February 3, 2024

As Lent quickly approaches, it is good to talk about Spiritual Disciplines. Practices that can be practiced in Lent cover a number of different topics. All of the disciplines have the purpose of seeking a deeper life in Christ and a closer relationship with G-d. We call these “spiritual disciplines,” but the activities are physical, not spiritual. They are bodily activities that can engage and affect our whole person:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

This is what Paul has to say in Romans 12:1-2. So a more accurate term for the exercises might be “disciplines for a spiritual life in Christ.”

To excel in anything in life requires some level of discipline. This is true for athletes, musicians, accountants, electricians, and disciples of Jesus. Effective discipline should not be looked at as drudgery. Of course, training has difficult aspects, but the hard work pays off to facilitate a more faith-filled life. Just watch a master pianist and you’ll see that he or she is not straining to do well, but enjoying the music.

From the website Soul Shepherding: For You And Your Ministry by Bill Gaultiere, I am listing some disciplines. He puts them into two categories:

Disciplines of Abstinence – Disciplines of Engagement.

Disciplines of Abstinence are ways of denying ourselves something we want or need in order to make space to focus on and connect with God.

Solitude: Refraining from interacting with other people in order to be alone with God and be found by him. (Solitude is completed by silence.)

Silence: Not speaking in a quiet place in order to quiet our minds and whole self and attend to God’s presence. Also, not speaking so that we can listen to others and bless them.

Fasting: Going without food (or something else) for a period of intense prayer — the fast may be complete or partial.

Sabbath: Doing no work to rest in God’s person and provision; praying and playing with God and others. (God designed this for one day a week. We can practice it for shorter periods too.)

Secrecy: Not making our good deeds or qualities known to let God or others receive attention and to find our sufficiency in God alone.

Submission: Not asserting ourselves in order to come under the authority, wisdom, and power of Jesus Christ as our Lord, King, and Master. (If you think of this as submitting to a person as unto Christ then it’s a discipline of engagement.)

Disciplines of Engagement — are ways of connecting with God and other people, conversing honestly with them in order to love and be loved.

Bible Reading: Trusting the Holy Spirit-inspired words of Scripture as our guide, wisdom, and strength for life.

Worship: Praising God’s greatness, goodness, and beauty in words, music, ritual, or silence.

Prayer: Conversing with God about what we’re experiencing and doing together. (As we see in the Lord’s Prayer the main thing we do in prayer is to make requests of our Father for one another.)

Soul Friendship: Engaging fellow disciples of Jesus in prayerful conversation or other spiritual practices.

Personal Reflection: Paying attention to our inner self in order to grow in love for God, others, and self.

Service: Humbly serving God by overflowing with his love and compassion to others, especially those in need

I will take some time in Lent to look at some of these Spiritual Disciplines as I encourage you to take Lent seriously.

Pastor Dave