This week, in order to find God in our midst, we look into the vastness of the sky and heavens and take a deep breath to fill our lungs with life giving air. Diana Butler Bass believes that our experience of God is paradoxical, at times. That is to say, our encounter with God is often one of the most mysterious and intensely personal experiences in our life, all at the same moment. As Bass says: Unlike the ground and water, sky is beyond our comprehension. Where does it begin or end? How large is it? It is both visible, as the location of clouds, stars, and colored light, and as invisible as the atmosphere and wind. It is a vast cosmos and big skies; and it is sunlight warming our face or wind blowing our hair. … The atmosphere is the world’s protective covering, keeping the planet safe from the icy terrors of the deeper heavens. The sky touches the earth, yet its outer edges are infinitely far from us. It is where we always are, what we always breathe, yet at the same time it is a place we can never go without oxygen and special suits and flying machines. We breathe the sky in; we make wishes on stars whose names we do not know. The sky is the most intimate inner space and the most incomprehensible outer reaches of the universe. It is something we see; it is something that remains an invisible presence in our lives, … just like God! Considering the scripture for this week and Diana Butler Bass’ belief that God is the most mysterious and personal experience in our lives, we might:
Look up into the sky, take a deep breath, and ask ourselves: How do you experience the mystery of God? Is the mystery comfortable, uncomfortable, or both? How do you experience the closeness of God? Is the closeness comfortable, uncomfortable, or both?
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