Tea with GodToday I have an exercise for you that will require a lot of imagination. Really play along with this one – don’t just read it and put it off for later. Actually do this now.Ready? Here it is:Imagine you’re having tea with God. That’s right, you’re having tea with God. Maybe it’s a dream, a vision, whatever – imagine that you’re sitting there, having tea with God. Don’t worry about how you got there – let’s just assume you’re there. Don’t worry that this notion of God having tea with you might run counter to your regularly held theological framework – just pretend this is a dream and for right now, things don’t have to correlate perfectly with your rational sense of reality. You’re schmoozing, having a lovely tea, you and God, just shooting the proverbial breeze about stuff. Now I want you to imagine that time’s running up. This lovely chat you’re having is coming to a close. The whole thing is ending. You’re just about ready to leave when God does something egregious. You’re stunned. You were having a great time, and all of a sudden God does something completely offensive to you, even unforgiveable. Or it’s an issue of God not doing something – doesn’t walk you to the door, doesn’t ask for your number, steps on your foot and doesn’t say sorry, or maybe even farts! Whatever it is, there’s something God does at the end of this tea session that’s just repulsive to you. You with me so far? You have something in mind that God did that was offensive? (This whole thing won’t work if you don’t have an answer locked in your head.) Here’s what I want you to think about: Whatever that terrible thing is that you’ve imagined God has done to offend you, whatever this heinous sin is that’s unforgivable to you…that’s a giant issue in your life. That’s something for you to look at and explore. Think about it. This entire episode was all in your imagination. God wasn’t really doing this bad thing to you. This is a fiction you came up with so you could play along with the exercise. And for some meaningful reason, you chose to come up with that particular grievous offense. So, the issue must be yours…right? What is it about that issue that’s so important to you? Meditate on it, walk around with it for a month, or for a week. See if you can figure out what’s under it… A lot of fruit and a lot of learning can come out of this little experience. This week’s spiritual-religious advice: muse upon that “unforgivable” thing. |
With love,
Rabbi Brian
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