In the courtyard of the church one of our Eagle Scouts constructed a labyrinth. The pattern is marked by bricks, but the path itself is grass. I decided as a further connection to creation, I would walk barefoot so I could feel the grass on my feet.
My first thought as I took my shoes off was, "Gee, I sure hope there aren't any stickers!"
As I began walking the labyrinth I opened my ears to hear the sounds around me. At first, the dominant sound was the traffic steadily flowing on Duck Street: engines, tires on the pavement, and radios mostly. I continued to walk and listen more deeply - past the cars on the street, and tried to be aware of what was around me.
Perhaps because of my apprehension about possible stickers, the first thing I noticed was the moisture on the grass and how soft the ground was. Most of the grass was soft, but sometimes I would come across a spot where it was a little more firm and stiff. I became aware that the ground was uneven and noticed places where my foot would sink a little bit as I stepped. The sounds of the street where not the only sounds present. The wind blew against the building. Every now and again a bird would sing. But the most obvious sound was the sound of a cricket chirping.
Along with the sounds around me and the feelings of the grass on my feet and the wind against my face, I also saw several spiders as I walked. They were sort of mixed in with the grass and they were small - I would not have noticed them had I not really been looking down, focused on the ground right in front of me.
When I moved into the center of the labyrinth and stood there silent and still for a while, two more crickets joined in the chorus. In my moments of silence, my appointment with God, all sorts of stuff was happening. In my short time of pause, activity was taking place all around me completely independent and possibly even unaware of my presence.
It seems obvious now as I reflect on my appointment with God, but the second verse of an old hymn entered my mind as I began my journey out from the center of the labyrinth, "This is my Father's world; the birds their carols raise, the morning light the lily white, declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world! He shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear him pass. He speaks to me everywhere."
The simplicity of that verse lies at the heart of its truth: nature praises God in being that which it was created to be; the birds in their caroling, the sun in its shining, even the lily being the color that was placed upon it. Similarly, the spiders were praising God by simply working as spiders, the crickets by chirping, and the breeze by blowing.
It occurs to me that one of the simplest ways we can praise God is by being the person God created you or me to be. God has created you and graced you with the ability to do something that no one else on earth can do nearly as well as you: be you. No one else can 'do' you the way you can! So often we get caught up in the expectations of others or society; or we set our own expectations of ourselves based on what we see other people do that we forget our uniqueness is a gift and is that through which we can best praise God. It is also the case that at times we are less than God created us to be. When we exploit ourselves, others or creation, we fall short of who we are.
"This is my Father's world; O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world! The battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied and earth and heav'n be one."
Shalom Y'all
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