Today Pastor John Ortberg (God is Closer Than You Think) walks us through the final two pathways- Contemplative and Creation.
6. Contemplative Pathway: contemplatives love large blocks of uninterrupted solitude. God is most present when distractions and noises are eliminated. As a contemplative you are skilled at intrapersonal communication. You enjoy reading writers like Henri Nouwen. While down time and solitude are essential, involvement in significatn relationships keeps you tethered to the outside world.
7. Creation Pathway: the author notes that people on this pathway find “there is something deeply life-giving and God-breathed about nature.” You see God not only in spectacular manifestations such as the Grand Canyon,, but also in daily experiences like bird-watching. It’s particularly helpful to have times of prayer and meditation in natural settings. Yet, creation is not a means of escape. People are the most valued part of God’s creation.
In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis commented on the necessity and beauty of our uniqueness:
“If all experienced God in the same way and returned Him an identical worship, the song of the Church triumphant
