A RELATIONAL GOD

Equilateral, Internet Domain

In Euclidean geometry, the equilateral triangle has all three sides equal with all three internal angles equal and congruent to each other. Among all the world’s religions, Christianity is the only faith that teaches that God is one being that exists as three; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each being in this Trinity delights in and glorifies the other. This Triumvirate has related to each other for all eternity. When the Son was challenged by the religious leaders of the time regarding which of all the commandments and laws was the greatest, he simply responded that we should love God and others, i.e., we should be relational. After all, we were created in God’s image so we should expect parallels in our being. We aren’t here simply as a part of God’s creation, but to share in creating while relating to our creator.

Self-giving or other-centered love versus self-centeredness is at the center of our universe. To be in touch with this universe, Jesus taught that we must lose ourselves in service to find ourselves. When we’re immersed in ourselves, we find that life becomes rather purposeless and futile. A good test to find the cure is to reach out to someone that we can help in some way. It’s amazing how quickly the focus on ourselves dissipates as we share something of ourselves for another fellow journeyman. And a joy of living enters our life to replace the unsatisfying pursuit of happiness through materialism, worldly power and recognition. This model for joyous living was revealed through the Son whose ultimate self-giving sacrifice was for the benefit of all mankind.

HARMONY

Man in the Maze Buckle, Hopi Reservation, AZ

The Man in the Maze is a common symbol of many Native American tribes. Some see it symbolizing our relationship with the earth and others see it depicting our journey through life. I see it as a symbol that has captured man’s imagination for centuries—a labyrinth. A maze implies that we have many chances to make good or bad decisions on our life’s pathway. But a labyrinth enables you to slowly walk along a righteous path of grace that ever so slowly enables you to spend time in meditation as you leave the trials and cares of the outside world behind. You continue your walk to ultimately be centered with the central core of the universe—God within. It is a way to ponder the direction of your life at any time and strive to become less self-centered and more God-centered. Once you arrive at that place, it is good to pause in stillness and listen to the quiet whisper of our Creator in the wind. Ideally, our life’s journey will lead us to that quiet stillness of centeredness with God that leads to a peaceful harmony with our surroundings.

Life is a sacred journey and a labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey. It is about growing our character and soul. It is about taking courageous steps along the path, knowing we do not walk alone as we stay the course. The entrance signifies our birth and once we complete the journey to salvation and enlightenment we exit to a new more enriched life. The literal single-path walk of turnings enables us to lose track of the sometimes stressful outside world and quiet the mind. We are then better prepared to exit back out into the world with a refreshed understanding and resolve.

“Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us, the labyrinth is fully known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.”--Joseph Campbell