Talk To God

It was recently announced that for the second year in a row the annual Burning Man event would be canceled. This was due in part to the worldwide popularity of the event and the fears of bringing upwards of 70,000 people together with unknown mixtures of vaccinated, infected, sick and healthy, and the consequences of all those people sharing close quarters. It is a fact that the locals are breathing a sigh of relief.

I consider myself a creative person and I have often day dreamed of a place where everyone had the resources to create at will, using their God-given talents to inspire others. I believe that Heaven will incorporate these same opportunities. And in fact, I find this is one of the more interesting aspects of the Burning Man event. Another part of the event that I find interesting about this event is the manifestation that two of mankind's deepest longings become apparent, the desire for community and spirituality. For instance one of the more popular exhibits each year is a booth labeled "Talk To God". Simple in its attraction, it is a phone booth where you can pick-up a phone and pretend that the person on the other end is God. Despite its fantasy nature, it is, unsurprisingly, an emotional experience for many. But it is not an experience that comes cheap . . . 

Let's examine some of the obstacles required that you have to overcome to even attend a Burning Man event. There is the cost which can range from $500.00 to over a $1,000.00 for your ticket. There is the cost for to travel to the Black City in the Nevada desert. There is the cost of your tent / portable lodging that you will need to survive the heat. There is the cost of the water you will need to survive the temps that can reach over 105 degrees. The point being that there is a substantial investment required before you can even gain physical access to this event. So what brings thousands of people from around the world to this spot in the desert?

Part of the draw is the utopian aspect to the whole thing, everything is free, medical care, booze, food, gas, everything is shared among the collective community. For one week, a city arises from nothing, built in the middle of a desert, populated by seekers and enablers, all looking for something beyond themselves. That something is oftentimes the experience of being surrounded by fellow creatives, the freedom to create art that is not limited to anyone's standards, and then the crowning moment of setting fire to the burning man sculpture on the last day of the festival. For those desperately seeking a place where they can feel accepted, Burning Man can appear to be utopia during its existence.

There is a finality to the desert environment that God sometimes allows His people to experience, to grow them in their dependence upon Him, and then to gently send them back into the world to make a difference for His Kingdom. It is a place of pruning, of examination, of looking into the deep and resolving to live for something greater than oneself. It is a truly a divine appointment. 

But I believe that God sets divine appointments for all of us, everyday. To help others, to ease their suffering, to listen to their stories, to share the good news, and to help relieve their pain. Which brings me back to the popularity of the "Talk To God" exhibit. Staffed by volunteers who disperse positive vibes about the past, present and the future, it is a reminder, a tactile expression of mankind's desire to connect with his Creator and to be known by his Creator. It is a revealing of ancient longings, and that our deepest parts yearn to be in relationship with the One who knows us best. 

And yet, I fear that the majority of the people who pick up the telephone to talk to "god", will only experience the temporary emotional impact of that decision, the unveiling, for just a moment, of their truest nature, and will fearfully hurry to clothe that void with more of the temporary and the fleeting. We were created for more than this world, more than our experiences, and more than the mountain of riches we could possibly accumulate. For the Bible is clear, "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." (John 4:4) 

You don't have to travel thousands of miles, pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket, and pack up your life for a week to gain access to God. He is there, right now, waiting on you to resume the relationship that He designed for you both to enjoy. No long distance bill, no middle man, no waiting, you can just pickup the phone, right now, and talk to your Creator. So what are you waiting for?