Aliens

Do you fit in too well?

“If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you." (John 15:18-19)

As a friend use to say, "This world's got nothing for me."

If you think I am strange, good! I should seem like an alien:

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives." (1 Peter 2:11-12 The Message)

Ablutions

In our house we have a hygiene routine that we refer to as ablutions, a term we picked up from the esteemed Dr. Sheldon Cooper.  You might think it is merely doing your business in the bathroom each morning and night, but for us it has a spiritual component and a ritual that is both centering and consecrating.

Ablutions (a ceremonial act of washing parts of the body or sacred containers)

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

As we work through our cleaning routine we meditate on these things:

Hands:  Consecrate my hands to serve, give and be clean and pure in motive

Shower:  Cleanse me from all unrighteousness, create in me a clean heart

Shave/ Facial care:  Remove any fleshly growth or blemish- sculpt me

Ears: Guard my hearing from deception, lies of Satan, or gossip

Hair: Fill me with your Holy Spirit, let it cover my mind

Junk:  Purify my sexual being

Face/ eyes:  Protect me from temptation, greed, envy, and lust for things of this world

Teeth/mouth: Filter my words with love, fill me with praise, acceptance and encouragement

Feet:  Guide my steps, keep me from wandering, show me the way to walk a different path

Nose: Let my life be a fragrant offering (deodorant, mouthwash and cologne)

Morning prayer:  Thank you for this day, Lord.  I welcome you in to my every activity today, have your way, guide me, teach me and prompt me.

At night:  Thank you Lord, for this day.  Show me where you were at work today and help me learn and consider where I failed or missed opportunities as a learning experience.  Forgive me for my sins and show me where I need to be forgiving people before my head hits the pillow.

Integrity

Of Light and Darkness

Weekly Spiritual Challenge: Gratitude

This week's Spiritual Challenge, is deceptively simple (as are most spiritual disciplines). 

Yet you might find this simple thing hard.  Simple does not equal easy.  If this seems hard for you, ask yourself why.  This involves other people and expressing your feelings.  It is intentional work designed to give you an intentional stretching of your soul.  

Take time this week to tell some of your friends how they have positively spoken into your life. Practice gratitude. Today a text message or Facebook post or private message post is the modern day version of a thank you card. Find a way to send them a private message thanking them for how their words or example has changed you. You might be surprised how those words you never spoke can be meaningful and encouraging to others. Speak the encouraging word today. Pick people who have been a spiritual mother or father, sister or brother to you (or just a good friend for a season) and just write a few lines in gratitude.

Hardly Zen but

Weekly Challenge: Honesty

This Weekly Challenge might be imminently practical and may not seem all that spiritual.  Simply this:  For the next week you will attempt to pass each day speaking only the truth.  Kindly, carefully, gently, seek to live in reality telling the truth.  You may find yourself questioning how much truth is necessary, how far the truth can be stretched before it is actually a lie, whether dishonesty serves us better than we admit.

The truth is a very expensive gift.  We give it to ourselves.