The Invisible Bridge: Linking Spiritual Realms and Spiritual Dimensions
Today, when pastors talk about spiritual realms, they typically draw a distinction between the natural and the spiritual worlds. By contrast, discussing spiritual dimensions is different because it is about how much one is tuned into God’s presence and how much one notices it in the world around them. Just think, Psalm 139, 7-10 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”[1]
Psalm 139 is a profound personal reflection on God’s total comprehension of who we are, His permanent presence with us, and His provision in our lives. Our passage is also more in line with how the universe actually relates to God. Still, far too often, the natural and spiritual worlds are represented as distinct entities in the message people hear on Sunday mornings.
Here is the problem. Some pastors describe Christian maturity through the lens of Plotinus’ Neoplatonism, portraying faith as a journey similar to climbing a spiritual ladder toward God. That understanding suggests spiritual growth is a movement of the human soul from earthly concerns upward towards a mystical union, meaning “being in Christ,” as the apostle Paul puts it, with God. What I would like you to consider is how people at Bridging Austin build bridges between what is happening in their daily lives right now and how what we are about to discuss affects them spiritually.
Julaine, one of our pastors, facilitates The Spiritual Exercises every Saturday, drawing on the tradition of the Roman Catholic saint Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius wrote his exercises as a roadmap for deepening one’s relationship with God. He believed anyone could learn to discern, grow, and make better choices in life, given the right spiritual tools. An Ignatian Examen is a prayerful reflection in which you become aware of God’s presence, give thanks, review your day honestly, acknowledge any shortcomings with grace, and approach the coming day with hope and intention.
That process is what we see as crossing the invisible bridge that connects the inner and outer aspects of our spirituality. What I hope for people at Bridging Austin is that, as they cross this invisible bridge, they cultivate a spiritual awareness of God’s active presence in all of life’s circumstances and learn to perceive God’s loving touch in them more clearly. Now let’s talk about why we feel so strongly about this.
People use the dimensions of an object, such as a box, to determine what will fit inside. Similarly, when boundaries are established for a realm, meaning a specific area, boundary markers determine how far one can go. Neither of these two things is true of God, although it is hard for us to see that sometimes. The truth is God is much bigger than either one, or the sum total of both. That is just who God is. Let me cite an example of how easy it is to reduce God down to something manageable, even while holding on to a firm commitment to take the Bible seriously.
Dreams and visions are mentioned more frequently in the Bible than hell in all its permutations. From Genesis to Acts and into Revelation, Scripture repeatedly presents dreams and visions as ordinary ways God communicates with people. References to hell, on the other hand, whether using words like Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, or the lake of fire, etc., are comparatively fewer. That difference matters. It suggests the Bible is less focused on the afterlife and more concerned with how people perceive God in this life, respond to His presence, and align their lives with what He is revealing in the world around them. I cite this paradox in particular to demonstrate just how easy it is to box God in and miss much of who He is and what He has for us. Let me end with a saying that a Rabbi we follow uses on his YouTube channel: “So open up your hearts.” Rabbi Chaim Richman frequently uses this phrase just before injecting something challenging into his presentation. What we take this to mean, and how we apply it, is that opening our hearts is a challenge to surrender all that prevents us from welcoming God’s boundless, perpetually expanding love by escaping the realm of our limited understanding and choosing faith over every dimension of doubt. So I invite you to do likewise and “open up your hearts” and cross the invisible bridge that spans the natural world and spiritual reality.
[1] Psalm 139: 7-10 NIV