This is an excerpt from my book Prayer, Quantum Physics and Hotel Mattresses:
Hebrew tradition attempts to make all things sacred and remove the line between what we typically see as sacred and secular. In their excellent book The Shaping of Things To Come, authors Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch discuss and juxtapose the Hebraic and Hellenistic interpretations of life and consciousness. Of special interest is their discussion of the Hebraic understanding of the shekina glory of God.
Quoting Hebrew scholars, the authors offer one metaphor of the shekina as holy sparks present in all things, waiting to be released by those who use their tools, skills and resources for God’s glory. As the hammer strikes the nail, holy sparks fly releasing God’s glory for the world to behold. As the guitarist strums her instrument, holy sparks ignite passion within the hearts and minds of those listening and draw them upward to greater heights of awareness. As the artist wields his brush, holy sparks illuminate the eyes of the beholders and they are blessed and inspired by the beauty. A child learning her math and the janitor keeping the hallways squeaky clean provide the holy sparks in their important spheres of influence.
Francis Schaffer also touched on this truth when he stated that in the eyes of God, it is no more holy to sing songs of worship on Sunday morning than to play ball with your child, as long as it is done with love and the proper appreciation of God. The point is that the reasoning and motivation behind our every action should be the unveiling of God’s glory, and that unveiling should be manifest in every mundane physical action we partake in every moment of every day. Whether the sparks get released—or perhaps more accurately, whether we notice the sparks ourselves—depends on our own perspective. The limited perspective of the natural or soul-obsessed mind will not notice the good that God does through us every day. The enlightened perspective of the Spirit will recognize God at work in even the mundane things of our existence and will give God glory.
How are the holy sparks manifested in the mundane and ordinary of everyday life? If God’s presence is interwoven throughout all matter and space then the artist creating, the worker working, the poet writing and the mother mothering are using matter and energy for redeeming purposes and thereby justifying and authenticating it. The proper use of matter and thought and energy can redeem people and build them up psychologically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. But don’t we already know intuitively that this is so?
All things can be sanctified and made holy for God’s work depending only on the attitude with which we approach them. In this context, I’m using the word “sanctified” to mean used for building people up and fostering peace and rest and love as commanded by our Lord. And it looks as if God has made this particularly easy by weaving His truth and love and grace throughout all the matter in the universe. Did Mohandas Gandhi do good work? Did his kindness and gentleness cause the shekina sparks to fly? How about Mother Theresa? How about the kindly lady who makes a casserole for her elderly neighbor who has a difficult time getting up and about? Viva la sparks!
Ephesians 4:6 says there is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” As human beings caught in a physical existence we tend to categorize and classify everything, as if the delineation between physical and spiritual really exists. I don’t think such a line exists. It’s like sleeping—no one can tell the moment they fall asleep, we just fade from one form of consciousness into another. What if this other realm of the spirit is really just another form of consciousness or just another perspective of the viewpoint(s) we already have? What if the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to allow the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18) will actually lead us to the point where we can see these other dimensions of reality in our own Spirits? What if, whenever we did an act of either purposeful kindness or some rote responsibility like paying the bills, we could literally see the shekina glory of God send sparks flying in all directions? If we could actually see these events in the Spirit realm, might it make a difference how we see ourselves and the crucial role we each play on this planet?
If God is through all and in all, then perhaps this entire physical universe is just another continuing real-time expression—just another revelation—of God Himself. God speaks many languages—science, revelation, scriptures, beauty, music, art, written words, spoken words—God really loves a good conversation with people who love Him. He wants to talk with you about the perspective you hold on the realities that surround you. He wants to hear you talk to Him about your strengths and weaknesses, and He wants to encourage you to give it all to Him so He can arrange some spark-worthy events in your life. He’ll hold you up in your weak points and send people into your life to build you up in those areas, and He will identify to you how to further build on your strengths. Don’t worry about the weaknesses—focus on knowing Jesus Christ and His will, and “seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.” Focus on the strengths and gifts He’s given you and work to make them even stronger. The specific gifts God has given you are His reason for placing you on this earth. We all have a reason for being here, no matter what your life experiences or history tell you. You are deeply loved by God and He has big plans for you, to prosper you, not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11). You have your share of sparks stored up just waiting to be released by your acts of love, kindness and forgiveness, and by your exercising your specific gifts.
When the shekina glory sends sparks flying, then you’ll be able “understand and approve” God’s will (Romans 12:2) and will begin to see things more clearly from His heavenly perspective.
Get the book here: Berge on Amazon.com