Thursday, February 14, 2008

Dear God,

A wave of the spirit is washing over us.

It seems in the beginning all one tries to do is connect with you. Sometimes this process seems to take a long time. There are highs and lows in the spiritual life. One can expect to link up, to touch God, like Michelangelo's painting of the Creation on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the divine and human reaching out toward one another, index fingers touching. A divine-human relationship begins at that touch.

One can be overwhelmed at this touch, having known the unique touch of God. One can live with this one touch, remembering over and over the inspiration one felt, the deep connection one had experienced. Perhaps this one touch will lead to another, at least the desire to reach out again in the hope of connecting a second time.

And so it goes. The true seeker, a pilgrim after God's own heart, will make this a lifetime endeavor, an eternal connection that is at the center of one's own heart, as deep as the human spirit connecting with the divine spirit that is eternally within.

But somewhere, sometime one will connect and remain connected. Like an alcoholic whose desire for another drink is overwhelming, so does a human heart long for this relationship with you. It is central to the rest of their life.

When a group of people begin to seek you together, there can be this explosion of spirit, an inspiration of such proportion that life looks truly different. The skies take on a new hue, courage erupts in new ways, spirit songs are birthed, hearts begin to beat in rhythm with your own, joy bubbles over even in sad times; a revolutionary power is at work.

And this is the juncture where a wave of the spirit begins to form and crash over us. Bethel United Methodist Church, a company of spirit people, a community of faith, began with one, then two pilgrim seekers, and now there are more than we know at differing layers of spirit touch. We long together for you. We yearn to live in the deep where a life of faith truly exists. We find our joy together, sharing it with one another, living in amazement that such power is authentic and at work in the world.

Today a man visited me about an entirely different matter but he said something that I shall never forget. "Your leadership skills have helped give shape to who we are and where we have come from. We all now wear white robes because you told us to wear them." Of course, we don't wear robes every Sunday. What he was talking about is spirit robes. "When someone gets upset about something, people don't talk about people the way they used to. They won't put up with it because we're wearing white robes." He told me.

I know that I am not a powerful woman or a powerful leader. What I am is a human trusting God to transform my own heart in such a way as to transform the hearts of those around me. This spirit wave is awashin' over us!

Wash over us,
spirit wave.
Let the love
of Jesus
wash over us.
Cleanse and purify us;
renew the spirit
within us.
Make us clean
and pure
for you,
for your service.
Let the wave
of your spirit
wash over us
so that
we will be filled
with your power
from on high.
Then let the light
of your spirit
shine upon
your world,
cleansing and purifying,
renewing your world
with spirit love.

Always, Andrea