God? Remember the only language available to religion is metaphor. There is no other way to attempt to describe the ineffable, the mysterious, the more. The word God can create negative or positive images for people; the loving benevolent source of life and love or the grey bearded judge in the sky waiting to inflict punishment. To anthropomorphize God is to to reduce God to a human image instead of a divine image. In contrast, we may use the word Spirit, Mystery, Ultimate, Reality, Divine, or others in place of the word God. Often our discussions about God–or whatever word you use–inevitably center around questions such as Who is God or What is God? The answer to either of those questions typically identify God as an object (a noun) which also reduces the ineffable to some human image. Rabbi David Cooper, in his book of the same title, describes “God is a verb” Therefore, instead of asking Who or What is God? I often ask How do you experience God? Common answers include an element of awe, wonder, spaciousness, freedom, depth, or love. Then, I ask how do you respond to that experience…?

When we experience God as the source of life, the only way we can worship is by living fully (abundantly). When we experience God as the source of love, the only way we can worship is by loving extravagantly. When we experience God as the Ground of all Being, the only way we can worship is by being all we can be. The more deeply and fully I can be who I AM, the more I make God visible. The more deeply and fully you can be your “I AM,” the more you make God visible. Worship by fully living, fully loving, fully being…having abundant life. ~ A lesson from the life, love, and teaching of Rabbi Yeshuah יְשׁוּעָה