The following comes from Walt’s book, Lighting Your Way, With Love
It was a beautiful day. The sky was a cerulean blue with scattered, wispy clouds. I walked along the top of a prairie ridge. Grasses yielded to the gentle pressure of a refreshing wind. It was hard to take it all in. Such simplicity. Calm. In reverence, I admired the timeless artistry of nature. I wondered: Is this what heaven is like?
Imagination. It is an indescribable gift that helps us to see with an inner vision. When we imagine something, we look beyond the constraints and limitations of the present. New possibilities and directions can suddenly emerge as we tap into our creative selves.
At this point, you might be asking: What does imagination have to do with faith? Doesn’t faith deal with certainties and unwavering belief? Isn’t the gift of faith God’s doing in our lives; evidence that the Spirit is working in our spirits enabling us to believe? What do creativity and imagination have to do with that?
As a Lutheran pastor, I think one of the most brilliant things that Martin Luther ever wrote was his explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed: “I believe that by my own reason or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith (Martin Luther, Small Catechism).”
A quick read of this foundational Lutheran teaching, that our faith comes as a graceful gift and is not of our doing, might seem to say that faith is a fixed entity. What else could “true faith” be? Either we believe and have faith, or we don’t. It’s cut and dry. Black and white.
Though I don't doubt that you can interpret that passage in a fixed, immovable manner, I’m not sure that such an approach is, ironically, all that faithful. Let me explain. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of liberation, redemption, and reconciliation (how many three-syllable “holy” words can I fit into a sentence?) In short, the story of Jesus’s life is about freedom, establishing a new and right relationship between a loving God and a hurting people.
Love becomes an expanding boundary. The Spirit moves in the direction of our hearts and opens a space for God to dwell within. Each of our spirits becomes fertile ground whence love can grow organically. This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.
From the experience of parenting two very distinct sons, I know that my approach with each is a little different. Although I love them both with all my heart, my relationship with each reflects his individual interests, needs, and dreams. At times, it can be hard to make sure that I am even-handed and balanced. Still, it is worth it. I couldn't force a single way of relating upon my relationships with my boys. Imposing any kind of constructed "universal" parenting method would ignore their particular natures.
When the Spirit moves in our lives, it comes to each of us to work faith within our hearts that is as distinctive as our fingerprints and favorite flavor of ice cream. Sure, this is the same love of God that created the cosmos and sent Jesus to live and die among us. It is the same eternal love. And it is also profoundly personal. God connects with me and my faith in a way that is slightly different from the manner in which God relates to you.
When we exercise our spiritual imaginations, we make ourselves available to both the expansive love that God has for all creation and the unique love God has for us. We might wonder how such things can be. Where can we experience such wondrous love? What is that love calling us to do in response? These are all open-ended questions that can spark a variety of creative answers. Which are correct? Is there such a thing as a wrong answer? What if we find the solutions that we generate to be different from those of others?
As a Christian, I will always look to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as a guide. Do my creative faith-thoughts line up with the love of Christ? If so, then maybe I am connecting in a new way with God's Spirit. If not, then perhaps I just have a terrible case of indigestion.
I will also test the product of my imagination against the witness of scripture within the context of a broader faith community. Being creative in your faith doesn't mean anything goes. At times, we will need to check ourselves, lest we start creating God in our own image. That said, believing "outside the box" is a sign that we are engaging in our relationship with the living God in such a way that God is creating all things new.
Back to that beautiful day that I experienced on a prairie ridge. On days like that, I am filled with wonder that reaches deep within my spirit. Such days help to crack open my stagnant ideas about God, faith, and life. Space is created from the inside out to be a different person. Using our God-given imagination to cultivate the soil that finds its way into that space holds great promise for growth. In times of transition, as we seek to embrace new realities, this is indeed a gift from God.
A PRAYER FOR YOU:
Gracious God, you are beyond my grandest imagination. You exceed my wonder. Out of your expansive nature, you create and dream life into being. Although I can't begin to grasp your reality, I am humbled and honored that your love would come to me. To have you near is a joy without compare. Stir up in me, O Lord, an active imagination so that I may be open to possibilities, dream dreams, and sing a new song of praise. Through Jesus Christ, amen.
Today’s reading comes from Walt’s first book, Lighting Your Way, With Love. He wrote it on the occasion of his son leaving for college. It is a devotional book about transitions, faith, and living as a child of God.
© 2019 Walt Lichtenberger. All rights reserved.