humans become divine – The Noontimes

Ezekiel 45: Sacred Ways

Ezekiel 45: Sacred Ways

Friday, October 31, 2025

When we read this chapter of Ezekiel we might pause to remember that in each of our days we must set aside a place for God, an attitude for God, and gifts for God. When we do this, we have a wonderful attitude shift, we have an attitude for God.

Verses 1 through 8 describe how we might create a physical space in which we pause from our work to reflect and to listen for God’s word to come to us. Verses 9 through 12 remind us that when we parse out our resources we are to use a just and merciful measure rather than a set of standards that exacts punishment and looks for revenge. Verses 13 to 17 remind us that when we return the best portion of our goods to God we also return all that is good about ourselves and all that we wish to change. Verses 18 through 25 remind us to set aside specific and certain times to celebrate the goodness of God. All of this is about the temple Ezekiel describes in previous chapters, but it is also about each of us. It is about the temple within, that place where the Spirit of God dwells.

We can become caught up in the busy-ness of the details of our lives and when this happens we must take time to return to God often and regularly – – – that God might instruct us on how we are to go and what we are to do.

We can become caught up in the many places we must go in our lives and when this happens we must – wherever we are – create a space to visit with God often and regularly – – – that we might remove our sandals and dwell on this holy ground for a while.

We can become caught up in the cultivation of the gifts we recognize as ours rather than the giving of these gifts as we move through our lives and when this happens we must remember to return these gifts to their proper place, to God, often and regularly – – – that God might use them for good.

We can become caught up in the mercurial and ever-changing attitudes of ourselves and others as we number the days of our lives and when this happens we must remember that God never changes his attitude of loving forgiveness and that God has saved us from ourselves and others often and regularly – – – that we might dwell with him forever in peace.

Nicholas-Maes-Old-Woman-Praying-25508[1] — *Maes: Old Woman Praying*

When we make the effort to create sacred space, to return sacred gifts and to preserve sacred time no matter where we are, we become holy ground, holy gift, holy and eternal moments. Our human, punitive and self-centered attitude morphs into the attitude of God; and we become one with the divine as our new and sacred way of being transforms us into temples for holy dwelling.

A re-post from October 6, 2011.

Images from: https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/end-time-prophecy-why-is-the-third-temple-so-important/ and https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_Old_Woman_Praying_-_Nicolaes_Maes.png

October 31, 2025

changing attitudes, give gifts back to God, humans become divine, Sacred Attitudes, Sacred Gifts, Sacred Place, Sacred Time, set space and time apart

Isaiah 40: Beyond Self

Isaiah 40: Beyond Self

Michaelangelo: The Creation of Adam — *Michelangelo: The Creation of Adam – detail*

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Isaiah again today, and it is the chapter which begins the second half of the prophecy – often referred to as the Book of Consolation. The words remind us also of chapters 38 through 42 of Job when God speaks to his loyal yet questioning servant.

Like Job, we also may have questions for the creator of the universe, questions about his plan for us, his plan for others, questions about how God expects so many diverse elements can possibly come together in peaceful union. Today’s citation tells us that we need not fret about how God’s plan will be accomplished. It tells us that if we place our hope in God, all that is inscrutable will be made plain to us. Isaiah asks: Do you not know? Have you not heard? Was it not foretold you form the beginning? Have you not understood?

Our spirit is captured in human vessels, struggling to break free, to soar above the ugly parts of this life; and yet in all of our struggle for release we forget that we have already been ransomed, as we spent time reflecting yesterday. Do you not know or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. Today’s words are a reminder that we are not meant to struggle alone.

When we present to God daily our list of petitions that beg for miracles . . . God does not faint or grow weary.

When we are confounded by the duplicity and complexity if darkness . . . God’s knowledge is beyond scrutiny.

In all of our turmoil, all of our tears, all of our anxiety . . . God gives strength to the fainting.

In the darkest hours, in the deepest mourning, in the depths of despair . . . God makes vigor abound.

Wherever we are wrung out, exhausted, at wit’s end, beyond recovery and when we stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

There is always joy beyond our imaginings. There is always strength beyond our human power. This is what makes us divine . . . in that we acknowledge this divinity and allow ourselves to be drawn to it. Once we step out of self, empty self, and allow God in, then we too have knowledge beyond scrutiny, strength beyond fainting, and joy beyond tears.

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Creation_of_Adam

A Favorite from July 3, 2009.

August 20, 2022

Book of Consolation, courage, humans become divine, Job 38-40, joy, knowledge of God, questions, strength

Daniel 5:5-29: The Spirit

Daniel 5:5-29:

Thursday, August 18, 2022

A Favorite from June 6, 2009.

I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom . . . I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties.

These are the words of the pagan king Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, who recognizes the superiority of Daniel’s wisdom over the sorcery of his court magicians. He sees that the power of this God of the Jewish nation far outstrips the magic of his astrologers.

Brilliant knowledge . . . extraordinary wisdom capable of solving difficulties and of solving enigmas . . . these are certainly great powers . . . and they are beyond price. When the king offers to pay Daniel for his gift of interpretation, Daniel replies: You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you. Daniel is the only one present who is capable of reading the famous writing on the wall from verses 5 and 6. Daniel accepts no payment, knowing that he has not invented this wisdom on his own, knowing that God is the bringer of all wisdom.

The king was terrified; his face went ashen, and his lords were thrown into confusion. There are many times when we read our own writing on the wall that foretells cataclysm. There are many times when we are thrown into confusion by the events and people surrounding us. We look for someone in whom the spirit of God rests, someone who has brilliant knowledge and god-like wisdom.

The human Christ dies to release us from our earth cares and our human prison. The divine in us is thus rescued from oblivion. If Jesus has not been human . . . if we are not divine . . . the wisdom we seek when we are confused by the world would not come to us. If we were not co-creators and co-redeemers with Christ as his adopted sisters and brothers, this brilliant knowledge that interprets the mysteries of our lives would not be available to us.

The story of Daniel is a variegated one; it is full of stories that encourage us when we are at our lowest, when we feel our exile, when we fear the lions and the fiery furnace. Daniel foretells the coming of the Son of Man, the title Jesus takes on as his own. Daniel suffers calamitous events, yet rises above them on this great tide of God’s wisdom, God’s spirit, God’s love, God’s saving power.

When we are deeply troubled, when we see no way out, when we see the writing on the wall that rises just inches from our faces, it is time to sit with this story. It is time to welcome in this Spirit of God that can interpret dreams and solve difficulties; and it is time to accept no payment from this world. It is time to behave as this faithful exile far from home; it is time to turn to God, to pronounce truth, and to listen to the word that hums within.

August 18, 2022

calamity, confusion, human Christ, humans become divine, knowledge, wisdom

Tag: humans become divine

Ezekiel 45: Sacred Ways

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Isaiah 40: Beyond Self

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Daniel 5:5-29: The Spirit

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