Re: Way Marks

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: : : Howdy! I'm going to jump right in... : : : What is a sign? Specifically, what is a sign when taken from the context, "Signs and wonders" ?? And what are we supposed to do when we feel that we have experienced one? : : : I believe that I have had communication with God since I was a child. I can remember falling asleep and feeling an "other" experience while in the transition state from consciousness to sleep. I was probably around 4 or 5 when I first felt this, and I guess I always assumed it to be God. : : : I haven't felt that presence for almost a year. I have found, however, that God communicates to me in other ways. (Note: the understood concept that I have accepted is that God loves us and he desires to communicate with us). Most of these communications, as I have defined, are signs. : : : A sign is a communication from God, i.e. God wants to tell *me* something. The sign is the actual transmission. For a while, I would receive such transmissions, and because they were from God, I would feel that I was on the right path -- on course and in a place to speak with Him. I am just now (in the current experience surrounding this "Way Marks" post/communique) realizing that I must dig deeper to understand the intention of the sign, whether it be a simple sign, a wonder, or an actual encounter. What is the purpose? The Creator has taken time out of His "day" to touch me... why? : : : Obviously, the core reason for any such contact is love. He is as pure and simple as that. I believe the first step of understanding what He is saying is to understand that He is love. : : : The next piece of the puzzle, I am beginning to believe, is to study the transmission itself. How did He communicate to me? In the current example, He used a song. In order to avoid a discourse on recieving messages from God (i.e. the specifics of the "sign"), suffice to say I don't know the song, so my studies will begin with learning the lyrics, and trying to understand the message. This first clue will bring me to the point that I can move to the next step. : : : Interpretation is the hard part. Once all the pieces have been gathered, it is time to put them together. The difficulty comes in when you realize that 1) You are trying to arrive at the final "product" without knowing what that is, 2) It would be nice if the final product was recognizeable (i.e. big, yellow smiley face), but usually it is a piece of abstract art, and 3) The closer you get to the Truth, more questions arise, and more pieces appear. Nevertheless, we must push on. : : : I guess the final step is action. It can be as pure and simple as loving Him in return, which is what it all really boils down to anyway. Sometimes your realization points you to make some very tough decisions. I'm not sure if I can express just how tough those decisions can be. : : : I draw comfort from the example of David. Although he got into quite a bit of trouble, God still referred to him as the "apple of [His] eye" and "In him [He finds] no wrong." That relationship is what I long for, so I try to really look at it for what it is worth. What was so special about David??? The main message I get from his story is that he never gave up. When he was given a puzzle piece, he lived to learn what it was. He lived his life with purpose and direction, and he had the faith and perseverance to direct his attention Godward. : : : I'm still learning how to read my compass. It doesn't function like a traditional compass, although it is similar in navigational terms. We all have these compasses... mine might be a spider's web, Bill might have a shiney, brass kaleidoscope, Steve might be carrying a jar full of immortal lightning bugs -- but, the intention of each is to point out "True" North. : : : : : : Watch for those signs, Continue the journey, and take care of your compass... : : : : : : Jason : : I don't think you were posting this to ask for answers, it is obviously a dialectic of sorts, and you are very good at it. So since it impressed me, I wanted to offer my impressions. Mainly they turn toward what my experience would indicate the mass response to be. I have learned that many peole are so unused to dialectic learning (this is the fault of our school system) that they take such musings to demonstrate a lack of faith, or else if they resonate with the logic, they take it as a system to be followed like a recipe for descision-making. So with this interpretation in mind I make my impressions, knowing full well that many actually get what you said, and not in the least impuning what is a refreshing breath of "good logic". : : We must be carful not to try too hard to "figure out" signs, assuming as you did that one knows what signs actually are, and how to see them. I think often the flaw we run into is one of basic paradigm. Where we see God at a distance trying to communicate with us. But consider this paradigm, that God is not distant, but physically right next to you. Obviously this is a reduction in the scope of what God's presence is, but as limited creatures we must find ways to accuratley represent God in a way that we can grasp. so anyway, suffice to say that he is beside us. Then the sign takes on a vastly different intention. Still love, but rather than a distant compass, it becomes a lover's flower picked moments ago and thrust before his beloved's face as a sweet gift to say, I love you. Also in this metaphor, no one upon recieving such a gift drops to their knees and prays to the lover in thanks for the gift, but instead turns to face him and throws arms around in embrace. I think it is extremely important for all of us to constantly remember that if we feel distant from God it is not God who has moved. He is as everpresent at our side as He always was. Making our metaphors reflect this, (and all conceptions are really metaphors,i.e. "I see it this way...") makes us more aware of His presence and less prone to feel alone. When we are sad He is there. When we are sinning he is there as well. And when he thrusts a sign before our eyes I feel that it is more of a reminder that he is exactly there with us at that very moment, if we would only turn and see Him. : : Think of the implications then of saying the "prayer of salvation". If you actually said, "Jesus come into my life..." you just invited him to be beside you. Imagine what this implies... He is never going away! Ever! He is constant beside you. You don't have to 'find him', you can't get 'further away' or 'closer'. All of these common words present a paradigm of distance. All you can do is get to know him better or ignore him. As David said, "If I make my bed in the depths of sheol, you are there." : : Also as a corrollary, we often speak of "wilderness experiences" Well, I think that MORE often we have sent ourselves into the desert rather than actually experiencing a time where God hides his face. : A quote to tie into the last sentence: : So each entered the forest at a point that he, himself, had chosen, where it was darkest and there was no path. : La Queste del Saint Graal : The Quest for the Holy Grail) : Here's another- This is/was carved in Latin upon the entrance archway into Dr. Carl Jung's study: : "Called or Not Called, God is Present."

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