“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” - David in 1 Chronicles 16:11
The practice: Set apart half a day a month for spiritual exercise
The next part of our rule of life is to set apart a half day every month to intentionally spend time with God.
In the teaching, we list 9 different options you can engage in:
Simplicity. Where we learn to throw off the material things that cause us to lose focus on our identity from exiles
Silence and Solitude. The opportunity to come to Jesus without words and actions and simply sit in His presence
Celebration. Taking time to learn to count our blessings and become people of thankfulness and contentment
Spiritual Examination. Assess various parts of our lives and schedules in the presence of God
Discernment. Seeking God’s direction and correct orientation on decisions
Being in Nature. Exploring supernatural BC with God
Extended times of
Scripture reading or learning
Prayer
Musical Worship
Some practical tips from the sermon:
Start with a practice that you want to do
Book a half to a full day
Plan it in advance
Minimize distraction by not bringing any devices
Expect resistance and prepare to call your mind and body back to being with God
Use the time to bring and create spiritual friendships
Lastly, don’t forget that these are activities we do with God. Many people in our city and world engage in simplicity or silent meditation or celebration, great things, but not Christian disciplines. For us to have these moments help us develop into the tree that we see in Psalm 1, we must do them with God at the centre of focus. Nature, our closets, our silence and our singing are but means to learn to love the living God in our midst.
Books
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Resources
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazarro
Practicing the Way by Bridgetown Church