The contemplative way (pt. 2)

Yesterday I shared part 1 from the Contemplative Way conference we attended at Canvas Community. Today I have just a few notes from Jared Patrick Boyd to share. I wished I'd taken more, but I kind of got caught up in the listening. There should be video of the entire conference on the Canvas website at some point.

Anyway, Jared is a pastor, spiritual director, and leader of 'the order of the common life' which is a missional monastic order for the 21st Century. His website says the order will help us "notice and nurture the work of God - in your life, in the life of others, in the world."

Jared began his talk by stating that contemplation is about one thing: love of God. He used Ephesians 3 as his text ("the fullness of God's love") and said we often miss God's love across the spectrum of experience. For instance, love can come to us like that of a parent to child. The other end of the is the perspective of an older child or grandchild taking care of an elderly parent. Then there are all the points in between.

Therefore, he believes their are three "postures" to God's love:

1. Love me like a child - our spiritual journey is from slave - to hired hand - to son/daughter. The story of the 'Prodigal Son' is the entirety of the story of the Scriptures.
   
2. Love me like I'm dying - Why is the purification process so painful? Life is like being buried under the rubble of an earthquake, and because of who God is, he MUST pull us out of the rubble. The fire of God's love is purifying us. (there was a lot more to this that I've already forgotten. I can't wait to rewatch)
   
3. Love me in the middle - It is in the middle of our weakness that God loves us.

 So, the "so that" from Ephesians 3 is the birthing of the fullness of God's love in us.

"It's in the hardness of life that we are being restored to the image of God."

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Again, I didn't take a lot of notes, and it made much more sense hearing it in person. But it was good, and I liked the 'presence' Jared had with us. He seemed a very gentle soul with the heart of a pastor.