way to get out of a praying funk. Walking barefoot can be very therapeutic. Evidently, as I discussed in my article The Spiritual Practice of Walking Barefoot, it not only improves our balance and body alignment but strengthens our muscles and helps our brains develop. It anchors us in the earth from which we are created and for which we are responsible. Shed your shoes and socks and slowly walk through the garden. What do you feel? Sauntering through the soft, cool grass you might be reminded to pray for those who live in harsh climates and rarely experience this kind of comfort. A sudden poke by an unnoticed stick might prod you to recall an area of pain or brokenness in your life or a relationship that needs healing. Pray for wisdom and pray for avenues and opportunities to bring healing. What are the textures you feel as you wander through the garden? How do they relate to other areas of your life? Bring these things to God in prayer. If you want a more detailed example of this,
Pray While You Weed. So much of what we do in the garden is done on our knees, in the position of prayer and weeding is a great exercise to encourage us to pray. Each weed I pull reminds me that there are still weeds in my life and that of my neighbours that need to be pulled. When the soil is healthy and full of nutrients or covered by a good layer of mulch they are much easier to pull too. Maybe our lives are the same. When we are spiritually healthy and well covered with the goodness of God the “weeds “in us are easier to pull too. Weeding is therapeutic, enriching and nourishing for our souls.
Death and Dying: At this time of year in the Pacific Northwest, most of the plants in the garden are coming to life with great vim and vigour. However it will only be a few months before they begin to fade. There is a cycle to all of life, and far too often we avoid admitting that we, too, are a part of that cycle. Wandering into the garden I notice at once the sunflowers. Towering over the summer garden like golden-crowned princes, they seem to make the garden glow. But during this season, that brightness is beginning to fade, like the grandfather whose spark and wit still brightens a room even though worn around the edges. Full flowers dazzling in their brilliance is what I want to see. The fading flowers remind me that life, here, has its limits. Many lessons can be found in one plant.
- Why is it that I have trouble enjoying the full cycle of life?
- Is there something in death I need to embrace to be fully alive?
- What does the presence of flowers from a single plant, some just begging to bud, others in full bloom, and still others starting to fade…
- what do they have to teach me about God?
- what do they reveal about the beauty of generational diversity?
- which flower am I on this plant and how do I feel about that?
This is but one example of exploring our own mortality in all its beauty and brevity by intentionally praying in the garden.
These are my top ways to pray in the garden. What have you tried?
(Note this post is adapted from one written several years ago by Andy Wade.
Join me May 11th 9:30-12:30 PST for a virtual retreat Spirituality of Gardening to learn more about praying in the garden. We will discuss connections between community, spirituality and gardening. Explore the wonderful ways that God and God’s story are revealed through the rhythms of planting, growing and harvesting as well as the beauty of nature. This webinar is for anyone who admires the beauty of God’s good creation, likes to walk in nature, sit by the ocean or just relax and listen to the birds in the trees. It is based on Christine Sine’s my book, To Garden with God and each participant will receive a digital copy of this book. Register here.
This virtual retreat will help reconnect us to the wonder of a God who is all around us in the natural world. We will discuss not only how the life, death and resurrection is lived out in the garden, but also how to enter into the wonder of God through creative practices like contemplative nature walks, Lectio Tierra, creating a leaf rubbing, walking barefoot, and others. This will be a fun, instructive and interactive session. I hope you will join us.
George of Lydda was a 3rd century martyr, a Roman soldier killed for his refusal to renounce his faith and better known as St George. He is the patron saint of England, but also of Georgia and Ethiopia. Despite little being known about his life, he is of course the subject of the legend of St George and the dragon, which is variously expressed, but centred around a dragon which is terrorising a city, and is appeased only by sacrifice. Having run out of possibilities, the king’s daughter is to be sacrificed. Enter St George, who saves the girl by killing the dragon with a lance. The concept of dragons however dates back much further. The first mention is thought to be on a clay tablet 4000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. The word is usum-gal – literally big snake.
Although it is unclear how accurate this is – in case any of you reading this are cartographers – it is widely assumed that in ancient maps, where it was unknown what was there, but it was thought to be frightening, the map would simply be marked ‘here be dragons’.
Dragons of course represent different things in different cultures. This year is the Chinese year of the dragon. In Chinese folklore and culture the dragon again signals great strength, but is understood in positive terms, controlling typhoons and floods. The dragon is celebrated with stunning festivals and artwork. What all presentations of dragons share is the concept of great power, but more frequently than not, is depicted as frightening.
In the King James translation of the bible, the word dragon appears 21 times. Now those words are translated differently: at that point what we would now call large reptiles were described as dragons. In the Old Testament, we have the Leviathan, the sea serpent which we find mentioned in the Psalms, Job and Isaiah. Sea serpents featured prominently in the mythology of the ancient near East, and it was common in early religions to have battles between the sea monster, the creator of chaos, and a hero or god who defeated them and created order. In Psalm 74, God the King is depicted as defeating the Leviathan. In the interests of fairness – usually Leviathan is negative, but in Psalm 104, which celebrates creation, the Leviathan is shown as frolicking! In Job 41 there is an extraordinary description of the Leviathan which suggests both the subjection of it and certainly a high degree of respect for it.
In Revelation 12 we read of a dragon who tries to attack the Messiah, against whom the dragon is implacably opposed. At the end of the chapter the dragon is not fully defeated, but standing on the seashore – which in Hebrew thinking stood for the forces of chaos and disorder – bringing an added significance to Jesus calming the storm. By the end of Revelation, the dragon is finally defeated and because of this there is a new heaven and earth, and the wonderful declaration that, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Nancy Rockwell in a moving blog about John chapter 11 (Jesus, Dragonslayer | Nancy Rockwell (patheos.com) speaks of Jesus as the dragonslayer, defeating the dragon of death not with a lance but with his tears. Later he takes the place of sacrifice to the ‘dragon’, refusing the sword wielded by Peter but using only the power of compassion: for the soldiers who did not know what they were doing, for the renegade rebel beside him, for his bereft mother. All death’s raging cannot harden his heart. And among others Mary Magdalene in her tears, the couple on the road to Emmaus in their despair, and Thomas with his honest need to see, all discover that death is defeated. He is the rescuing Christus Victor.
So perhaps on this St George’s day, we would do well to remember that the ultimate ‘dragon’ of death has been destroyed, bringing us the gift of life, not with a lance, but by the loving sacrifice because of the extraordinary love of a God who refused to abandon us to our fate.
Gift of Wonder Online Retreat
This online retreat is based on Christine Sine’s latest book The Gift of Wonder, but with much more! Going deeper into a discovery of new depths of awe to draw us closer to God. I invite you to reawaken your inner child and rediscover the depths of awe and wonder that reconnect us to our passionate God who delights in life, celebrates with joy and exudes a sense of awe and wonder. This interactive process will have us remembering our childhood stories, doodling for fun, painting on rocks and and relearning the awe and wonder of nature walks, joyspot sightings, compassion games and exercises that enable us to delight in God in new and creative ways. This course is offered for 180 days of access.
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