Good Morning Apricot Mango

From my new favorite song, Music to My Eyes is this line, I want to sing you a sunrise and be the dawn I know will move you. I cherish being up early. My husband gets up super early and I make sure I’m up an hour before he is just to soak in silence, write, read and pray. Don’t even ask what time that is… My secret? I go to bed obscenely early.

Because of that whole routine, on the best days, I’m out walking just as the sun considers rising. I’m there for the first hopeful rays and whatever is to follow. I love that I’m always surprised by the colors, the clouds and how fast it changes. This morning God served up an apricot mango color that filled me. It was only that color for about 45 seconds. I’ve learned to look up now and savor what is, right this second. This alone is a spiritual teaching you could build your life on.

I’ve been immersing myself lately in the rich writings of Richard Rohr. He is a Franciscan priest whose work is grounded in Christian mysticism, practices of contemplation and compassion for the marginalized. He’s everything I want to be except the Franciscan priest part. That ship has sailed for me. His latest book, The Universal Christ is spoon feeding my soul these days.

Today, Rohr taught me about creation. Introducing the idea that incarnation (the theological teaching of God with us) actually happened first with creation. Most Christians tend to think incarnation is only about Jesus, God’s Word made flesh and living among us.

It makes sense though to believe God started the indwelling way before Jesus. What if God is in all and has been for a very, very long time? Rohr writes, …the first incarnation was the moment described in Genesis 1, when God joined in unity with the physical universe and became the light inside of everything. The Universal Christ p. 13.

In Romans 1:20 Paul writes it pretty clearly, For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Rohr says this Biblical passage led to a Franciscan teaching, creation is the First Bible, and it existed for 13.7 billion years before the second Bible was written. The Universal Christ, p. 12.

All this brings me back to those few seconds of an apricot mango sunrise this morning. Creation is infused with God. It is one of God’s most amazing communication tools. Think of it as God’s 24/7 social media feed directly to us-complete with an everchanging, all encompassing surround sound experience of light, smells and sensations.

Elizabeth Barret Browning said it her way in the 1800s in the poem Aurora Leigh, Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees takes off his shoes…

I believe God wants to sing you a sunrise, a different color every day. Today was apricot mango for a few seconds. I hope you saw it.

Dr. Cindy Ryan is a Christian pastor, wife, mother of three, Mimosa to Keller and Pace, breast cancer survivor and early riser.

P.S. Tickets for my next speaking event, a fundraiser for women’s ministries at First Methodist Grapevine are going fast. I’m going to be sharing What I Want Women to Know on Saturday, October 19 from 2-4 p.m. This event is open to all women. You can purchase tickets for $20 at https://public.serviceu.com/PaymentForm/26141/?OrgKey=af7cab64-5275-4635-9c3e-cde2de0cba1c

I’ve also added a few more women’s retreats for 2020. All are open to having guests, so join us! You can check out dates, places and themes on the speaking tab above. I’m excited that two of the events are the Soul Spa theme I love so much.

Last thing, if you’d like to receive my extra content monthly Inner Circle Top Ten List, sign up for the Inner Circle at https://drcindyryanblog.com/circle/. I’m finishing up a new list, based on feedback from the Inner Circle, a top ten list on how to grow spiritually. Sign up by the end of the month to get that email on October 1.