Are we connected to God? To give a visual metaphor, think of God as a tree. Everything in the universe is a part of that tree. We are the leaves and just as each leaf differs in shapes, colors and textures, we are all created from that one tree. We are all connected to each other and we are a part of God. And at the end of our life, we (the leaves) fall to the ground and go back into the earth to give nutrients for the next crop of leaves and new life begins.
Who is God? I think that answer is different for everyone. Your religious or spiritual views, how you were raised and what you learn from others can influence that question. I believe that there is no one way to “know” God. Maybe that was God’s intention. Maybe that is why we have different names for God, the creator of the universe. People use many names to represent God: The Creator, The Universe, The One, The Almighty, Source, I AM, Source, Allah, Yahweh, Brahman, and so many more. To me, anyone who believes in a higher power greater than ourselves are all coming to the same place. We just are giving different words and meanings to describe God. I believe God comes to you in the form that you will accept. That is why many religious and spiritual practices speak similar messages and that overriding message is one – Compassion and Love. The messages are all coming from the same Source.
“Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams – they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do – they all contain truths.” Muhammad Ali
I don’t think that the human brain is capable of understanding the fullness and energy of God so we try to use words to help describe The Creator. As humans, we get stuck on words and descriptions in order to communicate. But to me, feeling God’s love is much more powerful than any words I can attach to represent God. I believe God is within everyone and in everything. God is all that is. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not realize that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you?”
“God eternal lives within.” Gregg Braden
Feel God’s love within you and then share that love with the world. I truly believe that is what God wants – To love everyone and everything. I feel that love when I share my love and help someone else. I feel that love when I am in nature. Just being outside in the sun warms my heart. I can see God’s love in the flowers, trees, birds and butterflies. God’s love is everywhere. You just have to look. And God wants us to be of service and help one another. When we serve, we receive back so much more than we give. Life does not have to be complicated. To love, have compassion and to serve brings happiness and peace to each of us. Isn’t that what we all long for?
“God is that holy sacred Spirit that infuses everything” Jack Kornfield
National Geographic’s The Story Of God with Morgan Freeman is a series that helps to explain God from many different religions and cultures. In season 1, episode 3 “Who is God” Morgan says “If you ask me who God is, I would say there is a bit of the divine in all of us. There’s God in you, There’s God in me. The God in me is who I really am, at my core. The God in me is the best version of me. The God in me is who I strive to be. Who I was meant to be.” I could not have said it better. Thank you Morgan for your words of wisdom!
