‘Not One. Not Two’

10/17/2017

I Was Thinking…

“How does a person seek union with God?” the seeker asked. “The harder you seek,” the teacher said, “the more distance you create between God and you.” “So what does one do about the distance?” “Understand that it isn’t there,” the teacher said. “Does that mean that God and I are one?” the seeker said. “Not one. Not two” “How is that possible?” the seeker asked. “The sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and the song. Not one. Not two.” “God is within us to be realized, not outside us to be stumbled upon.”(The Rule of Benedict, Pp.80-81)

Who knows us best? Who do we know best? Is it our spouse? Is it a friend? Is it our children? Is it our parents? Is it a colleague? Having been married for 41 years I can assure that Sharon knows me very well. There are times she communicates with me without a single spoken word. When I’m in trouble with her…there is a certain look that comes my way that communicates to me a response of “Uh Oh…I’ve taken my teasing or my commentary too far…I’m in trouble.” It is a glance…a look sent my way that is without words but sends chills up my spine. Who know us best? Who do we know best?

Being raised in a Local Pastor’s home is full of blessing and full of ‘looks’ that communicate as well. On the last pew at Pomona United Methodist Church, on occasion I’d forget I was in church and begin to talk too much during dad’s sermon. On several occasions I’d get the ‘look’ from the pulpit that communicated loudly “We’re going to have a chat about this on the way home!” Not a word was spoken directly to me…but the look sent fear into my bones. Who knows us best? Who do we know best?

As Jesus was preparing his disciples for their mission he spoke plainly about the trials and persecutions they would encounter and then he said “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:26-31, NRSV) Who knows us best? Who do we know best?

The number of hairs on our head…really? Who knows us best? “The sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and the song. Not one. Not two. God IS in us to be realized, not outside us to be stumbled upon.” God knows us best! Who do we know best?

Always Thinking…