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Regarding God having fun, we have projected onto "God" images of a "God" so serious as to have no time or interest in fun. Yet, this same Divine Presence created the play and sensation of having fun from the Being of God.
What if the Divine is saying to us, "Quit taking everything so seriously, including me. Come out and let's play together for a while. I've been waiting for you to enjoy my playground with me"? What if Spirit intends spiritual practices, worship, prayer, ... to encompass fun?
Since playfulness and sexuality are expressions of the Divine Presence, can we not relate to God playfully and erotically? If we did this, would it be more likely we would experience and honor the sacral nature of our own sensual nature and capacity for playfulness?
Love wants to reach out and manhandle us,
Break all our teacup talk of God.
If you had the courage and
Could give the Beloved His choice, some nights,
He would just drag you around the room
By your hair,
Ripping from your grip all those toys in the world
That bring you no joy.
Love sometimes gets tired of speaking sweetly
And wants to rip to shreds
All your erroneous notions of truth
That make you fight within yourself, dear one,
And with others,
Causing the world to weep
On too many fine days.
God wants to manhandle us,
Lock us inside of a tiny room with Himself
And practice His dropkick.
The Beloved sometimes wants
To do us a great favor:
Hold us upside down
And shake all the nonsense out.
But when we hear
He is in such a "playful drunken mood"
Most everyone I know
Quickly packs their bags and hightails it
Out of town.
Hafiz. "Tired of Speaking Sweetly." In Daniel Ladinsky. The Gift.
QUIETLY RESPONDING
1) Do you believe most of us want to get close to God, to open our hearts in a passionate union with Spirit? Explain.
2) What might be some blocks to letting God love us?
3) How might experiencing God as Lover, Beloved, heal us in other relationships?
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian is pastor at Christ Community United Methodist Church, Harbour Heights, FL, and Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union at major book dealers.
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