Mission

The Experience of God – Robert Flugham

 

Says Rev. Hansen: I’ve been telling this story for 25 years at our services and workshops.

 

On a long flight from Melbourne to Athens, an Australian carpenter, an Indian professor in hydrology, and I had a memorable discussion.

 

The three of us were seated in one row, and the subject of God came up because our meals were accompanied by a little card on which was printed a short prayer of thanksgiving.

​

The carpenter made some remarks about not being thankful to any of the Gods for this particular food and the discussion was off and running.

​

Later, the Indian professor and I stood in the forward alcove of the 747 comparing route maps with what we could see out the porthole in the door.  The professor noted we were flying over countries where the name of God varied from country to country, the holy books were not the same, the rituals, dogmas and routes to heaven were not the same.  He pointed out the Indian Ocean beneath us at the moment.

​

He spoke of water, his specialty: “Water is everywhere and in all living things.... We cannot be separated from water.  No water, no life.  Period.  Water comes in many forms--liquid, vapor, ice snow, fog, rain, hail.  But no matter the form, it's still water.

 

“Human beings drink water from many vessels--cups, glasses, jugs, skins, their own hands, whatever.  To argue about which container is proper for water is crazy.  The container doesn’t change the water.  Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it iced, some fizzy, some with stuff mixed in with it--alcohol, coffee, whatever.  No matter.  It does not change the nature of the water.  Never mind the name or the cup or the mix.  These are not important.  What we have in common is thirst.  Thirst!  Thirst for the water or life!”

​

As it is with water, so is it with God.  “I don’t know much about God,” said the professor of hydrology.  “All I know is water, that we are a momentary wave in such a great everlasting ocean, and the wave and the water are one.”  He poured us each a paper cup full of water and we drank.