Spiritual Pathways are a cool way of thinking about and identifying the ways in which you connect with God. There are several variations, but the best list of pathways I've ever found are from John Ortberg's book, 'God is Closer Than You Think.'
He lists 7 pathways to God; Creation, Relational, Contemplative, Serving, Worship, Intellectual and Activism. There is no priority to the list but a realization of what best works for you. Some you more easily fit into, others you have to work at. Usually the pathways that are harder for you are the ones you learn the most from.
Creation.
I wanted to start by talking about the Creation pathway - this is the one I most easily fit into. Growing up in Colorado, I love seeing and experiencing God's creation. I love to breath in the early morning air, soak up the view of the wetland behind my house, admire the sunset's display of colors and even just mowing my lawn. I love it. The beauty of the world around me draws me to God and reminds me of how freaking huge, great and awesome He is. Being outdoors just does it for me. I love to camp, rock climb and fish for these reasons. I feel the most disconnected from an atheist while being in the outdoors.
As a last note - it isn't just the natural outdoors that do it for me in this pathway, I also love being in a downtown, soaking up the culture of God's creation, seeing diversity and admiring the work of artist and architects - as they are byproducts of God's creation.
How about you?
8/01/2008
Spiritual Pathways - Creation
Posted by
Kevin
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Labels:
books,
devotional,
life,
spiritual pathways
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5 comments:
I admit...I began reading your blog and for a moment I was almost with you...but it's friday. and my brain hurts. So I will have to return another day to try again. I guess that, coupled with my quoting the greatest boy band of all time, N'Sync, still makes me pretty un-cool in your eyes. :) I hope to proove you wrong someday soon.
As you know, we live in Cape Town - you commented on my blog about the beauty of the place.
And yes, beauty in nature reaches down into a deep place in me too.
I don't know if I can explain this but I'm going to try: I think beauty and Truth are the same in a way.
There is this sense when I see beauty in nature, that it is not enough to just look at it; to hear it; to smell it - it is as though I need to embrace, internalise it.
To have it enter into me and remain there.
And then, to enter into it and kind of , get lost in it.
I remember a particular day - a quiet summer morning, driving past a particular area of coast.
The sea was the most extraordinary pale, translucent baby blue.
A colour that I have never seen before or since.
I couldn't take my eyes away - I wanted to drown (metaphorically speaking) myself in that colour.
Truth is the same - it has the rivetting effect too. And it needs to enter into us and we need to enter into it.
This is a long story - it 2.03am. I can't sleep and so I am chatting to a cyber-bud, trying to describe the indescribable
I feel that, creation is an easy one for me too. I am looking forward to the other 6 pathways. Also, I got your email, I will get back to you.
Creation might be the easiest pathway for me. When I'm out of city and can really see the stars, when I'm standing of front of the ocean, or when i'm greeted with a beautiful sunrise on a morning when I really don't want to be up, my praise for the Creator just pours out of me.
Some of my friends were like, "hey this guy from Michigan commented on my blog," (we're new bloggers so this is exciting to us). Little did I know it the stuff christians like tattoo contest bringing us all together.
I'm excited for the conversations to come on Tomorrow's Church.
I am definitely intellectual! (that's not my pathway, I'm just really smart)
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