Tag Archives: Spiritual Disciplines

Fasting

Lent
March 4, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone, –Matthew 4:1-4

What is the purpose of fasting? Does it change our focus? Does it make us appreciate more what we have? Does it help us understand better the plight of those who do not have enough food? Does it prove to us that we are capable of self-discipline? What is the purpose of fasting?

Jesus is challenged by the disciples of John the Baptist because Jesus’ disciples did not fast. (Matthew 9:14-17) He first replies weddings are times for celebration; the time for deep contemplation in the absence of the bridegroom would come. He then shares the familiar metaphors regarding sewing unshrunk cloth on old cloaks and putting new wine into old wineskins. What does that have to do with fasting?

Jesus projects the coming of a seismic shift of great proportion regarding human relationship with God where the world would never be the same again and he was the catalyst of that happening. We are acquainted with geological transformations of large magnitude where the earth changes dramatically. Located in south central Oklahoma, the Arbuckle Mountains are the oldest known formations in the United States between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. They contain a core of granite and gneiss that date back at least 1.4 billion years*. To make a scientific explanation very short and inadequate, at some point in history these mountains were turned on their side. The change is apparent from one’s car windows driving through the area on the interstate. Once such an event happens, the earth is never the same again. The coming of God incarnate, Jesus Christ, changed the world.

The answer to all the introductory questions above is “Yes.” Fasting changes our focus, makes us appreciate what we have, helps us understand the plight of the hungry, and proves we are capable of self-discipline among other things. This ancient spiritual discipline did not lose its value in the coming of Jesus. It is now being applied in a world turned upside-down by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Fasting is now a vehicle for traversing through Christ’s spiritual landscape of love.

Prayer: God, as we fast in whatever manner fits our situations during this time of Lent make us mindful of the force of your love in coming to the world to open new windows of faith for all. Amen.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbuckle_Mountains

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 Readiness

spiritualdisciplinescollage1-300x240Advent
December 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. –Matthew 1:18-19

By all accounts, Joseph was a good man, apparently, a devout Jew. We can see that in these two verses. His wife-to-be was disgraced but he was not willing to put her to shame. He was obviously well acquainted with Micah 6:8 and tried to live by it:

 He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?

Women were routinely raped in the Roman siege of Galilee. Perhaps Joseph’s kindness stemmed from that reality. We can only speculate. Whatever the circumstances, Joseph was well prepared for the role he soon would be called to do. All followers of God are called to keep faith, to be ready. We may never be called to do the extraordinary as Joseph was but we are all called to do our part.

During this week of Advent, inventory your readiness to serve. There are many guides to spiritual disciplines. I like Richard Foster’s*, which is straight forward.

  1. The inward disciplines: Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, and Study
  2. The outward disciplines (inward realities resulting in outward lifestyles): Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, and Service
  3. The corporate disciplines: Confession, Worship, Guidance, and Celebration

You may want to explore others or modify one to fit your needs, but routinely considering the spiritual disciplines is a great way to stay ready to answer any call you may receive.

Prayer:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24). Amen.

*http://www.albministry.org/pdf/List%20of%20Disciplines.pdf

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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God’s Terms

exhausted playersLiving in the Spirit
October 24, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ –Mark 10:46-48

Have mercy on me is the prayer I pray when I do not know what else to pray. Strong’s Concordance of the Bible* expounds on the meaning of mercy as used in this scripture using the example, acting only on [God’s] terms. Mercy used in this sense calls out asking for God to act in accordance with God’s covenant of loyalty. It is the only prayer left when one has no clue what else to do about a situation. It probably should be the first prayer we pray.

I am not suggesting that we should not try to solve our own problems. The key here is to have a relationship with God that is always present, always a part of any action that we take. Paul uses the example of an athlete who stays in top shape ready to run any race at any time. We hear this all the time in descriptions of teams particularly toward the end of the game. Often the commentators will say something like “the defensive players are grabbing their legs and catching their breath. They don’t have much left in them.” The commentators will then often begin to talk about the other team’s outstanding strength and fitness coach.

Jesus is our spiritual strength and fitness coach. His life of prayer and communion with God are woven throughout the gospels. He practiced other spiritual disciples like worship, study, fasting, solitude, and more. We would do well to follow his example.

Prayer: Have mercy on us Lord. In your own good way enable us to live life’s that are pleasing to you. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/1653.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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Acceptable Times

procrastination-7Living in the Spirit
June 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
   and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! –2 Corinthians 6:1-2

I stepped on the scales this morning as I do every morning and was dismayed at what I saw. You see I had a crazy day of eating yesterday. Very busy all day I was part of a team serving a big reception with mountains of food. I did not have time to really stop and eat, and although the reception had healthy food, I knocked my whole system out of whack with too much sugar, no doubt too many calories, and not enough water. It will take a few days for my body to return to normal. I have a bad habit though of letting such a one day indulgence turn into license to drift into routine bad habits. Now, however, is the acceptable time, not tomorrow or next week, for me to return to a healthy routine for living.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul is applying this same phenomenon to our spiritual lives. There are many things that distract us from practicing our spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, worship, service, meditation, or whatever is best suited for our own spiritual growth and development. The reception I attended followed a wonderful spiritual experience but today is the acceptable time to return to the routine opportunities for communion with God.

Although waiting for God is an ancient and worthwhile practice of faith, procrastination is not a spiritual discipline.

Prayer: Lord, when I am weak help me hold fast to your strength. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Turning Around

Jesus healsEpiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 15, 2015

 Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be dominated by anything. ‘Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food’, and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!  — 1 Corinthians 6:12-15

 I have had osteoarthritis in most of my major joints since I was 24. I had the bad kind of strep that went untreated—just thought it was a bad cold—until I went to work one morning and could not pick up my pen to write. There were red streaks running up the back of my hands and my arms. I got in to see my doctor immediately, had blood tests, was put on a steroid, and later told I had rheumatoid arthritis for which I was treated. (I have since been told I probably never had it in the first place so I don’t really know what I had). Six months later I had no sign of rheumatoid arthritis but had osteoarthritis at one level or another in all my major joints. My left knee was impacted the worst. Fast forward to 2008, my left knee was replaced with a stainless steel implant.

I was at normal weight when I was 24, but by the time my knee was replaced I was morbidly obese and grossly out of shape.  It struck me recently that my health history is a great example of how sin enters our lives and gradually wears away our souls, very much like arthritis attacks joints and bone. I now weigh about the same thing I weighed when I was 24 and am probably in a lot better shape thanks to God and a very good personal trainer. The catalyst for this happening was the excision of that rotten knee, but the transition happened with a lot of support from people who know the human body and from investment of myself in the process to become as whole physically as I could become.

In our scripture today Paul, I think, is using physical examples to help us understand spiritual realities. Don’t get me wrong, I think Paul wants us to live lives where we respect ourselves and others in our relationships, but he is also saying that that starts and continues with being one with God through Jesus Christ. Such a relationship takes the catalyst of turning around from whatever is keeping us separate from God, but also requires our total commitment toward making that relationship work. It takes even more dedication to practice spiritual disciplines of prayer and worship and service and more, than it took for me to exercise and eat right toward gaining better health.

Prayer: God of our bodies, minds and souls, enable us to achieve wholeness in whatever aspects of our lives we are lacking and in our resulting wholeness help us to live fully in your loving service. 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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Weak Knees

weak kneeAdvent
November 28, 2014

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

[God] will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. — 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

I do believe that God strengthens people inexplicably in sudden unpredictable crisis, like fireman, carrying someone they normally could not lift, out of a burning building to save his or her life. Most of the time our strength in God comes from our practicing the disciplines of faith. In this time of inward searching we need to consider our dedication to practicing such disciplines so that we can be prepared for the ministries God is calling us to do.

It is a fact that I have bad knees. Well, actually my left knee is pretty good because I have only had it for five years and it is made of stainless steel. I can’t say the same about my right knee, but one of my goals in life is to strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding both knees so they work as well as possible as long as possible. I think that is a good metaphor for our practice of the spiritual disciplines. The writer of Hebrews put it this way.

Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:11-12)

While the admonition certainly applies to real knees, I think Hebrews is using an old idiom to get a point across…. if someone goes weak at the knees, they feel as if they might fall down because they have a sudden strong emotion about something or someone.* In our world today we must be prepared for many emotional challenges as well as physical ones. Praying routinely, studying scripture regularly, taking time to meditate, practicing silence in the presence of God, serving others, and worshipping alone plus in community with other believers will all strengthen not only our weak knees but will heal our souls.

Prayer: Lord God, strengthen our weak knees and heal our souls so that we might be active participants in your nation working to bring about wholeness, oneness, and justice to everyone. Amen.

*Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd ed. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006.

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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.