Sharing a blog written by Pastor Michael Small. Through the years of knowing him, his words have provided me with a constant stream of inspiration, and fodder for deep thoughts and deeper conversations. Oh, and he hitched Clarence and I! Thank you my friend.
This was a writing inspired by July LampLigher Group.
Last night I dreamt of beginnings and endings (and it was so delightful). In those beginnings and endings there was simply joy and wonder. Those dreams were good, and I awoke with a need to write. Forgive me if there are too many words or thoughts – but here we go!
Beginnings and endings. Sometimes there are starts and spurts before that engine gets going – but there it is – a beginning. (I think about my chain saw) Something new. On the other hand, there are endings – equally difficult, challenging, and joyous. All of us have been in situations of NOT wanting to let go. The journey has been good and long. It has come with difficulties, frustrations, and struggle. Yet there have also been times of ecstasy, joy, accomplishment, and deep satisfaction. Beginnings and endings – in a sense birth and death, and it has been good.
In the very beginning of the Bible, the first page, there is a beginning, the very first words . . . “IN THE BEGINNING* God created . . . the heavens and the earth. But the earth became chaos and emptiness, and darkness came over the face of the Deep—yet the Spirit of God was brooding over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Light: Be!” and light was. God saw that light was good, and God separated light from darkness. God called the light “Day” and the darkness “Night.” Evening came, and morning followed—the first day.[1]
Note a couple of things. For the Hebrew mind writing this, “In the beginning . . .” is not a time, but a process. Words to describe that time were “chaos, emptiness, darkness”. There was a deep brooding over, a pondering of, a deep and long pause, a process. Then, only then, the first word uttered was “LIGHT BE!!!” Out of that brooding, out of that bottomless pondering came the vibration named light – and most importantly it was GOOD, oh so good!! And I imagine that Light could do no other than DANCE with joy, throwing off all their clothes and becoming pure naked, light. It was beginning. It was unfolding. It was sunrise – new day. And it was so good. I suspect delight could be seen and spontaneous laughter could be heard.
Another beginning occurs in the Gospel of John. IN THE BEGINNING . . . there was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. The Word was present to God from the beginning. Through the Word all things came into being, and apart from the Word nothing came into being that has come into being. In the Word was life, and that life was humanity’s light— a Light that shines in the darkness, a Light that the darkness has never overtaken.”[2]
Again, think of this beginning as not a time, but a process. I want you to pause and imagine the same deep brooding over, a pondering of, a deep and long pause, a process – and then the word! What if that “Word” too, was in a very deep sense, a vibration, a harmonious and disturbing vibration, a light from which came all life, “humanity’s light, a Light that shines in the darkness, a Light that the darkness has never overtaken.” And, what if, we truly understood this beginning (as the first in Genesis) as a process, a process that is ongoing and evolving, a process that unfolds with life and light for all living things, a process that is about a kind of excited vibration, a process that profoundly dwells within each of us? And, then there are those times when we want to DANCE, dance so much that we throw off all our clothes and become pure, naked delight and LIGHT!
Could it be possible that there is a universal, harmonious, sometimes dissonant, creative, life-giving vibration in each of us, that in a sense speaks, utters those words over and over again “BE LIGHT!” – and it is so! Can you hear, experience the utter joy and wonder when the words wash over you . . . “God saw that light was VERY good!” Most importantly, remember, after the six creations in Genesis – it was time to take a full day of rest, of sabbath – simply soaking in the joy and wonder of it all!
Friends, that light is in each of us. The words are uttered, and it is so. The divine dwelling within. That vibration harmoniously (and at time dissonantly) at our very center – connecting us to all else. Resonating from within and with others making beautiful music.
And what if, in the end, all of this is true, the affirmation real, and life shaping is GOOD! Let’s sit with, dwell with that belief. Let’s rest with that knowledge. Let’s begin anew, this morning, this day – and know it is good! Dance!