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WELCOME TO ONELIFE MINISTRIES! I INVITE YOU TO SHARE PRAYER REQUESTS AT THE EMAIIL ADDRESS GIVEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF TODAY'S WRITING.
This is the second writing in our series on the Lord's Prayer [See Sept 26 for the first writing]. This writing will be clarified more in the next writing in the series, subtitled "On Hallowed Be Your Name."
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"Our Father in heaven."
*Matthew 6.9b
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The following is an account of the writing of one of the favorite hymns of my small home-church in Georgia:
The Montrose Bible Conference Grounds in Montrose, Pennsylvania, has been the sight of many wonderful Christian experiences, but seemingly none quite so far-reaching as in the summer of 1961.
John W. Peterson says:
“During one of the sessions an opportunity for a time of personal testimonies was given the audience, and Old Jim rose to his feet and told of his conversion experience. In describing that night when he met Christ, he used the phrase ‘It seemed like Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.’
“Right away I sensed that it would be a fine title for a song, so I wrote it down and later in the week completed the song. It became a favorite almost immediately.”
The song born that day in 1961 has blessed the hearts of people all over America as well as on the mission fields worldwide.
John W. Peterson has written more than one thousand songs and fifteen cantatas that have sold more than three million copies. But this song is one of the most beloved among Christians.
*www.tanbible.com . "Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul."
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We address God in heaven. Where is "heaven"? Actually, the word for heaven is a plural: heavens.
Father Murphy walks into a pub. He says to the first man he meets, "Do you want to go to heaven?" The man replies, "I do, Father." The priest says, "Then, stand over there against the wall." The priest inquires of a second man, "Sir, do you want to go to heaven?" "Sure, Father," came the reply. "Then, stand over there against the wall," said the priest. Father Murphy walked up to a man called O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to heaven, also?" O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father." The priest said, "I don't believe it! You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?" O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die, sure. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."
"Heaven" can refer to a place of utmost height, as most persons think of heaven, or to the space all about and above us: nonearth in nature. The heavens, in the latter, speak of a gradation of ascending levels, each closer to the most holy place of all.
Paul apparently shared a popular belief in heaven as an ascending order of heavens.
2I know about one of Christ's followers who was taken up into the third heaven fourteen years ago. I don't know if the man was still in his body when it happened, but God certainly knows.
3As I said, only God really knows if this man was in his body at the time.
*II Corinthians 12.2-3, CEV
Spiritually speaking heaven is not a geographical location. The geographical image signifies experience, "heavenly experience." There is no one way of speaking of this.
"Heaven" is where God is. No matter how close I experience God to be, God is still in "heaven," still totally other, still fully mysterious, still completely evokes awe from me.
One way of speaking of heaven is higher consciousness. To have the consciousness inspired so as to transcend the limits of its usual awareness is, indeed, a powerful grace.
Consciousness is our connection with the Divine Mind. Human consciousness is mediated by the brain, but such participates with Consciousness as a whole, or the Mind of God.
When we pray "Our Father in heaven," we are affirming that the Divine Mind is where our human mind connects with God. This, again, is not a place, but more a state, or experience, of God.
That heaven is signified as up testifies to an innate awareness that heaven is a higher order of potential available to us.
That we pray "in heaven" is a confession. We confess that we have not yet fully "arrived" in "heaven." We are in process, and God is fully available to us in "heaven," here and now.
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1) Define "heaven" in your own words?
2) Do you agree that heaven is where God is?
3) Have you ever had a "heavenly" experience? Explain.
4) What are your thoughts about the following statement:
No matter how close I experience God to be, God is still in "heaven," still totally other, still fully mysterious, still completely evokes awe from me.
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*For submission of prayer requests, write to Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives in Punta Gorda, FL, and Clearwater, FL, with his wife, step-son, and two beloved dogs. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry focused on Christians living as spiritual disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a vowed, contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with God-in-Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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