Fires, and Riots, and Looting--Oh My!

I got an email this morning from a deeply spiritual friend of mine wanting to know what I thought. What I think is that his message of prophetic doom raises the singular question of the spiritual life, which is . . . Who is your God? “Compelled by the Holy Spirit,” Rev. Wilkerson threatens us with an “earth-shattering calamity,” especially “ten thousand fires coming to New York City.” My friend lives in the Big Apple. Wilkerson also suggests that there will be fires, and riots, and looting. He assures us that we are “under God’s wrath.” rnIs your God a wrathful God? If so, then we are exactly where Rev. Wilkerson says we are. But wait, dear one. What if your God isn’t a wrathful God? What then? What if your God doesn’t punish humankind? What if your God is really, truly the God of Love? If that’s so, then we’ve got a whole ?nother ballgame. rnSo, I’ll ask it again: Who is your God? rnYou know, we love to quote that verse from Genesis that humanity was made in the image and likeness of God. Were we? Or have we, instead, made God in our own image and likeness? It’s a good question. rnRev. Wilkerson goes on. “God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.” rnNotice what kinds of sins those are? Raging. Who in whose image and likeness? Could the Rev. Wilkerson have an anger problem? Maybe. Do many of us? Sure. And we don’t have to project it onto Divinity, which is what I think he’s doing. rnThe God I know and love is a God of Knowledge and Love. Not one of wrath or punishment. Not one of riots or looting. Now, is my God a riot? Absolutely. A laugh riot—consider the anteater. Does She have all the loot? You betcha, and He lets me use it whenever I want. rnNow, as for fire, fire has a mystical significance that I cannot ignore. As elements go, it is the element of spiritual transformation. Fire changes things. Do I think this means there will be “ten thousand fires” in New York City? No, unless it’s a gorgeous, magical consciousness metaphor! rnWhat if 10,000 fires means 10,000 spiritual beings having a human experience of transformation in New York City? Yahoo! Bravi! Go, fire, go! You’ve heard of critical mass, right? Are 10,000 New Yorkers enough to create a spiritual transformation in Manhattan? I sure as heaven hope so. rnIt’s no mistake, dear one, that the best-known epithet for New York City is The Big Apple. The apple, remember? The forbidden fruit that Eve courageously tasted into order to bring choice to humanity. It is our choice to change, grow, transform, be healed, speak truth, love, know. It is also an option not to do these things. rnIs spiritual transformation coming to our world? You got that right!rnWhen? (which Rev. Wilkerson refuses to say) Today, now, this moment, this wonderful, precious now.rnHow? Through us. rnOf course the foundations are being destroyed, and not just the secular ones! All foundations based on exclusion are crumbling. We are ushering in a new age of inclusion, where everyone wins, and there is peace on earth. If there are a few messes to clear up in order to get there, bring ?em on!