Clarifying The Aim Of Our Relationship With God

God wants you to become one with Himself. He has provided everything for that to happen. You get to participate in what He’s provided. Thanks be to God!

I am excited to share with you another rendition of The Participatory Paradigm diagram. This visual depiction of how to live the Christian life is evolving slowly as improved ways to show it come to mind. I hope you’re able to follow along and allow the paradigm to challenge and encourage you on your journey with God. 

[gview file=”https://communewithgod.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Participatory-Paradigm-III.pdf”]

In this version, the relationship between the Holy Trinity and “Me” is presented as a more fluid movement. I’m trying to show this movement – the energies and life of the Trinity flow into the individual who in turn participates in them as he or she communes with God. The person is energized and transformed by God to love God and others. In participation/communion with the Holy Trinity, “me” experiences God’s life and energies which transforms absolutely everything all the time. 

The aim of this core relationship is union – God in you and you in God. You live but it is God who lives in you. You become more and more unified as one. This is not “growth” as commonly understood. Instead it is a slow journey into or a gradual participation in the life of God which is already at work in you. 

Then, out of this oneness, all other relationships take place. Out of this union you live your life synergistically with God. 

The Church prescribes the means of living this life eucharistically, ascetically, sacramentally, and liturgically. In synergistic oneness with God, you pray, work, give to the poor, and fast as you engage various aspects of the world around you (the large, outer square). 

Is this making sense? As you experience the reality the diagram seeks to present, you will understand it more fully. 

As you may have noticed, I reinserted the term “energies.” A pastor-friend of mine wrote that, for him, there was a renewed understanding of God’s work in us with the term “energies” (vs. grace). Now that’s something coming from a Presbyterian!  

I’ve enjoyed developing this diagram with you over the past few weeks. For now, its going into hibernation. But I hope you’ll continue to meditate on it as you are able. It’ll probably wake up sometime later this year. 

If you have questions about the diagram or want further clarification, let me know. I love “talking” about this kind of stuff. 

Share your questions or thoughts below. Thanks!! 

Dr. K