Simply Soul Searching

WEEK FIVE: RELIANCE

REQUEST

Philippians 4:6 (NRSV)

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

As we keep learning to rely and depend on God alone, we need these assuring words from Paul in Philippians. We are not to worry- we can always ask God for help! God is here and God wants to help us. Several times throughout the Gospels, Jesus also invites us to ask God for all that we need. In addition, he even gives us his Spirit as our guide and helper. We can rely on God and trust that God hears our every request. Go ahead and ASK!

But if you are like me, you have questions about prayer. Why do the prayers of different faithful people yield completely different results? Are we being greedy when we ask for more, when we have already been blessed so richly? Or why do we bother asking, since our “Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8)? Should we pray for anything more than “Your will be done?”

But perhaps prayer might be like this…

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

Imagine God’s “every good and perfect gift” on display as an abundant marketplace. SO many of God’s wonderful gifts are arrayed on table after table before us! We begin browsing the market place to discover God’s incredible delights. A variety of colorful treats, nourishing foods, refreshing fruits, comforting bakery items, beautiful artistry, enlightening books, helpful gadgets, and anything else we can imagine. All of these represent God’s gifts for us, such as fruits of the Spirit, guidance, sustenance, and splendor.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine… (Ephesians 3:20)

The display goes on endlessly and never needs replenishing. We cannot begin to see everything or even comprehend it all. In God’s marketplace, everything is free for the asking! God’s abundant gifts are truly more than all we can ask or imagine.

Give us each day our daily bread. (Luke 11:3)

We are free to pick and choose gifts from any and all of the tables. We are only asked that we take just what is needed for today; nothing more. This is practical because we couldn’t possibly carry, use or appreciate everything before us. If we take only the gifts we need for the day, none will go to waste. However, if we find some gifts that would be just perfect for others, we can request those gifts to be sent to them.

So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. (Luke 11:9)

God is providing even without our asking. God is offering strength and help and guidance and comfort and courage and sustenance and healing and more. Everything is here before us. Our asking, searching and knocking are the ways we open ourselves to receive all of these gifts. When we name what we need, our requests become our way of  recognizing which gifts are needed for this day. Our requests are like our grocery lists in God’s incredible marketplace.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

This God in whom we can rely has everything covered. If we forget our grocery list, if we have selected the wrong gifts for the day, or if our requests aren’t the best choices for us, the Spirit intercedes for us. Our requests are heard, understood beyond our understanding, and fulfilled beyond our greatest desires. We will always leave God’s marketplace with full carts and grateful hearts.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1)

Reliable God,

Thank you for inviting our requests, hearing our requests, adapting our requests, correcting our requests, guiding our requests, and fulfilling our requests. I give you thanks with my whole heart. Amen.

WEEK FIVE: RELIANCE

RELINQUISH

Matthew 16:24-26

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

If you haven’t seen any of the recent “letgo” commercials, I hope you take a moment to watch a few on YouTube. “Letgo” is a cell phone app in which one can post a photo of an item for local sale. The ads are humorous! One commercial shows a man dangling from a truck that is balancing precariously on the edge of a cliff. He is holding on to the truck with one hand, but also holding his prized bowling ball with the other hand. He won’t let go of the ball, even when his life is in jeopardy! His friend saves him by taking a photo of the bowling ball and posting it letgo. The very next moment, a mountain climber appears who is interested in purchasing the bowling ball, and the man is spared. (All of the letgo  ads show people who are reluctant to let go of their possessions, even when they are in  extreme danger.)

What great parables these commercials could be! People do not want to deny themselves their prized possessions. They continue to hold on to items that are actually hindering them from getting to safety. These possessions are even going to prevent them from living unless they soon relinquish them. I think Jesus would appreciate the commercials in light of his call for us to deny ourselves and follow him (except he would tell us to give those possessions away, not sell them)!

In the verses just before this passage, Jesus tells Peter that he is setting his mind on human things, not on the divine. When our focus is too much on worldly things, we  miss out on the joy of kingdom living now. If you and Jesus were talking together, what would be the one thing he would ask you to relinquish? What might you need to deny yourself in order to more fully rely on Jesus? What things burden and hinder you from following him, freely and unencumbered?

Certainly some of our possessions can be distractions and hindrances that we should relinquish. But Jesus is also telling us to deny ourselves of certain ways of living and being. Our self-centered, self-reliant nature may need to be culled of behaviors and attitudes that are holding us back from truly living. We may need to relinquish such tendencies as our need to control.. our need to be right… our full schedules… our critical nature…  our need to achieve… our worry… our need to be first… our need to have it all… our judgment… our grudges… our guilt…

It’s funny; the characters in the letgo commercials don’t seem to recognize how ridiculous they are being. The man clinging to the bowling ball is told, “You don’t even bowl any more!” Could this be true of us?! What are we hanging on to that is no longer useful, that no longer serves any good purpose, but only weighs us down and holds us back? I wonder how many belongings and ways of being we would relinquish if we took the time to truly examine them for their worth and necessity. What might you relinquish today?

What is your bowling ball?

Loving Jesus,
You have shown us and taught us that the only way to truly live is for us to deny ourselves and follow you. Help us to examine our lives well, and help us to discern those things that hinder us, weigh us down, and hold us back from readily following you. And then, help us to relinquish them- once and for all. Amen.

WEEK FIVE: RELIANCE

RELY  

Psalm 73: 23-26

…nevertheless I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me with honor.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

This fifth week of Lent will center around the theme of Reliance. Today we will begin with its root, rely. To rely on God means that we trust, depend on, be certain of, or have faith in God. Jesus has shown us vividly just how much we can rely on God. Jesus’ life serves as an example of his own reliance on God; he trusted in God, no matter where he was led. His complete surrender to God in his death (“into your hands I commend my spirit”- Luke 23:46) was redeemed in his glorious resurrection; thus we can rely on God to make good come from all we endure. And Jesus gave us his Spirit- God as our guide and companion- on whom we can rely in all of our daily living.

But oh, we are so forgetful. We worry and fret, until we remember God’s promises. We rely on ourselves, until we fail and falter again. We become anxious about tomorrow, until we recall God’s restorative and redeeming love for all of our yesterdays. We focus on our worldly concerns, until we are prompted by the Spirit to change our perspective and seek heavenly kingdom living.

In today’s passage, the psalmist completely trusts in God as his constant companion, his hand-holding guide, his counselor, his one-and-only desire, and the strength of his heart. His experiences of God, along with our own, assure us that God IS the One on whom we can rely. But the psalmist also includes God as his “portion forever.” God as our “portion” appears in other passages, too. (For example, Lamentations 3:24 reads, “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”) How does the understanding of God as our portion also encourage us to rely on God?

In this instance, the word portion means an allotment or share, such as a portion of an inheritance, land or possessions. We can rely on God to provide our portion, which is always sufficient and enough for the day. But with God AS our portion, we gain so much more! James H. Pence, on “The Christian Pulse” website, writes of God as our portion:

As the psalmist “…looks around and sees how unfair this world seems to be, (he) remembers that he is only a pilgrim on earth. He has an inheritance—a portion—that is greater than any wealth the wicked possess. His portion is God Himself (emphasis mine)… Four times in the Psalms and once in Lamentations, the scripture writers describe God as their portion. Each time it is a reminder that whatever happens in this world, we have a possession that transcends all trial, tragedy, and difficulty.”*

Can we even begin to comprehend this? We have a portion that is far greater than any other worldly portion. We have a share of God! Infinite, incredible, amazing God. One small portion of God is too huge for our comprehension. This IS the God in whom we can put our trust!

One final note. In the verses just preceding these beautiful words, the psalmist writes of his embittered soul, his stupidity and ignorance, and his shameful behavior toward God. “Nevertheless” then becomes such a grace-filled word for us! We can rely on God for everything, no matter how imperfect and obtuse we are. What a gift we have been given.

God, our constant companion, hand-holding guide, counselor, one-and-only desire, strength of our hearts, and our portion,

Thank you for clearly showing us that you are the One on whom we can rely! No one else compares with you and your love for us. Forgive us for not remembering. Forgive us when our trust wavers. Remove our ego-driven self-reliance and strengthen our reliance on you.  Let your Spirit move us to fully trust and rely on you… and you alone. Amen.

*James H. Pence, thechristianpulse.com/2011/03/23/the-lord-is-my-portion—i-shall-not-want/

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

REDISCOVER

1 John 3:1 (NRSV)

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 

1 Corinthians 12: 4-6 (NRSV)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 

Our last word of this week of Refreshment is rediscover. Today’s Bible passages assure us that we are all God’s children, and that God has created us uniquely. Two incredible thoughts! God loves us as God’s own children. And God made each of us creatively, with unique gifts, special talents, and individual interests for serving and sharing with others. Living as God’s beloved children and according to God’s creative design, we can serve others capably, abundantly and joyfully. God delights in our delight!

Today we will explore our childhood a bit to rediscover any dreams and delights that may have been buried or set aside as we matured. We are created to live even ordinary days with childlike, wild abandon. With sheer, unbridled joy. Exuberance. Vivid imagination. Wide-eyed wonder. To see every day as an exciting adventure. To view every moment as a fresh discovery. But for a variety of reasons, we often forget this way of living and being. Today let’s rediscover ourselves in a new light- that of a beloved child of God, ready to learn and listen. Who am I as a child of God? How did God create me to live?

Loving Creator God, as we consider these next questions, please open our eyes and our wonder. Guide us in our thoughts, that we may learn and grow as your beloved children. Reveal to us any delightful hopes that have been hidden in our hearts. Remind us of our gifts. Help us to rediscover what we may need to be the people you have made us to be. Amen.

“We have what we seek. We don’t have to rush after it. It was there all the time, and if we give it time it will make itself known to us.” ~ Thomas Merton

Questions to ponder:

“When I grow up, I want to be a …. ”

Just for fun, I would like to…

When I feel creative, I would enjoy…

I wish I had more time to learn about…

One of my favorite childhood memories is when…

My ideal day would look like this…

I would like to expand my horizons by…

If I had the time, resources and courage, I would…

I regret that I haven’t yet…

I would like to be remembered as…

A person I admire is…      because…

I believe God created me to be…

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

RETREAT

Psalm 32:7 (NRSV)

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

Jesus invited his disciples to “Come away and rest” after hearing of the death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:31). He understood the need for them to come away from their pace and people, to rest in the refuge of God, and to regroup, console, and encourage. Today our word is retreat. We retreat to find rest, to abide in safety until we are ready to face our daily challenges, to strengthen, to refresh, and to listen. God serves as our hiding place and shelter- not for us to escape or ignore what lies before us- but to abide in God’s protective embrace until we are rested and prepared to go again.

When I took a course in Spiritual Foundations, I was nervous about attending the four-day silent retreat that was recommended during Lent. I had participated in other retreats and always came away longing for more. But this first silent retreat was intimidating to anticipate and difficult to experience. In fact, I texted my family too often, I only stayed three days, and I couldn’t even keep totally silent. I said, “Good morning!” to a Sister in the hallway, and had the giggles with a classmate. Since I couldn’t do the physical silences well, you can imagine how much I struggled to silence my inner thoughts and just BE with God.

Do you find it difficult to retreat, to take time away from the clamor of life to just be with God? Sure, we have many other obligations or responsibilities pulling at us. Schedules are full, and we tend to put ourselves last when time is limited. But might we also be avoiding something more?

Are you afraid to slow down and bare your soul before God? Have you ever thought, “I am not going to think about this because I don’t have time for tears right now”? Do you like to be busy so you don’t have time to think? Are you afraid of what might be revealed? Have you ever actually arranged and attended a retreat, only to struggle the entire time? If so, know you are not alone…

To retreat is a sign of wisdom, not weakness. To retreat is to choose to pause instead of push. To retreat is not giving up, but giving way for God. To retreat means to allow God to expose your own soul’s wounds and needs with soothing, healing light. To retreat is to simply allow God to love you even when you are feeling unworthy or inadequate. To retreat is to cease from handling everything around you and begin handling what is within you. To retreat is to be able to do these things, all the while feeling fully loved, in the safety and security of God’s hiding place.

Today let’s start with a mini-retreat. Take some time to read the names of God in the list below. (These were compiled from a variety of sources.) Choose the one that describes how you most need God at this time. Which name speaks to your heart? Now spend time in a quiet embrace with the God you have named, allowing God to provide what and all you need for these days and times.

Abba… All-powerful God… Hope of All the Earth… God of Life and Death… Almighty God… Great and Awesome God… Binder of Wounds… Ancient of Days… The Alpha and Omega… God of all Compassion… Living God… Creator of Heaven and Earth… Generous Provider of all Good Gifts… Healer of Our Every Ill… Eternal Might… God of All Being… Giver of Love… Inspiration of Goodness… Everlasting Light… Prince of Peace… God of Truth… God of Radiance… Proclaimer of Justice… Righteous One… God of Unchangeable Power… Dwelling Place… Sustainer of Souls… God of All Comfort… God of Steadfastness and Encouragement… Fountain of All Holiness… God of All Times and Places… I AM THAT I AM… Heart that Inspires in a Vision of Justice and Love… Giver of Peace… Helper of the Weak… Wonderful Counselor… Heart’s Delight… Infinite God… Guide of Humanity… Companion of the Lonely… Creative Source of All Being… God of All Goodness… Judge of All Humankind… Eternal Spirit of the Universe… Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift… Forever God… Brightness of Faithful Souls… God of the Beginning and End… God of Hope and Joy… God of Light and Sun… Gracious Giver of Knowledge… God of Many Deliverances… God of all Generations… Faithful God… Architect of our Souls… Holy One… Skilled Potter… Consuming Fire… Helper of the Helpless… God of My Song… Spring of Living Water… Tender Shepherd… God of ALL… Gracious and Merciful God… True God… Strong Deliverer… Helper of the Weak… Hidden God… Our Source and Our End… Power that Shields… God of Radiance… Light of the Mind… God of Wonders… God of Freedom and Right… Eternal Source of Knowledge… The God Who Sees… God of All Creatures… All-knowing God… Ever Present God… God of My Salvation… Author of Life… Author of Our Faith… Bread of Life… Bright Morning Star… Cornerstone… Strong Foundation… Everlasting Father… Gentle Whisper… Giver of Life and Health… Living Water… Savior of the World… Teacher… Sustaining Vine… True God… God of the Morning, Noon and Evening of Life… Guide of the Meek… Guardian of Our Lives.

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

REPEAT

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 (NRSV)

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

We hear the stories about elderly people who struggle with memory loss, even to the point of no longer being able to speak. But when they hear a favorite Bible passage or a prayer being said, they suddenly perk up and join in! These passages and prayers have become such an integral part of their lives and memory that they are never forgotten. The words have been repeated so many times that they are permanently etched in their minds. I imagine they provide such comfort and peace for the elderly one- and the ones who love them.

Our word for today is Repeat. This passage from Deuteronomy instructed the people of Israel to do everything they could to commit the commandments of God to memory. They were to talk, write, bind and repeat them, often and everywhere they could. This repetition would help them retain these important words and make them part of their very being.

I have repeated the Lord’s Prayer so often that, at times, this is exactly what it becomes… a rote repetition. I may not always think about its meaning or earnestly pray as I say the words. Yet I still come away feeling a sense of peace or presence, simply by slowing and reciting the prayer. I believe we receive an inner gift even when the prayer is said without much thought…

Repeat. Sometimes the practice is needed even more than the presence. Friends tell me that the repetitive prayer of the rosary is calming and centering. Many people repeat the 23rd Psalm during trying times. When Jim and I had our serious health issues, we found comfort in our simple morning routine. Activities such as making the bed, brewing the coffee, lighting a candle, writing in my journal, and praying together brought a sense of normalcy and order. These repeated routines felt comforting and reassuring, providing a bit of control into our disarrayed lives. Repeating memorized scripture passages can do the same, settling and soothing our souls.

What is your most meaningful and treasured Bible verse? How does it bless you?

What rituals and routines comfort you and center you in times of trial?

Is there a new practice that might bless you by repeating each day?

If you have time today, try to find a new Bible verse, poem or quote that speaks to your soul. Repeat this a few times and then throughout the day until it is committed to memory. My prayer for you is that these words will become a treasured, integral part of your being, and one day may be easily recalled and repeated at the moment when you need them most.

Teaching God,

Your words and commands are precious gifts to us. Guide us to repeat them often, and to make them part of our very being. Help us to choose the words you would have especially for us. Thank you for daily practices that help us to center and settle; gentle reminders of your presence with us always. Amen.

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

REVIVE

Romans 12:11 (NRSV)

Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Has this happened to you? There have been times when I have attended a retreat, or enjoyed a restful vacation, or walked in nature, or experienced a meaningful study, worship or prayer time. I have this “mountaintop” moment and come away feeling fired up for God! I am ready to serve, filled with joy, close to God- and so alive in the Spirit!

But then the routine begins. Life becomes busy. I become distracted. Unexpected trials come. And soon, that feeling of euphoria and delight has diminished, now merely a memory of a wonderful moment. Paul’s words to us, “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in the Spirit” feel less like an invitation and more like a burden. I miss that exuberant, thrilled, and expectant feeling. My faith becomes more of a boring background rather than an anticipated adventure.

Our word for today is Revive. Revive means to resuscitate or recover, but also means to revitalize and refresh. How might we keep our faith alive despite our everyday routines and obstacles? How do we revive our souls when the world has smothered them?

As we think about reviving, CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) may come to mind. To keep a dying person alive, the person administering the CPR is breathing for them. The helper’s breath is keeping the other alive. In the creation story, life began with God’s CPR:

…then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. ~Genesis 2:7 (NRSV)

And then there is the breath or wind of the Spirit that moved through the disciples and now moves through us. Consider too, that when we are bored, our breathing slows and becomes shallower. What do we do? We yawn! This deep breath restores oxygen to our blood and helps energize us. These examples suggest that our souls and faith can be revitalized and revived by taking in deep breaths of God; breaths of the Spirit!

In fact, you may already know that the word, “enthusiasm” is derived from two Greek words, en and theos. Theos is the Greek word for God. Enthusiasm means, “full of God.” God’s breath, fully in us, creates our enthusiasm- our zeal!

So for our refreshment today we will be practicing a breath prayer. Today’s practice is shared by Rev. Betsey Heavner:*

Breath Prayer takes the continuous and mechanical motions of our breathing and incorporates words of prayer to create an act that is useful, especially whenever our normal prayer lives are interrupted. In fact, this prayer pattern offers remedies for our anxious minds and bodies on two fronts: we call upon God’s attention to our need, while at the same time, we calm our bodies with the rhythm of breathing.

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

REWIND

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today let’s offer that courtesy to us. What if we were to rewind our lives back to the beginning and replay them again? The story wouldn’t change, but could our perspective? Could we notice some things we hadn’t before?

I love watching our favorite movies a second (or third) time. When we do, I benefit in several ways. Knowing the ending gives more meaning to the rest of the story. I can see where the story line was leading, and how each character and scene contributed to its outcome. I notice more of the subtleties, nuances and back stories that hadn’t caught my attention before. I understand how supporting roles were important to the whole story. Often I see a character in a new light, now knowing how he or she will evolve. Insignificant moments are seen as significant. I know where the story is going, how it will end, and how the rest of the movie is the means to get us all there.

If we were to rewind and watch our lives in review all over again, we would be blessed in these same ways. Today I invite you to recall a few memorable moments in your life, whether or not they bring joy or sorrow. “Watch” these scenes again with a new vision, now as you know more of the rest of your story. Revisit these moments with the vision of God’s presence through all of them.

How did God’s presence make this moment a significant, teachable one for you? Did this moment bring you to a new understanding?

Can you see any ways in which this moment brought you to where you are today?

How might you envision a back story, a story of love, growth and faithfulness?

Are there any new meaningful revelations that seemed insignificant at the time?

When we rewind and watch our story again, our story doesn’t change. But our story does become rewritten as a loving lesson, a growth opportunity, a meaningful enrichment, a journey that makes more sense. Our story seems more worthwhile. The story doesn’t change, but we are better able to comprehend how God was always with us, “letting nothing separate us.” God was always at work… making good emerge, making sense of the incomprehensible, providing comfort, sharing our joy, and most of all, gracing all of our moments with love.

Please be kind (to yourself). Rewind.

God of our amazing life story,

When we look back on the moments of our lives, we do see your ever present love, guidance, healing, teaching, help and hope. We witness your amazing work in each day. When we remember moments- when we happen to rewind to a certain time- help us to see them in a new light, to see them with your love working in them. Thank you that we truly know that our ending will be a joyful one… and not an ending at all. Amen.

WEEK FOUR: REFRESHMENT

REVIEW

Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24 (NRSV)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Well, here we are almost midway through Lent, but Easter is still a few weeks away. We are almost to the spring season, but gray, cold winter days still linger. This week I believe we could all use a little refreshment for our souls, don’t you? Each day’s devotion will be a time to take a mini-retreat and refresh ourselves in the Spirit.

When I studied Spiritual Foundations through the Dominican Center of Marywood, I learned of St. Ignatius Loyola and the Daily Examen. This beautiful practice will be our mini-retreat for today. The Daily Examen may be done as a review of our day at its close, or as a review of the previous day as we begin a new one. We ask God to guide our examen, as God knows our hearts better than we do.

Psalm 139 describes God’s help so beautifully. If you have time, I recommend reading the entire chapter! Even though the psalmist asks God to search and know his heart, we understand that God already has. The “search me” phrases become our invitation for God to reveal what we need to know, what God has found and known in us.

There is an abundance of information and beautiful resources about the Examen and other practices at  www.ignatianspirituality.com. Here is one version of our practice for today, the Examen:

“The Examen is a method of reviewing your day in the presence of God. It’s actually an attitude more than a method, a time set aside for thankful reflection on where God is in your everyday life. It has five steps, which most people take more or less in order, and it usually takes 15 to 20 minutes per day. Here it is in a nutshell:” 

1. Ask God for light. ~I want to look at my day with God’s eyes, not merely my own.
2. Give thanks.  ~The day I have just lived is a gift from God. Be grateful for it.
3. Review the day.  ~I carefully look back on the day just completed, being guided by the Holy Spirit.
4. Face your shortcomings.  ~I face up to what is wrong—in my life and in me.
5. Look toward the day to come.  ~I ask where I need God in the day to come.

(Version of the Examen from A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer by Jim Manney © Loyola Press)

May your time bless you with awareness of the gifts and graces of the day. May you feel God’s gentle, enlightening presence guiding your review. May you grow in love for the One who knows you even better than you know yourself- the One who unconditionally loves you even more than you love yourself.

All-knowing and searching God,

We know that you already know us completely. We know you have searched us thoroughly. Today we ask that you reveal anything and everything you would want us to know. We long to be perfectly obedient, fully loving, completely surrendered to you. Show us how. Amen.

WEEK THREE: RENOVATION

REBUILD

Romans 6:3-5 (NRSV)

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Today is our last day of renovation. Of the many renovation shows on television, Jim and I also like to watch, “Texas Flip and Move” occasionally. During each episode, renovators buy houses to move to a new location and restore for sale. More often than not, these homes are in such bad shape, or the layout is so impractical, that the renovators decide to take the houses down to the studs and basically rebuild from there. Of course, this takes much more work, but the end result is a new, practical, solid, efficient and lovely home! The house has been given new life, recreated in the vision and design of its renovator.

You know where this is going. Sometimes life takes us down to the studs, doesn’t it? We become undone, completely spent, feeling as if we have nothing left. Any number of events can do this to us. Poor decisions. Illness. Accident. Natural disaster. Broken relationships. Loss of career. Financial difficulty. Theft. Addiction. Unfulfilled dreams or promises. Sinful ways. We hit rock bottom… and no one wants to be there.

Eventually we come to understand, “Well, I guess there isn’t any choice except to rebuild from here.” And THIS becomes the magnificent moment when God can really go to work! There are no obstacles that God needs to work around, adapt to, make fit, or remove. God has been given a cleared floorplan and the freedom to create as only God can.

Knowing God as our rebuilder gives us new perspective for all of life. This passage from Romans provides the hope and the comfort we need to endure our rock bottom times. When we die to ourselves in our baptism, we are taken down to the studs. Our lives are no longer ours. But what comes next? We “are cleared” to receive so much more. We walk in newness of life! And this new life is even better than the one we had- or even imagined. So it is with all of the losses we have in this life. We are always rebuilt into a lovelier, more usable creation of our perfect designer’s vision.

What has been your most difficult time of life? Have you ever felt you have been taken down to the studs? How did you recover? Have you recovered?

If you could start your life completely over, would it look any different? How might you offer this to God? Can rebuilding your new life begin today?

What do you need to clear out in order to gain something new?

God our Re-builder,

You make good come from everything. Thank you for your wondrous love! Thank you that through Jesus, we know you share in our heartaches and trials. You only work to restore and rebuild. Help us to use our trials as a clearing time for you to work more freely and perfectly in us! Amen.