The Bible is a record of God’s surprising imagination
A thought
Rev. Bruce G. Epperly and Rabbi Lewis D. Solomon are convinced that progressive Judaism and Christianity have splendid spiritual resources that can be put to salutary use during times of great uncertainty, insecurity, and suffering. One of these is the spiritual practice of imagination.
“The Bible is a record of God’s surprising imagination: the childless Abraham and Sarah become the parents of a nation; the stammering Moses becomes the spokesperson of liberation; youthful Jeremiah becomes a prophet to a complacent nation; a young girl becomes the mother of God’s Holy Child; the most rabid persecutor of the first Christians, Saul of Tarsus, has a vision, receives a new name, and becomes the greatest proclaimer of the new religious movement.
“To persons of faith, around every corner a ‘burning bush’ or an angelic messenger can reveal Divine guidance. Every voice can be a summons to begin a Holy Adventure. Yet in the words of William Blake, for most of us, the doors of perception remain bolted and locked. The focus of mind essential for everyday activity often screens out the deeper realities of life. While we are tempted to limit reality to what we see with the five senses, faith suggests a deeper understanding of reality, embracing not only the information of the five senses but also the mystical moments of transfiguration that illumine everyday life. . . .
“Like the lion who was raised among goats, we often forget who we truly are. With a holy imagination, we can see more in ourselves than meets the eye. Holy imagination is one path to opening the doors of our perception, to experiencing an alternate reality. Through holy imagination, we can see angels in the boulders of our lives and discover in ourselves courageous lions where once were frightened goats.”
(Excerpt from Mending the World: Spiritual Hope for Ourselves and Our Planet by Bruce G. Epperly and Lewis D. Solomon)
A prayer
Radiant Morning Star,
you are both guidance and mystery,
Visit our rest with disturbing dreams,
and our journeys with strange companions.
Grace us with the hospitality
to open our hearts and homes
to visitors filled with unfamiliar wisdom
bearing profound and unusual gifts. Amen.