spirituality – Jules P Richards

I recently created a trio of visuals to accompany three poems reflected on at the recent Methodist Conference 2013.

These were also re-produced on handy bookmarks for future reference and reflection.

After the success of these, I was asked by Jo Kay to consider some of her poems and as a result I’ve produced the visual below, tom accompany Jo’s poem Multi-faceted God.

This is Jo’s poem:

MULTI-FACETED GOD

Multi-faceted God, whose every myriad of surfaces

Reflect every tone and hue of colour

In the wonder of creation.

All the colours, shades and varieties

of the promised and longed for rainbow.

Whose face recognises mine in all this riot of colour.

Multi-lingual God, whose multiplicity of ears

Recognise every tone and timbre of tongue

Of all the wonderful nations.

All the rhythms, cadences and songs

Of the people of this Earth.

Whose ear hears my voice through the cacophony of sound.

Multi-purpose God, whose existence for me is my purpose;

Reflects for me the longings and desires

Of all created people.

All the needs, hopes and yearnings

Of believers young and old

Who brings purpose to my life in all its richness and diversity.

Multi-sensory God, whose every sense is finely tuned

Mirroring those we have in the world.

A sense of smell and sense of wonder

All the taste and sight and awe

That we share with the Holy Mystery

The God who senses every person, knows their minds, hearts and voices.

Multi-focused God, whose every facet is focused on me and you

Amazing God who looks on everyone

Looks with every atom of being and existence

On every person in creation

Concentrates on only me and only you and you

And you and you and you

This Holy Mystery who encompasses all and holds us for all time.

Worship?

I commented on “worship” last October: taking a bath the interaction between things is what make them…

I recently saw someone comment that they “NEED to worship God”, that when they begin to worship “something happens within me… natural selfishness gets kicked out the back door and my heart* opens up to the transforming, powerful, grace-filled-love* of God*. …it reminds me… that all of the responsibilities and struggles I take on are in his-hands*, and that I can trust him to walk-with-me* and not abandon me, to give me the words and the strength. …to remember the love-he-has-for-me*, to be open to the work of the Holy-Spirit* and to remind myself that he is that centre. Worship helps me to know that I-am-loved*, and it sets me free to love others, and to see the grace-of-God* at work in the world around me.”

They commented: “so often in discussions about worship we have a tendency to make worship about us and not about God. …it is important that we don’t forget what it is for and who it is about. In worship God becomes greater and I-become-less*… I need to worship!”

(I have concerns with some of these * notions)

My admittedly imperfect perspective might be as follows:
I need to worship (to adore, revere, respect, devote, admire, venerate, celebrate?) the thing /notion/sense/power(?) that is bigger than us all”.
When I recognise the reality of otherness and possibilities, it helps to refocus on the bigger picture and review perspectives, attitudes and opinions in a fresh way.
To repeatedly recognise the fabula (story) of ‘life’, and reappraise the sjužet (discourse, perspectives, attitudes, opinions – interaction) can enrich the poor, liven the dead, and can make the blind see.
To review the selfishness that often hinders creativity and open up to the transforming, power of reconsideration.
Life is limited but the clouds move.
This worship reminds me that I am relevant in daily the interaction and it sets me free to let others be.
Worship is about us as part of the fabula and yes, it is important that we don’t forget our place in things.
In worship, life becomes greater and we become more real… we need to worship!”

(None of this considers the euphoria, endorphins and satisfaction induced by standing and singing etc – that’s another topic.)