Some years ago I started a sermon with the statement “I understand that some of you think I have some weird ideas! Only some of you? I must be slipping!” I then went on to talk about what seems to be contradictory ideas. For example, we are living on a giant beach ball called Earth, rotating at considerable speed. According to the law of centrifugal force, we, and every other non-anchored item, should be thrown off the surface of the beach ball, also at considerable speed. But we aren’t. That is because there is an opposing (contradictory) force called gravity, which, thankfully, keeps us on the surface of this beach ball. There are ways of escaping, but only briefly.
We can use power and the principles of flight to overcome gravity and move around in the air. A high jumper can use brute force to leap over a bar at about 2 metres above the ground – a very temporary escape. A pole vaulter also uses brute force and the principles of leverage to get a bit higher, but also only for a very brief time.
Recently I experienced another contradictory episode. I damaged some ribs and the intercostal muscles on my left side. The problem was that the muscles tried to stop any rib movement (even when breathing) by going into spasms, which were very painful. The contradiction was that the muscles were hurting themselves (and slowing down healing) by going into spasms which were meant to stop rib movement so that healing could take place. All very difficult.
Another contradiction – how many animals die so that other animals can live? How many animals and plants die so that you can live? And how does this apply to spiritual life?
I have shared with you before an experience I had in the grounds of a little old church out on Yass River Road. Out the back of this church is an area marked off with a low fence as consecrated ground in which there are a number of graves. While walking around this area I felt an uncomfortable sense that there was no Spirit, no Presence there, so I quickly got out of that area.
As I turned around and looked back, a voice spoke in my mind “Here are the mortal remains of those who tried to be the fingerprint of God in this place. They have no need of Spirit.
That scripture is true which says that, at death, the body goes back to the ground from which is was made, and the Spirit goes back to God from whom it emanated.” Emanated!
What an interesting word to use. We are an emanation from the presence of God! Oxford Concise Dictionary : “Emanation – Proceeding from a source of virtues, qualities, moral power, proceeding from the Divine Essence.”
We, in our human form, proceeded from the Divine Presence, and, in my understanding, always remain attached to that Essence. We are like a wave emanating from the sea, moving, having form, identifiable, but always attached to the sea – a wave cannot exist detached from the ocean. When it has run its’ course, it sinks back into the ocean, fully integrated back to the source.
We, whether we realise it or not, are always attached to the Essence from which we arose and to which we must return when we, like a wave, have run our course. I do not know exactly how this will happen, or what consciousness we will have of the process – I just know it will happen. I had experience at the deathbed of Church member some time ago, where I “saw” some essence leave the person at the moment of death, in what appeared to be a form of “light” which hovered above the person momentarily and then vanished. It had no colour I could name but was brighter than the surrounding air and occupied specific space. Was this the Spirit leaving the body? I had some sense that it was.
This experience, (plus a couple of others) confirm, to my mind, the scripture mentioned; the Spirit returns to God from which it emanated. And, as I rush with increasing speed towards the end of my physical life, that is a particular assurance. I must swap a physical life for a spiritual one. A seeming contradiction – but one form of life must finish to allow another form to fully exist.
No principles of leverage can be applied here to lift us, temporarily, away from such an experience! No use of brute force is required. Our attachment to the Divine Presence will be complete; no longer an attachment, but a full integration back into the Source of All. Hopefully we can understand that while we are endeavouring to be the fingerprint of God where we are, the Fingerprint of God is always surrounding us and in us.
Evangelist Don Jennings