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Good morning, friends. Before we sing, before we pray, I want to invite you to pause for a moment — take a breath, notice where you are. Feel the ground under your feet, the air in your lungs, maybe even the light in this space. We often rush into church, but sometimes the first act of worship is simply slowing down and paying attention.
Today, as part of our Upside-Down Kingdom series, we’re exploring how Jesus teaches us that the way to God isn’t always the way we’d expect — that strength can come through surrender, that peace can be found in places of struggle, that the holy can show up in very ordinary wildflowers and with very common birds.
And that brings us to a garden.
The garden of Gethsemane looms large in the story of Jesus. We remember it for the drama of that night before the cross — the anguished prayer, the sleeping disciples, the march of footsteps in the dark. But there’s something else tucked quietly inside that story. John’s Gospel tells us that Judas knew where to find Jesus because he often met there with his disciples (John 18:1-2).
This wasn’t a random spot on the map — it was a sacred space in Jesus’ life. Gethsemane was the place he went to pray, to hang out with friends, to realign his heart with the Father. It was where he met God most naturally.
So here’s a question for you this morning: What’s your Gethsemane?
Where do you find yourself most aware of God’s presence? Maybe it’s outside — under open skies, where the wind feels like prayer and tall trees become a cathedral. Or maybe it’s through beauty — through music, art, movement, and the senses that stir your soul awake. By the way, you can go on our website to read more about the many Sacred Pathways, how they each pertain to ways of worshipping, and even take a simple test to determine which of the 9 pathways you resonate with most.
But today, our worship is going to focus on two ways people often encounter God — two spiritual pathways that both lead to the same divine heart.
First, the naturalists — Naturalists are those who enjoy meeting God in the outdoors. For them, creation is their first church, the most ancient worship space. When they walk through a forest or stand at the edge of the sea, their soul begins to sing.
And then there are the sensates — Sensates are those who meet God through the five senses. They worship through sound and beauty, through fragrance and light. Their hearts open when worship is embodied — when it can be felt and seen, tasted and touched.
Now, in the upside-down way of Jesus, both of these paths remind us that spirituality isn’t just something that happens in our heads. It also happens in our bodies and in all of creation. It’s not only about what we think or believe, but how we inhabit the world God made and how we lean into who God uniquely made us to be.
Later in the service, we’ll talk about a simple spiritual discipline that touches both of these pathways — something as ordinary and profound as taking a walk- a sacred walk. Because in the Kingdom of God, walking can be praying, paying attention can be worship, and the ground beneath our feet can become holy.
So as we worship today — through sound, through silence, through light, through breath — I invite you to explore these two pathways. And if these aren’t the typical way you experience God, that’s okay. In fact, it’s those pathways that we are less inclined toward that become great places for growth. Let this time, and this place, become a space where you can meet God in the way you were created to.
Let’s begin together by celebrating that we worship together. Please notice and gently greet each other in love.
Awe Walk: “Learning to See as Jesus Sees”
As we begin our next movement in worship, I want to invite you to consider a simple, spiritual practice — something Jesus himself modeled and that science is only just catching up to —what we’ll call an awe walk.
The Jerusalem Talmud has this curious line: “Everyone will be called to account for all the legitimate pleasures which he or she has failed to enjoy.” It’s another way of saying what Jesus is hoping to convey in Matthew 6— observing and enjoying creation are not optional for a disciple of Jesus (Matt. 6:25-34). To delight in what God has made is a form of worship and an act of discipleship. To walk through this world and never notice its beauty — that’s a kind of anti-worship.
In the Upside-Down Kingdom, Jesus wants to turn our anxious striving into childlike wonder. In Matthew 6, he says, “Do not worry about your life… look at the birds of the air… consider the lilies of the field.” He’s not being poetic for the sake of it. He’s teaching about our freedom and belovedness and that worry loosens its grip when we start paying attention to how loved creation already is. The birds aren’t wringing their wings. The flowers aren’t competing for color. And every morning, the world is clothed in beauty by God.
Jesus says, “If your Father takes such care of sparrows and wildflowers, how much more will he care for you?” He’s inviting us to step out of our heads and observe the natural world around us— to learn the language of God’s second book: creation itself. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us that experiencing heaven on earth sometimes requires nothing more than taking a walk and prayerfully opening one’s eyes.
And here’s the amazing part: modern research is rediscovering what Jesus already knew about worry, walks, and wonder. Scientists at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center asked participants to take a fifteen-minute walk each week, not thinking through their to-do lists, but turning their attention outward — to sights, sounds, textures, and smells. After eight weeks, researchers found lower stress, improved mood, even gentler political attitudes.
But the most fascinating finding came from the selfies participants were asked to take during each walk. Week by week, researchers noticed that people’s selfies got smaller — they made more room in the frame for the landscape around them. At the same time, their smiles grew bigger. As they looked outward, their worries shrank. They rediscovered humility and wonder — the posture of worship.
It turns out that what heals us — body, mind, and soul — is not another round of frantic problem-solving, but the simple act of noticing. Walking. Breathing. Intentionally paying attention. Letting creation preach to us about the One who made it.
So this morning, we’re going to approximate that experience — right here in our sanctuary. It might feel a little different, maybe even a little awkward. That’s okay. The Kingdom of God often begins with what feels upside-down and strange.
In a moment, we’ll offer a brief confession, receive an invitation, and then you’ll be invited to take a slow, sacred walk to different stations. Move carefully. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Listen for sound. Notice light, color and movement. Smell, touch, and taste! As we come to the table, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal something of God through your senses – linger when you feel yourself being drawn to something.
As you walk, let Jesus’ words echo in your heart: “Look at the birds. Consider the flowers. Don’t worry.” And remember the same God who clothes creation in beauty is clothing you in love even as you walk.
When you’ve completed your walk, you’ll find reflection questions waiting for you in the little booklet that you received when you came in. Don’t rush. Take time thinking through your experience and let this be not just a one-time event but a preview of a spiritual rhythm — something you can practice any day, anywhere: walking slowly, noticing deeply, worshiping fully. Because in the Upside-Down Kingdom, every step on this good earth can become a prayer, everywhere you walk can be heaven on earth. As Elizabeth Barrett Browing reminds us: Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees, takes off his shoes . . .
Let’s begin our sacred walk together by offering this confession.
God, forgive me for all your created pleasures which I have failed to enjoy. Forgive me for not looking at the birds and remembering your abundant provision of food. Forgive me for not considering the flowers and remembering how beautifully you cover us with all good things. Open my eyes and ears, heal my worry, calm my grasping, and open my mouth, so that I might taste and see that you are good.
🌿 Reflection Guide: Encountering God Through the Senses
Take a few quiet moments to reflect on what you experienced
during your sacred walk and at the sensory stations. Let these questions guide
you into deeper awareness — of God, creation, and your own heart.
You may wish to write slowly, letting the experience of what you encountered
rise to the surface.
1. Encountering God Through the Senses
As you moved through the stations, was there a particular sight,
sound, texture, scent, or taste that helped you sense God’s presence in a
fresh way?
What might that experience reveal about who God is or how God chooses
to meet you?
Write your reflections below:
2. Seeing as Jesus Sees
During your walk, what did you notice that you might
normally overlook?
How might learning to notice — really see — the ordinary beauty around
you change how you understand your life with God?
Write your reflections below:
3. Becoming Aware of Yourself and Creation
The teaching reminded us that “walking can be praying”
and that “the ground beneath our feet can become holy ground.”
When did you feel most grounded or most alive during your
experience today?
What might that moment be telling you about who you are and how you
were created to worship?
Write your reflections below:
Invitation to Continue the Practice
As you go about your week, try taking a short awe walk — outside, in
your neighborhood, or even through familiar spaces.
Breathe slowly. Pay attention.
Let the world around you remind you that every place can be holy ground and
every moment an invitation to see as Jesus sees.
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