As we begin a new year, we also desire a renewed soul. For 2010 we feel God calling us as a church community to focus on our interior life with Jesus. As the body of Christ, we do many good things. But my fear is that we might substitute our various activities, though admirable, for genuine engagement with Jesus. Are we able to answer the questions, "Where is Jesus in your life? And what is he saying to you?"
A few months back I had the privilege of speaking at Verge LA in Hollywood. That's where I met and was blessed by fellow speaker Jan Johnson. Jan is a prolific writer and spiritual director. During her presentation, she spoke about and led us in an abbreviated version of the Ignatian style of mediation. Though I was familiar with this type of spiritual exercise in small groups, I was struck by the power of the time in our larger setting. After being able to sit down for lunch with Jan, I felt led to try something like it at Epic on Sunday mornings. It just so happened to be a great way to kick off the new year.
I want to thank Jan for her book, "Savoring God's Word" which is certainly the best book I've read on the mediation of Scripture and one of the finest books on spiritual formation that I can recommend. She was gracious to let me steal her title for the series and pointed me to other resources.
At Epic, our conviction is that transformation happens through encounter with Jesus. That's why it's hard to change with just more or better information. We need a genuine experience with God that captures our whole selves. The practice of St. Ignatious addresses that need in all of us. It entails placing ourselves in scenes from the gospels, the "movie method" as Jan likes to call it, and encourages us to listen to the voice of Jesus, helping us to connect with him so that the Holy Spirit can work within us to transform our souls.
Here's to a year spent in our Father's House, listening together, to what he has to say to us and to our church community!
Yoga is a way of life, a conscious act, not a set or series of learning principles. The dexterity, grace, and poise you cultivate, as a matter of course, is the natural outcome of regular practice. You require no major effort. In fact trying hard will turn your practices into a humdrum, painful, even injurious routine and will eventually slow down your progress. Subsequently, and interestingly, the therapeutic effect of Yoga is the direct result of involving the mind totally in inspiring (breathing) the body to awaken. Yoga is probably the only form of physical activity that massages each and every one of the body’s glands and organs. This includes the prostate, a gland that seldom, if ever, gets externally stimulated in one’s whole life. www.coomararunodaya.com
"transformation happens through encounter with Jesus. That's why it's hard to change with just more or better information. We need a genuine experience with God that captures our whole selves."
As we begin a new year, we also desire a renewed soul. For 2010 we feel God calling us as a church community to focus on our interior life with Jesus. As the body of Christ, we do many good things. But my fear is that we might substitute our various activities, though admirable, for genuine engagement with Jesus. Are we able to answer the questions, "Where is Jesus in your life? And what is he saying to you?"
2 comments:
Yoga is a way of life, a conscious act, not a set or series of learning principles. The dexterity, grace, and poise you cultivate, as a matter of course, is the natural outcome of regular practice. You require no major effort. In fact trying hard will turn your practices into a humdrum, painful, even injurious routine and will eventually slow down your progress. Subsequently, and interestingly, the therapeutic effect of Yoga is the direct result of involving the mind totally in inspiring (breathing) the body to awaken. Yoga is probably the only form of physical activity that massages each and every one of the body’s glands and organs. This includes the prostate, a gland that seldom, if ever, gets externally stimulated in one’s whole life.
www.coomararunodaya.com
"transformation happens through encounter with Jesus. That's why it's hard to change with just more or better information. We need a genuine experience with God that captures our whole selves."
great reminder...
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