Staying Connected to the Source

Jeremiah 17: 5-8 & Luke 6: 17-36

Roger Lynn

August 28, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Driving through the arid landscape of the American west, it is usually easy to tell where the water is located. Just look for the trees. They thrive because they are tapped into the source of that life-sustaining liquid. Without it they simply would not survive.

And we are not so very different. We thrive when we remember to keep our spirits connected to the Sacred Source of life. We give it a variety of names – God, Spirit, the Holy. And by whatever names we use to describe this Sacred Presence, it nourishes and sustains our living. It is always present. It is always available. And yet, surprisingly, we frequently close ourselves off from this empowering reality. Sometimes we do so out of fear, when we get overwhelmed. More often, I suspect, we do so simply by forgetting to paying attention. We get distracted. We allow the inconsequential to overshadow that which has real substance. And the quality of our living suffers as a result. Our lives are less full and rich. Sometimes there is actual damage. When we humans beings get locked into a narrow perspective concerning what matters and a narrow perspective concerning where we draw our strength, we often find ourselves wandering through some unpleasant neighborhoods. 

Both Jeremiah and Jesus contrast such approaches to life in terms of blessings and curses, or blessings and woes. It’s important to note that neither of them is saying this is God’s doing. Instead they are each in their own way simply describing the reality of our experience. When we are open and connected to the presence of God in our lives, we experience the blessing of living in harmony with our ultimate source of meaning and purpose. On the other hand, when that connection is blocked for whatever reason, we can find ourselves off balance, under nourished and out of sync with the sacred flow of life. In short, it just doesn’t work the way life is designed and intended to work.

Several years ago I had an experience which reminded me, once again, of this truth. Walking the labyrinth had been a regular part of my spiritual practice, and it had been weeks and weeks since I last walked. It’s amazing to me how easily such important practices can slip to the bottom of the priority list. There were a variety of reasons why – it was snowy, it was cold, I was sick. I had every intention of engaging in some sort of practice (even if it wasn’t the labyrinth), so I could keep those pathways in my spirit open and well-maintained. And yet, I didn’t do it. I allowed all of the “busy-ness” of my life to get in the way. When I finally returned to that familiar walk it felt good. Almost as soon as I set foot on the path I had a rush of remembering the journey I’d been on for several months. I was profoundly aware that where I found myself in that moment was a part of the same journey which had brought me this far. I found it reassuring to know that my life is all a part of a connected whole. I can’t always see where the path is leading me, and that’s OK. The thought occurred to me at one point in the middle of the experience, “Just walk the path. Put one foot in front of the other and follow where the path leads.”

I also found myself reflecting on the text from Jeremiah. “Blessed are those who trust in God, whose trust is God. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) Like a tree planted by water! The trick is staying connected to the Source. It is really important to remember that we are not alone on this journey. We have support. We have partners. God is present and active, in a whole variety of forms. I continue to watch for the leading of the Spirit, and at least from time to time I find it.

If staying connected is what it takes to experience the blessings of life, then intentionality is the key to staying connected. God may always be present, but unless we remember to pay attention we tend to forget. We start to live as if we are all alone, with no partners and no support. Fear creeps in and pretty soon we find ourselves traveling in those unpleasant neighborhoods I mentioned earlier. It takes a conscious effort, over and over again, to maintain the practice of staying open to the ongoing presence and guidance of God’s Spirit. Find something that works for you and then stick with it. And when you forget, pick up the practice again as soon as you remember. Over the years I have engaged in several different practices – walking the labyrinth, playing my flute, photography, the Dances. Those may or may not work for you. For you it might be silent meditation. Or maybe journaling. Or perhaps art. Find something that helps you stay in touch with the reality of the Sacred. Find something that helps you remember when you forget. Find something that keeps you connected to the Source, like a tree sending out roots which tap into the water. 

In his book “Wishful Thinking” Frederick Buechner shares some helpful insights about prayer (which can easily apply to any practice we might use to maintain a connection with God): “According to Jesus, by far the most important thing about praying is to keep at it. . .Be importunate, Jesus says – not, one assumes, because you have to beat a path to God’s door before [God will] open it, but because until you beat the path maybe there’s no way of getting to your door. . .(What about) when, listened to or not listened to, the prayer goes unanswered? Who knows? Just keep praying, Jesus says. . .Keep on beating the path to God’s door, because the one thing you can be sure of is that down the path you beat with even your most half-cocked and halting prayer the God you call upon will finally come, and even if God does not bring you the answer you want, God will bring you God’s self.” (Frederick Buechner, “Wishful Thinking,” page 71)  

Blessings or curses? We have the power to choose. The stuff of which blessings are made is available to each of us in this and every moment of our lives. The presence of God’s life-giving, life-sustaining, life-enhancing Spirit is always and forever as close to us as our breathing. The only question is, will we keep the pathways open so the nourishment can reach our souls? Like trees sending out roots – may we stay connected to the Source!