Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Finding God in Everything

“God freely created us so that we might know, love, and serve him in this life and be happy with him forever. God's purpose in creating us is to draw forth from us a response of love and service here on earth, so that we may attain our goal of everlasting happiness with him in heaven.
All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully. 

As a result, we ought to appreciate and use these gifts of God insofar as they help us toward our goal of loving service and union with God. But insofar as any created things hinder our progress toward our goal, we ought to let them go.”
― St. Ignatius of Loyola

For the past few years I have been worshiping at a Methodist Church pastored by an Evangelical minister.  I have found remarkable, loving, spiritual members in my small group.  However, I have decided to separate from that church and find a centering prayer group and to stay connected with my Ignatian Spirituality group.   I think I need a small group who sees God as love who is in all things and practices traditions and rituals because those rituals bring us closer to God, not set us apart from others.  There is too much of "the other" in todays society and churches often participate in that division.

I believe Jesus saved, through grace, all of humankind and that our role is to spread his love through example.  I don't agree with the Evangelical pastor that you must declare Jesus Lord and Savior to be saved.  I think Jesus decides who is saved and we are not to judge others, but to lead by loving others and wishing our neighbors well.  The Bible is the living word inspired by God.  It is not meant to be interpreted literally to predict the end times, but to speak spiritual truths to strengthen our relationship with God to be as one.   I believe that Jesus has given us everything we need to succeed if we  believe in him who is love.




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