Tag Archives: Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual Disciplines

Ordinary Time

February 19, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 17:1-9
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’

Jesus seemed to be preparing his closest disciples for what was to come next in his ministry, specifically his death, and resurrection. He planted seeds in their memories so that when they grieved their loss, flashes of those discussions returned to help them assimilate how they would turn such pain and despair into actions that literally changed the entire world, which Christ-followers are still striving to implement today as we work to build the Beloved Community.

Two thousand years later, where do we disciples obtain those spiritual seeds to store in our inner beings that are ready when we need them the most to fortify our work in attaining Christ’s vision? Practicing the spiritual disciplines is a primary source of such nourishment. There are many sources to help guide us in developing spiritual disciplines. I found Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster most helpful. They are not new. I learned much from reviewing The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, written in the 1500s.  The actual actions we adopt for our spiritual disciplines are not as important as our dedication to following a consistent pattern of communion with God and self-examination. We must resist the temptation to hone God in our image rather than working diligently to serve God from the aspects of the image of God in which all people are created.  

Prayer: Lord, help each of us find the best way to stay in close communion with you and live our lives as you equipped us to do in your image. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Having a Good Conscience

Lent

February 19, 2021

Scripture Reading:
1 Peter 3:18-22
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the Ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

People invest much time and energy in our outward appearance and behavior. How much do we deal with our inner being, body, and soul? In reviewing Adam Hamilton’s new book, The Walk, I discovered a postscript that deals with physical exercise. The book centers on spiritual disciplines, which are crucial to our spiritual wellbeing. Caring for our bodies is supportive of caring for our souls. I read the scripture used each day in these devotions to discern what I will write. My walking usually follows that reading. I am amazed at times at what insights come to me in those short walks. Fresh views of very familiar scriptures arise. Often, I gain insight into how these ancient words relate to issues of our times.

My goal is to take ten-thousand steps each day in ten-minute intervals each hour. I must switch some of those walks around because of a meeting or some other conflict. I miss those walks if they are interrupted. Our spiritual disciplines, too, can become primary parts of each day. Peter advises us to appeal to God for a good conscience. We do not talk much about having a conscience today, much less a good one. We must examine ourselves regularly to know whether we have a clear conscience or not and take whatever actions are necessary to maintain a good conscience. That can only be achieved by being in tune with God’s plan for what is right.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for sharing time with each of us so that we may have clear consciences as we do our part as workers in your Kingdom. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Wrestling with God

Living in the Spirit

July 27, 2020

Scripture Reading: Genesis 32:22-31
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’ The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Wrestling with God* is the title of the video that tells the story of Alexander Campbell, who was one of the founders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and other congregationally governed churches in the USA. History records his efforts well as in the early 19th century, he brought a new way of being Christians into a land full of promise. His quest for unity is still alive today.

I think we all wrestle with God as we discern what is righteous and what is just. Jacob was a bit of a conman. His mother helped him trick his brother out of his inheritance. He ran away to escape the wrath of his brother and, most likely, his father. He, in turn, was tricked by his father-in-law to marry the oldest daughter Leah. Jacob got the father-in-law back. And then, he decided to take his family and return home, leaving him to make peace with God before he could make peace with his father and his brother.

Jesus, too, had to deal with the temptations of the world when he went into the desert before he started his ministry. Sometimes it helps to see the ways of the world from a neutral perspective. That is why it is so essential that we maintain constant communion with God in prayer, meditation, and study to prepare us for the times we are caught in circumstances where are responses must be automatic as we have no time to ponder what to do.

Prayer: Lord, help us keep in good spiritual shape as we face the challenges of the world. Amen.

*Wrestling with God is available on Amazon Prime if you would like to watch it.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Spiritual Being

Eastertide

May 12, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Acts 17:22-31

For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said,
“For we too are his offspring.”
Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’ –Acts 17:28-31

My mind works in weird ways sometimes. The first thing that pops into my mind when I read, “In him we live and move and have our being” related more to my physical being than spiritual. I have had osteoarthritis since I was in my early 20’s and now have two knee replacements to show for it. While doing rehab for the knees, I discovered how much the exercises helped my whole body move better. I now have my own adaptation of things I learned from rehab, restorative Yoga, and suggestions from a chiropractor. I do these every morning. I would not move well at all if I did not regularly complete the routine. Safe, well-designed movement lessens pain and increases stability. Curling up on a bed, or otherwise not trying to move at all increases stiffness and pain.

Is that not also true of our spiritual wellbeing? Our regular routines of connecting with God are central to fulfilling our commitment to work toward building a world ruled by love. They also provide the stamina and the inward peace to continue our quest no matter what is thrown at us.

I also wondered what Luke was quoting because I could not think of any Hebrew scripture like this one, and when I searched, I did not find any. My NRSV Bible footnoted said the statement “In him we live and move and have our being” was inspired by a poem by the sixth century BCE poet, Epimenides. Part of our regular spiritual disciplines must include studying from scripture and learning from other wise students of scripture.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sharing in dialogue with us in all manner of ways as we strive to have our being centered in your love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Wide Open Gates or Narrow Entrances

Lent
April 9, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
   the righteous shall enter through it. –Psalm 118:19-20

This Psalm says the gate of righteousness is fully opened and welcoming. Jesus is quoted as describing the gate as narrow and the road hard that leads to life. He also said it is harder for the rich to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

 ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ (Matthew 19:24)

So, what is going on here? I think both thoughts are truths for us to understand. I am a basketball fan and thus am acquainted with various commentators’ illustrations. One description often made, when a player cannot seem to miss a shot, is the commentator saying something to the effect that the game is slowing down for him or her or the basket is getting bigger. Obviously, the basket is not getting bigger but the whole idea of the game slowing down is a phenomenon for all athletes. With more practice athletes develop something called muscle memory, I call it playing on automatic pilot. Hitting shots becomes second nature to them and even if they miss one now and then they keep making shots until they get back into the rhythm of hitting. The more we practice the spiritual disciples the more our spiritual memory strengthens and the gate to righteousness seems bigger.

Prayer: Lord, help us see the open gate of righteousness even when the distractions of our world seems to make the path to it narrow. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Working toward Shalom

Lent
April 2, 2019

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise. –Isaiah 43:19-21

What is this new thing? Shalom is—completeness, soundness, welfare, peace. Shalom is the rejuvenating gift of God. Water is most important in the wilderness desert. Streams of living water represent love. Without water our bodies soon perish. Without love our souls would die. God promises water in the desert to nourish our bodies, and God’s eternal love to nourish every soul. The new thing is as old as God, making new everything it touches as it renews life.

Love requires a working relationship and is best served when all who love are whole—complete and sound individuals. Of course, we are all works in progress toward such wholeness and thus relationships are always works in progress. I wonder if God built that into us at creation knowing that humans are more respectful of that which we learn by experience. My guess is God puzzles over why some of us do not learn from experience or we only learn after multiple experiences of the same kind.

God did create us with brains and God expects us to use them. We were also blessed with free will so we are left to choose whether we will use our brains for good or evil. God even went the second mile with us by sending Jesus to serve as a role model giving us an example to help us avoid those repeated episodes of tripping over our own self-will even knowing that our actions will only lead to disaster.

Paul uses the example of athletes who work hard to stay in good shape so that at any given time they are ready to face with confidence the competition placed before them. Our souls require the stamina of the athlete gained from our continuous interaction with God through spiritual disciplines like prayer, meditation, silence, service. Such spiritual wholeness prepares us for the temptations that might otherwise pull us off track.

Prayer: Thank you God for giving us the tools we need to attain wholeness. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Power in Love

Eastertide
May 16, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
   may the Lord rejoice in his works—
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
   who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
   for I rejoice in the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord! –Psalm 104:31-34, 35b

As I write this, molten lava spews forth from eruptions from Hawaii’s Big Island Volcano inundating the island. Property is being destroyed, and lives and livelihoods threatened. In our scripture today such a volcanic eruption is used to illustrate the all-powerful nature of God. Perhaps such a devastating illustration of God’s capabilities is included to get our attention. Do we take God for granted? Do we recognize God for all aspects of God’s being, not just the parts of God we pick and choose because they fit our comfort zone? Can we envision the power of God’s love streaming overall spreading God’s love with the force and power of a volcano? We are called to be the conduit of that love enriching lives rather than destroying them.

I heard on the news that a truck struck the unmarked car of a highway patrolman resulting in enough damage to the vehicle it was rendered inoperable. The truck drove on as if nothing had happened. Did the driver realize he or she had hit someone? Probably, although he or she never faced the consequences of his or her actions. How often do we rush through life causing small or even large incidents that tear at the heart of God’s love at times being oblivious to the results of our actions?

And that brings us to the need to maintain open lines of communion with God in all of God’s manifestations: Creator, Redeemer, Counselor/Advocate. Getting in synch with God through our meditations and practice of other spiritual disciplines enables that relationship which prepares us to love like the muscle memory of skilled athlete without any conscious efforts.

Prayer:
May my meditation be pleasing to [You,]
for I rejoice in [You.]
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord! Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Eternal Life

Eastertide
May 10, 2018

Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:9-13
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The Greek word for Life, zōḗ is described by Strong’s Concordance as both physical and spiritual. All life (2222 /zōḗ), throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God’s self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life*.

Likewise, Eternal** (166 /aiṓnios) life operates simultaneously outside of time, inside of time, and beyond time – i.e. what gives time its everlasting meaning for the believer through faith, yet is also time-independent.

 It would be pure speculation on my part to describe what life after death was like and I take great comfort in the knowledge that we will spend eternity in the presence of God. Eternity started at our first breath and gained substance in our choice to follow the Son of God. We are living in the now of that eternity and I think that is where our emphasis must be targeted. We are charged with being the Body of Christ in our world today.  Loving like Jesus loves is an avocation that demands all our energies in all aspects of our lives.

Being a follower of Christ calls us to invest ourselves in seeking the wholeness that comes from the love of God that allows us to be the Body of Christ. We can become distracted from that work when we stray from our primary mission. Humanness involves our being fully capable of both good and evil. Wholeness is what draws us toward the good. Practicing spiritual disciplines keeps us aligned with the goodness of God.

 Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I get distracted from following your way. Set me on the path of eternity with you. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/2222.htm
** http://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Abide with Me

Living in the Spirit
July 19, 2017

Scripture Reading: Genesis 28:10-19a

Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. –Genesis 28:16-19a

Of course, God by nature is with us all the time; we are the ones who lose sight of God’s abiding presence. God surely desires our company on a regular basis, not just when something bad happens, we find ourself in trouble, or even when we are celebrating. I am a strong proponent of preventive health care. Eating right, exercising, getting adequate sleep, keeping my vaccinations current, and getting recommended tests and check ups. Can’t say I always practice what I preach regarding preventive health, but I do work at it. Continuously working at being at-one with God is preventive care for our souls.

There are numerous books describing spiritual disciplines that can help facilitate relationship growth with God. My favorite is Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. The most important lessons I have learned over time is that there are as many ways of communing with God as there are people on the earth. We certainly can learn from each other, but we must search out the ones that are most meaningful to us. We benefit from attempting practices that are outside our comfort zones ways that are most meaningful to us. Journaling is oft recommended as a spiritual discipline. I love to write but when I tried journaling, what I wrote grew more and more morose. Putting my thoughts in writing in response to daily scripture reading has had the opposite impact. It helps me see myself more clearly and envision ways I can better serve God.

Another recommendation I discovered once was reading scripture, picking a character in the scripture, and putting myself in that character’s place imagining how I would react in the same circumstance. I must confess, I thought this was a somewhat bizarre idea, but when I tried it, I found it to be a most meaningful experience. What did it feel like to be in Mary Magdelene’s place when she encountered Jesus alive at the tomb?

The older I get, the more comfort I take from inviting the presence of God to just rest with me for a while, I am learning what the song Abide with Me teaches.

Prayer:
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. 

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

 I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me *. Amen

*First three verses of Abide with Me by Henry F. Lyte see at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Abide_with_Me/

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Teach Us To Pray

Eastertide
May 23, 2017

Scripture Reading: Acts 1:6-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. –Acts 1:12-14

Are we as perplexed about prayer as we are about the Holy Spirit? We went along for hundreds of years in modern times thinking we were making great progress, but in recent years it sometimes seems we have not progressed much at all. I read two articles recently one saying everything we thought we knew about what causes heart disease is mostly wrong and the other saying everything we thought we knew about how salt interacts with our bodies is now in question. One day we are told caffeine is bad for us the next we are told drinking a cup or two of coffee is good for us. (I support the latter finding simply because I like coffee.) Just as we question our knowledge of what are good health practices, we question what good faith practices are. Some even question whether spiritual disciplines like prayer are relevant.

I attended my church’s child care graduation for the three-year-olds moving into preschool recently and loved every minute of it. Some think these recognitions of such milestones are over the top, but I think they help us understand the transitions in life that are necessary for us to grow in wisdom and truth. The move we are making from one set of cultural norms referred to as modernity to another called post-modernity is on a much grander scale and recognition that we are ready to take on a broader spectrum of God’s reality. Part of this struggle includes the place of faith and religion in our lives. Thus we plunge i
nto questioning everything.

I have found in my life that prayer takes on a different mode as I age. Sometimes I pray with a laundry list of names for God followed by a list of concerns and task. More often, I find myself following Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. There are some things that have survived the test of time.

A primary route to a nearby hospital complex runs right behind my house. Ambulances racing past in the night occasionally awaken me. At first it was disturbing, but eventually, I found it an opportunity for prayer as I place whoever is headed for medical care in God’s hands and return to sleep.

The purpose and appropriate mode of prayer are whatever solidifies our relationship with God.

Prayer: God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Holy One, teach us to pray. Guide us not only in communing with you but also in taking in and applying your responses. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.