Rhythm of Heaven

 I'm not a mystic, but I believe in the spiritual.  Many people think that's a contradiction.  They'd rather group mystical, metaphysical, spiritual, etc. all together; a little Hocus Pocus action, black magic, hearing from the dead, supernatural kind of thing.

By definition a mystic is someone who sees with their eyes closed, they close off the physical so that the mysteries of the supernatural can be revealed.  A mystic is someone who devotes their life to the study of life's mysteries.  Sounds cool, we'd all love to unlock the mystery, hunt for the treasure chest, find the hidden clue.  You know, Indiana Jones meets National Treasure, meets Pirates of the Caribbean, meets Lost. (Yes, I did just shamelessly reference Lost.  By the way, I also want to take this opportunity to recommend Psych.  Rent or buy the 1st season and you'll thank me.) 

Well I'm not a mystic, your church shouldn't be mystical, and Jesus isn't understood in a cloudy quest for divinity.  You see, the spiritual and the mystical split paths at the 'eyes closed' thing.  This has been one of the biggest crutches for the church today: we'd rather be weird than embrace truth.  I'm sure that right now you're in front of your computer shaking your head in disdain, but you also have this nagging suspicion that I'm right.  The moment you, or the church, closes it's eyes to access the 'spiritual realm' all you really do is become a walking blind person.  In our attempt to walk the clouds, we have trodden over a hungry, hurting humanity.  

Here's my problem.  Jesus was more in tune with the supernatural, spiritual realm than anyone else in history.  It's said that He only did what He saw father God doing in heaven.   He was a walking mirror of the plan and purposes of God... He had captured the rhythm of heaven.  So in His life's journey walking out the great plan of God, the exclamation point in God's pursuit of humanity, what kind of footprints did He leave along the way?

He accepted children, people of all races, the sick, the outcasts of His day, prostitutes.  He passionately split the divide between the synagogue and the sinner, while at the same respecting and embracing the governmental leaders of His day.  He angrily took action against those who put up socioeconomic walls and demanded justice for mankind, without prejudice.  All this while walking out the plan of God, the journey to the cross.

Your spiritual journey if legit, should at times be messy, confusing, exhilarating, even painful but at no time do you walk with your eyes shut.  We're not looking for a cloud, a sign, a wonder, or an awe, we're looking for truth.  And you're probably on the right path if on the way you catch the heart of God for mankind, you know, simple humanity.

So I bless you to walk in spiritual sobriety, but to do so with your eyes open, leaving the lava lamps and mindless mantras with meditation to the mystics.  Passionately pursue truth and allow your journey to cause an unhappy alliance with poverty, sickness, and prejudice with eyes wide open, the rhythm of heaven.