The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.
(2 Corninthians 5: 17-20 The Message)
All this got me thinking that if we traditionally think of spring as a time for new life, then maybe a spiritual spring clean might not be a bad thing to clear the way for the new thing that God wants to do in us! So with all of that in mind I offer you this Friday Five:
1. Is there a part of your spiritual life that is dry and dusty at the moment, something that could do with a good spring clean?
Journaling. It has been a looooonnnnnnngggggg time since journaling was a regular part of my life, spiritual or otherwise. Lately (in the last 18 months or so) God has given me glimpses of a path for which I have longed and to which he is beckoning. Those glimpses become lost without some way to remember them and peer more deeply into them. Journaling offers that very opportunity. I've got one right here at my desk, but I am so out of the habit...
2. Spiritual disciplines- life-giving/ terrifying: discuss
Life-giving: Music. Walking. Creating. I don't utilize enough of either.
Terrifying: I recently told God that I surrendered. I have been afraid of doing that. It hasn't hurt me yet.
3. Share a practice that keeps you spiritually alive that you think others might benefit from...
Reading the psalms out loud in prayer (when I am alone). It is the rare reading when, at the end, there aren't tears on my cheeks. To me this is a sign of the presence of the Spirit, and restores my soul.
4.Alone or together, how do you pray best?
Yes.
5.If your spiritual life were to burgeon and bloom into a spring flower what would it be and why?
Daffodil, hands down. First, they're glorious. Who doesn't want to be glorious? Second, they retain the benefit of their bloom and store it for future blooming. Third, they give life to themselves and produce additional blooms. Fourth. They make people smile. Yes, I definitely want my spiritual life to be all those things.Bonus, a piece of music a picture or a prayer that speaks to you of new life....
5 comments:
I love daffodils and like the thought that you are emerging as one! The thought of journaling has been nudging me also, but I, too, am out of the habit. Maybe that would get me into writing and ideas for that overhanging thesis. I'm glad we continue to meet here in the blogosphere.
my blogs have become a journal writing resource for me...I find writing flows better when I'm on my computer perhaps because my handwriting is so poor. Anyway, what I mean to say is, writing is a wonderful spiritual resource and discipline, I hope you fine your way back to it...
Glorious music! Perfect for spring cleansing. :c)
I've not had enough one on one conversations with God lately, and need to get back into the habit.
I always smile when I see daffodils. Music...a definate yes here as well. I think I'll try reading the psalms outloud. I do like Nan Merril's paraphrase of them.
Thank you for this, as for Bach, he is alwas good :-)
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