Entering sacred space

Encountering God in nature [Relationship in the Screen Mirror]

Standing in the presence of the Eternal Saint changes a person.
─Fu Shide

▲Encounter God in nature.

There are some people who, when getting close to each other, feel like they are bathed in the spring breeze. They are infected by them unknowingly, and their speech and behavior also have the breath of spring breeze.

This is one reason why God wants people to draw close to Him. Moses spent 40 days and nights with the Lord on Mount Sinai, and when he came down from the mountain, his face shone (see Exodus 34:28-35). This was the glory of God reflected from the human body. Many years ago, I met an unknown missionary by chance at a group meeting. I was very surprised when I first met her. It was as if her whole body was exuding a subtle and divine soft glow, which made me marvel at how the human spirit can be so "beautiful." .

Such an experience seems somewhat mysterious and uncommon. Moses often walked with God, but the Bible only mentions once that his face shone after entering God's presence. However, when a person gets close to God, God’s light will shine on his/her heart, from the heart to the actions, from the inside to the outside, and there will be another visible and gratifying change in the person’s life, as Fu Shide said : "Standing in the presence of the eternal Saint, people will be changed."

The omnipresent and infinitely rich characteristics of the Holy One allow one to stand in His presence in many ways. People of every temperament have the most appropriate way to approach Him; and the "natural" way transcends human temperaments and can bring different people to Him.

▲Saint Bernard of Clairvaux said: “You will find more things in the woods than in books.”

the sacred nature of nature

Loving parents carefully prepare the environment and home for their children before they are born. This is exactly what God did before he created man. He has prepared nature and all things for mankind, and in a silent way, He has penetrated the heaven and earth with His divine love and wisdom. This is why when people enter nature, whether they know God or not, they will be refreshed and inspired. Nature, from the day of its birth, has divine characteristics because it comes from the Holy One and is rich in Divine love and wisdom.

Therefore, natural science - the discovery made by human wisdom when it glimpses the laws of God - can continue to develop; the flower of humanities - the spiritual thinking inspired by nature - can also continue to bloom. Countless Wang Xizhi "looked up at the vastness of the universe and looked down at the prosperity of categories" and "swam their eyes with ease"; countless enlightened people also used scenery to express their emotions and use objects to reason, and gained insights into life. For example, Zhou Dunyi said that he "only loves lotus". The lotus "comes out of the mud without being stained, and washes the clear ripples without being evil", and is the "gentleman of flowers"; and the various arts that imitate nature need no introduction.

There are many people with keen ears and eyes who can clearly understand the divine love and wisdom cultivated in nature, such as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. He said: "I learned sacred scientific knowledge and biblical principles in the woods and fields"; he saw that "the river of grace cannot flow up the mountains, and cannot flow up the steep cliffs in the hearts of proud people"; and realized that "you cannot flow from What you learned from the master, the vines and trees will teach you." "You will find more in the woods than in books."

When being full of knowledge can easily make people look down upon the world, including the more hidden spiritual pride, Bernardo, who is close to nature, avoids the trap of knowledge and spiritual pride, and speaks from the bottom of his heart: "The three most important virtues of human beings are: humility." , humility, and humility.”

Paul said that nature is the expression of the eternal power and divinity of the Creator (see Romans 1:20). People who have God in their hearts will become more sensitive to God's presence and revelation when they enter nature, the sacred space prepared by God for mankind. Therefore, the theologian Martin Luther saw "every leaf in the spring". The Lord’s Promise of the Resurrection”.

As God's handiwork, nature's beauty often makes people hold their breath and give them a sudden reverence. Maya Angelou, a writer and poet who takes God's love as the source of her power, lamented: "Life is not about the number of breaths you take, but the number of moments that take your breath away." Seeing greatness because of the wonderful nature God, this is such a breathtaking moment. Even people who do not fully know God will still be close to Him because of the divine characteristics of nature. For example, the rational philosopher Kant was in awe because of "the starry sky above his head and the moral law in his heart" and deduced the existence of God.

He sent brocade letters from the clouds

Today, the human world is becoming increasingly larger and more complex. The development of science and technology and the process of urbanization have brought great convenience to people, but also brought great isolation: the isolation between man and nature, and the isolation between man and himself. ─The eyes are dazzled by the richness and variety of external man-made things, and lose the time and ability to gaze into the heart. In addition, people are moving away from God, and the most important value of nature to people, as a sacred space for encountering the sacred, is increasingly lost. Even if countless people go to nature, they often only take a quick "tour" and are limited to short-lived and superficial entertainment. Many of them disappear after "showing" in some way.

When facing the sacred, one cannot rush; deep connection also requires concentration and willingness during the encounter, even if it is short-lived.

In the past, agents used invisible ink to deliver messages, and the person receiving the message had to use special potion to read the paintings behind the paintings and the words between the words. Enlightenment of the soul is what the poet David called the "awakening" of the soul (see Psalm 23:3) - seeing the reality of God's existence and life. Many turning points in life are due to the fact that at a certain moment, the soul was touched by the saint. It suddenly shined like lightning and flint, and the world became clear in an instant, and the world was no longer the same.

I remember that when I realized that I really had a soul, and that "soul" was not just a poetic expression of life, but had a divine origin, it was as if I had been given a wonderful developer and gained a whole new perspective. So when you enter nature, you find that the heaven and earth show their amazing "true colors", you can see the peerless paintings drawn by invisible ink, and you can see the unique cave behind the mountains and rivers. As time went by, the picture became more vivid, and the whole earth was filled with vitality, shining with a wonderful and clear skylight that was difficult to describe.

More importantly, "awakening" allows people to see the profound and vast emotions of the Creator contained in the landscape. "When you walk to a waterless place and sit down to watch the clouds rise," you will not only see the "clouds rising", but you will also see how God, a great calligrapher and painter, concentrates his fortune, dips his pen and ink, and conveys the myriad phenomena and cultivation in his heart. , leaning into the dripping and hearty licking. Therefore, the book of nature changes from the intellectual "broad and profound" to the emotionally touching "broad and profound". The master, creator, sustainer of life and the refuge of the soul, His kingly demeanor and parental heart are reflected in the micro-flowers and grasses. The details and the grandeur of the giant mountains and long rivers.

Because of His "affection" as the background, the melancholy "Who in the clouds sent me a brocade book" turned into a joyful "He in the clouds sent me a brocade book"; in the sad autumn of life, "The wild goose returns to the time", It became the "Moon Full West Tower" full of grace.

Entering nature is actually to follow the road signs and clues left by the saints and "stand in front of the eternal saints."

▲He sent a brocade book from the clouds.

Nature and Spirituality

It is said that God left two books: the Bible with words and nature without words. People's spiritual practice often involves reading the Bible. Not many people will truly practice "reading nature" for spiritual practice, and they will "never get tired of reading it a thousand times." Those who study the Bible and nature are blessed, and they can get closer to God.

Christians, as the name suggests, are the "disciples" of Christ, people who imitate Christ. Therefore, the measure of his spiritual progress is not whether he does more good deeds in external behavior - because "doing" is a very superficial behavior and can even be pretended - but rather whether his inner life (spirituality) becomes more and more like Christ. . When something changes internally, it will naturally be reflected in external behaviors and attitudes, including doing good deeds.

This is exactly what God wants. Various laws in the Old Testament were intended to regulate people's behavior (external manifestations), but they were "made void because of their weakness and incompetence" in matters of redemption and giving people life, and "a better hope was introduced" ( (Refer to Hebrews 7:18), that is, God gave his beloved Son to man as the substitute and redeemer, so that the redeemed people can be free to "be conformed to the image of his Son" (refer to Romans 8: 29). This became the thrust of Christian spirituality.

Imitation must begin with obedience, so God commanded his disciples to “obey Him (Christ)” (refer to Matthew 17:5). Christ also used the teaching method of “imitation” to cultivate his disciples, saying to them: “You should... "Learn from me" (cf. Matthew 11:29), "Do as I have done to you" (cf. John 13:15), "As I have loved you, you also must love one another." (John 13:34)

Since spiritual practice is to imitate Christ, what is the “likeness” of Jesus Christ?

In His riches, we can see at least (but not limited to) the following characteristics:

1. Be meek and humble in heart. (Refer to Matthew 11:29)
2. Forgive, even to those who maim or take your life. (Refer to Luke 23:34)
3. An active love for God and people that is so deep that one may even sacrifice one’s life. (Refer to Mark 14:41; 10:18)
4. Compassion, paying attention to the needs of people’s soul and body. (Refer to Mark 6:34; Matthew 14:14)
5. Deep trust in God, believing that all things are possible in God, and that even when He turns his back on you, He can entrust your soul. (Refer to Matthew 19:26; Luke 23:46)
6. Spend time alone with God. (Refer to Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12)
7. Empathize with and build up people (Peter denied Him three times, and He established Peter as the rock of the church).
8. Lead by leaning in and serving. (Refer to John 13:15)
9. Always pray for people and things. (Refer to Luke 22:32; 23:34; 24:30)
10. Obey God out of love, even if it means death, and death by torture. (Refer to Luke 22:42)

Looking at it this way, we can't help but wonder: Can people follow suit? Can it be done?

The answer is: no.

This brings a characteristic to Christian spirituality: it is never about relying on one's own strength to increase the level of spiritual life, so that one can love, believe, deny oneself, honor God, and benefit others like Christ. . No, man cannot do it on his own. The essence and foundation of Christian spirituality is: to be led by the Holy Spirit, helped by the Holy Spirit, and perfected by the Holy Spirit. The duty that a person must fulfill is the willingness to be led, the willingness to obey, and the actions consistent with it. Christ said: Come to me and have life (see John 5:40). To go to Him is to "stand in the presence of the eternal Holy One." It is to be like a grape branch connected to the vine, allowing the life of the vine to flow into oneself.

Therefore, spiritual practice is a "cooperation" between God and man. Human beings are spiritual "clay" and can choose whether they are willing to obey the potter's finger. When you are willing to obey, the clay will take shape under the guidance of the potter's fingers, and be transformed into fine ceramics through "fire" - various encounters in life and service.

In such a cooperation between God and man, although man is the subject, the Holy Spirit is the leader, so the fruit of spiritual practice can be said to be the "fruit of the Holy Spirit", and its constituent ingredients are "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness" , gentleness, and self-control” (see Galatians 5:22-23). They will form a unique pattern on the ceramic, which has the three characteristics of “faith, hope, and love” (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). Among them, the “origin and finish” of faith are in Christ (see Hebrews 12:2).

Since spiritual practice is an act of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, it is necessary to be quiet and listen to the "voice" of the Holy Spirit. As the saying goes, "A time to be silent and a time to speak" (see Ecclesiastes 3:1). This is exactly the example set by Jesus Christ. He often put down all services and retreated to the wilderness (nature) to pray, meet and dialogue with God. (Refer to Matthew 5:1; Luke 5:16; 6:12)

Indeed, when a saint-minded person enters nature, he or she enters into a dialogue and meeting with God. It means that the branches of the vine are closely connected to the vine, and that means that life enters a spiritual state.

▲"Awakening" will allow people to see the deep and vast emotions of the Creator contained in the mountains and rivers.

The Visible Intermediary to the Invisible God

There are often huge needs in life and service. Let go of everything and enter nature. This kind of "withdrawing" may seem "unspiritual", but in fact, this is the most spiritual thing - to get close to God and let spiritual life It can be strong and the "spirit" can be quiet and far-reaching. Therefore, Jesus said that of all the things a person does, "only one thing is essential", which is to come to Him. This is the "best blessing" of a person, and no one can take it away. (Refer to Luke 10:42)

For those who love God, nature becomes a tangible intermediary leading to the invisible God, magically guiding the wings of spirituality to gently flap, allowing people to smell the fragrance and search for traces, leading to the seclusion of the spiritual land, where they can meet the master of life. This kind of meeting is silent but extraordinary, bringing people a deep sense of satisfaction and experiencing the true taste of "living" and the passion for life. Because people have seen eternity, people will definitely gain new heights and angles to gaze at themselves and the environment. This kind of "gazing" is quite subversive.

The eyes that have been subverted by eternity can see through the mysterious physics and see the eternal wisdom and transcendent divinity they point to. Therefore, nature can not only soothe the irritability in the heart, allowing "the kite to fly to the sky to be violent, look at the peak and rest its heart"; it can also make the awakened soul spontaneously sing songs of praise to the Creator, and the deep heart The songs merge with the sky, recounting His glory and greatness, sweeping away the dust, triviality and triviality within.

Therefore, modern "happiness science" says: awe is an important element for people to be happy. Without awe, people lose their place; and "dislocation" often brings pain and trouble, even despair and abyss.

The philosopher Nietzsche said: "Fight with the devil for too long, and you will become a devil; stare into the abyss for too long, and the abyss will stare back." He said that what people are entangled with will be easily contaminated by what they are entangled with.

Stare at the complex worldly desires, or gaze at the distant mountains and high sky? Staring into the abyss or into eternity? This is a choice people can make. Between the abyss and eternity, if you often choose to gaze into the abyss, depression, darkness and despair will stretch out withered hands from the abyss to grab you; if you often choose to gaze at eternity, eternity will overturn our shortcomings and guide our souls towards The light slowly rises.

Nature is a way of eternal guidance for us. The correction of "dislocation" and avoiding the trap of falling into the abyss is the transcendence of the abyss.

I still remember that one year I encountered all kinds of difficulties, and my mood often felt like being entangled in a deep rope and pulling me down. That year the birthday fell just after Easter. The word "resurrection" made me catch a glimpse of extraordinary meaning in a gap in time. It was like receiving an invitation that I couldn't refuse. So that day I dropped everything and went to the high sky and the vast sea alone to fully appreciate this meaning.

That day is something I will never forget. At the end of the day, my soul seems to have soaked in a warm and otherworldly hot spring, feeling refreshed and graceful. The Holy Spirit leads me into the truth of love and the love of truth. The place that turns me into a dot on the horizon, the place that makes me appear small but does not reduce my extraordinary value at all, allows all kinds of stories such as flowers, birds, water and wind to convey His oracles and whispers.

That day, I was in complete silence and complete expression. My inner communication with God was beyond words. It turns out that silence in nature is such a rich language that profoundly expresses everything that words cannot.

When I drove back, I could once again be calm, gentle, quiet and determined, and gained a new ability to face everything I had to face. When eternity is the foundation, one's feet will be wide and the abyss will be far away. No wonder David said to the Holy One, “You gave me breadth in my troubles.” (Refer to Psalm 4:1)

▲Spiritual practice is a "cooperation" between God and man, just like a potter shaping clay into vessels.

Have sacred time in sacred space

Throughout the ages, pilgrims have used various methods to help themselves, including building a contemplative Labyrinth, a man-made "sacred space" to help people open up and surrender to God. Although the meditative labyrinth path is circuitous, it can reach the center. It is called the "Threefold path" because it has three functions: purification, illumination and union. Unity means connection with God, entering into His presence and being fully accepted by Him.

And nature is a temple built by God himself, filled with all kinds of irregular meditation labyrinths that are beyond human hands. When people enter such a temple and walk on every path leading to the center of existence, the same is true. Walking on different "three-fold paths", purification, enlightenment, and unity are happening at the same time, and worship has become the most natural behavior for people.

In fact, what is happening may be even better than people realize, because when a person is born again in Christ, the body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:19), and the person enters nature, the external Holy Spirit The temple complements the inner temple. The sacred atmosphere inside and outside here makes the worshipers become purer, so the joy of the soul also has an indescribable depth - it is the encounter with the Holy One, the wonder of man in Him and Him in man, enlightened His soul is filled with the joy of unity between heaven and man and love for each other.

Purification is also a natural effect of this process. I once encountered a mountain spring while hiking and I wanted to grab it as soon as I saw it. After the spring water is filtered through layers of rocks, it is pure and clear. It makes people marvel that good water is better than good wine.

When people enter nature like a stream of water carrying earthly impurities, nature is separated into a sacred space because of the will of pilgrimage. The time flowing in this space is also sacred, so people walking through it is a process of continuous filtration and cleansing. Coming out of such a sacred time and space, the soul filtered through layers can become clear again, like a clear spring. Over time, its effects will inevitably be reflected in a person's temperament.

It is walking in the sacred space of nature that makes me a better person than I was yesterday. Although this transformation is gradual, when I look back ten years later, I find that things are still different than before. "I can't bear to look back at old photos."

▲Time is like water, water is often boiling, but boiling water shows exactly your tea nature, and you will release the fragrance of tea in the years.

Heaven and earth are kind and waiting for people to return

For those whose souls are awakened, it is naturally a sacred place of sacred friendship. "Heaven's movement is constant, and it does not exist for Yao, nor perish for Jie" (Xunzi). It exists for the will of Jehovah. It can help people seek "the best blessing", that is, the presence of God, and is therefore an excellent spiritual field, where people can be purified, inspired, reconstructed and edified by holy love, and their hearts can become softer and more humble. , faith, hope, and love.

When the word "tea" is broken down, it means "people among the vegetation." Often entering nature, people become increasingly mellow tea in their meetings with God. Time is like water, and the water is often boiling, but the boiling water reveals exactly your tea nature. The fragrance of tea escapes in the years, making the "water" rich. In time, you become God's gift to the world. .

This may be another expression of "for salt" and "for light".

The one who is close to vermilion is red, the one who is close to holy love is plump. Heaven and earth are sentient, waiting for people to return and often enter nature, and people's body, mind and soul will be different.

Li Wenping：Writer, life coach, editor-in-chief of Fengrong Online Magazine, special writer of this magazine, and former executive editor of this magazine. Think of yourself as a traveler—a traveler in body, mind, and spirit. The journey is also the purpose.