Some thoughts in the middle of a bike ride this morning on a spirituality that is active, physical, and engaging.
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Category Archives: Spirituality
Hunting With Eyes Wide
I have a prayer stand where I am learning to hunt. It’s elevated and beyond the senses of those who may stroll by on bike, car, or foot. I visit this location regularly as a farmer visits the soil. There is a pattern to my labors though. I just don’t close my eyes and draw an imaginary line from my concept of God to my concept of needs, and then shoot out words rapidly like an automated assembly line in hope they will correctly assemble for me the desires of my imagination.
No. I cannot hunt with my eyes wide shut, but nor can I see with my eyes wide open. There is an emptying and a filling that must occur. An apophatic prayer, the emptying of that which entangles and inhibits me as an intercessor, but also a kataphatic prayer, seeing through the lens of the Great Victory of God.
So, I close one eye and focus the other. Steadying my breathing. Concentrating on my environment. Waiting patiently to see that which is imagined become manifest in objective reality. Growing in courage to pull the trigger when I see it break through… BAM!
Veni Creator Spiritus, Come, Creator Spirit for with eyes wide open I am blinded by the glory of God and with eyes wide shut I miss the cries of the needy.
But don’t be mistaken. My prayer stand isn’t so much about hunting as it is about daily orienting myself to the hunt. A daily abiding in holy attentiveness to Him who prays for His Father’s will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Prayer: The Mission of Formation
“Dear God, I want to plant every virtue in my heart, as if you were planting roses and lilies of every color in a field. And I want you to water those flowers with your Holy Spirit. If any thorns or thistles of vice sprout amongst the flowers, I want you to root out those weeds. And I want you to prune and cut back those flowers, regardless of the pain I will suffer, that they may grow more strongly. Finally, I want seeds from those flowers to blow into other souls, that they too may share the beauty which you alone can give.” In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-Hildegard of Bingen. She lived in what is now Germany from 1098-1179. She was a nun from the age of 18 and rose to the level of abess. (This is what my professor (http://realmealministries.org/) prayed for us in Exegesis of Exodus this week)
Sermon: The Two Sons (Pt. 1 of 2)
This sermon was first given at Scott AFB’s ‘Community Protest Service’ on the 25th of July 2010:
Detox Journal : Day II
” But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.”
Ruth 1:16
Weight: 184.5
Feeling: The second day was in some ways worse and others better than the first. I am starting to crave processed foods and pizza and ice cream! While my overall energy may be down, I was still able to run about 2 miles and mildly lift free weights at the gym in the morning. As I was running; however, I did feel extremely weak. You have to be careful not to overdo it with physical activity when on the cleanse. I also was the kind of guy who would be very regular with his BM (bowel movements); however, even on day two, I notice that I have a BM 2-3 times per day and they are very dark and loose. Also, I noticed that my urine smelled very funny (like melting plastic or something sterile), probably because of the toxins that are coming out? But, this is all normal, so do not worry if its also happening to you.
Meals: As my stomach begins to not stretch as much, it takes less and less food to fill it, so I’ve been starting to notice it requires less veggies to fill my stomach ** Also remember, that you should be eating twice as many vegetables as fruit during this cleanse.
Breakfast- Leftover SP Shake (w/ blueberries,strawberries, banana, flax oil, pomegranate juice, and water).
Lunch- Salad (Romaine Lettuce, Spring Mix, Green Peppers, Cucumbers) and sautéed mushrooms on top of cooked spinach and brown rice.
Dinner- Salad (Romaine Lettuce, Spring Mix, Green Peppers, Cucumbers) and sautéed Portobello mushrooms, asparagus, and green peppers with spaghetti squash. SP Shake
Snack - Freshly Made Vegetables Juice
Reading: The Hobbit, Ruth.
In Christ for the World – Part II – Ministry
Previously, in my “In Christ for the World” blog series, I reflected on the implications of our answers to these two questions: “Are you in the World for God?” or “Are you in God for the World?” as they pertain to “politics“. In this current blog, I will reflect on how our answer to these questions influence our concept of “ministry.”
The above picture demonstrates the reality of being in Christ. Unfortunately, when we are “in the world for Christ”, it becomes acceptable to not challenge the injustices of our society under the guise of ’being relevant.’ Eventually with such a view, the honor system of the world (in our case, wealth), becomes the hermeneutic (translation) for how we understand Scripture and the Christian life. Consider the modern phenomenon of the “prosperity gospel,” a poor contextualization that is more in line with “western materialism” than it is with Jesus Christ or His historical church. The logic of such a view is that if we are right with God and have enough faith, “God will make us wealthy.” God in fact wants to make us rich! I heard one friend tell me how he once heard an Irish preacher say that Jesus Christ was actually wealthy because he had a personal banker (Judas). SERIOUSLY?!?! The fruit of such a false gospel is “Pastors” getting rich on the backs of the poor! The above picture shows the “prosperity gospel” in the second Century – Christians being fed to lions for their confession that “Jesus and (not the Emperor) is Lord.”
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Jesus really used me to _______”? Or have you heard a person say, “MY ministry is ______.” ? Most of the time when people use such phrases they only wish to convey how the Lord is working in their context and do not mean to sound egotistical. But such phrases highlight what ministry is like when we operate from “being in the world for Christ.” When my wife asks me to unload the dishwasher and eventually I get around to doing it, I don’t say “My wife really used to me to wash the dishes.” Of course not, we are more than just peons or pieces on a chess board to Jesus.
As Steve Seamands once put it, “Ministry is not so much asking Jesus to join you in your ministry, but you joining Jesus in HIS ministry.” It is not my asking Christ to join me in my ministry, as I offer him to others, but rather it is my joining with him in his ongoing ministry and mission as He offers himself to others through me. When we are “In Christ for the World” no longer do we pray “Lord, help me in this ministry.” But instead, “Lord, help yourself to me in this.”
Consider the “secret” of Mother Theresa’s ministry, “I just want to be a little pencil in the hand of my Lord. So that he can write whatever he wants.”
In Christ for the World – Part I – Politics
I was thinking back this afternoon on my time as a Seminary student. One of my first classes was New Testament Introduction with Dr. Bob Mulholland. Dr. Mulholland used to ask us these two questions: “Are you in the World for God?” or “Are you in God for the World?”
So, what does it matter? Is this just a clever play on words? Think with me. First, let us consider how these views influence politics.
“Politics” – When we are in the world for God, the political tendency is to elect officials in order to pass laws that we view as “Christian.” Both parties feed off this view of Christian spirituality; “pro-lifers” voting for “Republicans” and “pro-government health care” voting for “Democrats.” But don’t you see the polemic this creates? From this view, there would be no one to represent me – I would have “multiple party disorder.” When the only way for a Christian to be political is to be partisan, compromising, or dishonest we miss the “good news” of Jesus in it’s fullness. Hence, when we act in this manner we are in actuality “in the World for God.”
However, when we are in God for the World, who we are in Christ becomes the political proclamation. We confess that our hope is not in tanks, planes, or military force, the President, Congress, Supreme Court, Wall Street, or even Main Street, BUT in the name of the LORD our God (Ps 20:4). The best thing we can do for the world, is not to vote “Jesus for President,” but to be in Christ.
So let us abide in Christ together and turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6 -ESV)!
