I'm a little nervous even posting this because Jesus made it clear that when you choose to pray and fast He alone is your audience. (Matt. 6:5-18) So, I will not pray or fast in front of you, but I'll share what I am experiencing as I spend my day practicing these spiritual disciplines.
I arose at 5:30 anticipating the day. I spent the first hour or so meditating on Psalm 100, which I will reflect on all day, and journaling. That Psalm is "for giving thanks," and I wanted my thoughts to be captured by thanksgiving all day. Along with the call to give praise, the central confession for me is, "For the LORD is God and it is he who made us, and not we ourselves." (v. 3) God is God, and I am not. I did not invent him, but he created me. That is the central confession of my faith for only there can I come to know my need for a Rescuer and Leader and experience the true nature of God's love for me and others.
I journaled mostly about my experience yesterday listening to Richard Swinburne, Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Oxford. He was part of B. H. Carroll's Fall Colloquy, for which I am a Resident Fellow and Legacy is a Teaching Church. Troy D and Michael P went with me, and I think they got more out of it than I did, but we all agreed that in our current cultural environment, apologetics--especially those that begin with reason apart from the Scriptures--is becoming more and more necessary for Christ Followers as we now defend more than share our faith. Swinburne provided a philosophical construct for the rational probability for the existence of God, the incarnation and resurrection. He used the Bible as evidence of those possibilities rather than the other way around. Fascinating, and rationally solid. My brain hurt, and my faith grew. I also reconnected with long-time friends and colleagues.
After my quiet time, I took a short run in the fall morning. "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth!" rang in my ears as I jogged through the fall colors, brisk breeze, and clear skies. The wind in the trees was the praise of creation for its creator. I came home to have 6 oz. of soy milk as Kim ate her cereal and we walked through the Psalm together and talked about the day ahead.
Now I am at a local coffee shop posting this and soon headed to the office to continue my day of worship and spiritual disciplines in ministry. I thank God for Legacy, who is my spiritual family with whom I share community and mission.
Join me if you can.
I arose at 5:30 anticipating the day. I spent the first hour or so meditating on Psalm 100, which I will reflect on all day, and journaling. That Psalm is "for giving thanks," and I wanted my thoughts to be captured by thanksgiving all day. Along with the call to give praise, the central confession for me is, "For the LORD is God and it is he who made us, and not we ourselves." (v. 3) God is God, and I am not. I did not invent him, but he created me. That is the central confession of my faith for only there can I come to know my need for a Rescuer and Leader and experience the true nature of God's love for me and others.
I journaled mostly about my experience yesterday listening to Richard Swinburne, Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Oxford. He was part of B. H. Carroll's Fall Colloquy, for which I am a Resident Fellow and Legacy is a Teaching Church. Troy D and Michael P went with me, and I think they got more out of it than I did, but we all agreed that in our current cultural environment, apologetics--especially those that begin with reason apart from the Scriptures--is becoming more and more necessary for Christ Followers as we now defend more than share our faith. Swinburne provided a philosophical construct for the rational probability for the existence of God, the incarnation and resurrection. He used the Bible as evidence of those possibilities rather than the other way around. Fascinating, and rationally solid. My brain hurt, and my faith grew. I also reconnected with long-time friends and colleagues.
After my quiet time, I took a short run in the fall morning. "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth!" rang in my ears as I jogged through the fall colors, brisk breeze, and clear skies. The wind in the trees was the praise of creation for its creator. I came home to have 6 oz. of soy milk as Kim ate her cereal and we walked through the Psalm together and talked about the day ahead.
Now I am at a local coffee shop posting this and soon headed to the office to continue my day of worship and spiritual disciplines in ministry. I thank God for Legacy, who is my spiritual family with whom I share community and mission.
Join me if you can.