study to learn: rule of life

Yesterday I used the analogy of sermon preparation as a model for 'study' and I tried to provide several parallels. Today a few suggestions on study.

Just as prayer commitment is difficult because of time; busy schedules make real study a challenge. For one thing it is time consuming to even try to figure out what to study! With prayer it is much more straightforward (goal: "communication leading to communion"). With study, there a hundred legitimate starting points and goals. So where is one to start?

Well, if you are reading this then you have started. There are many blogs trying to provide information which is helpful to your journey. I have chosen several which I go to on a regular basis. They provide me with a breadth of information because they write about many different things.

I would suggest some reading in the area of prayer and spirituality. Long ago I learned that running magazines and weightlifting magazines seemed to have the same kinds of articles every month. At first this frustrated me, but later I realized that there were not going to be six new ideas about getting in shape every few weeks. The purpose of those magazines is to support of their readers in keeping with their commitments. Sure there is an occassional new idea, but in the end it is about remembering the basics. Reading a book on prayer every few months is the same sort of thing. It is not so much that you get new information as it is about renewing commitment.

I would suggest something on Church history. Biographies of great Christian people is a good idea. Right now everyone seems to be reading the bew book on Bonhoeffer. I would suggest someone old (before 600) for every one more recent. It is the best way to get to our roots. The book, "The Celtic Model of Evangelism" explained how St. Patrick and others successfully converted Ireland over fifteen hundred years ago. It resonated with me and was a real help.

Commentaries are vital. Tom Wright is probably the best there is. He has a series on the Gospels and Paul's writings which are very helpful and quite readable. They are called "Matthew for Everyone" or "Romans for Everyone." They look at a passge with a couple pages of commentary which blends scholarly information in an approachable form with reflections on every day life today. When studying about the Bible it is helpful to remember that learning should challenge you sometimes. Writing as NT Wright he has compiled some huge volumes which are more challenging but very helpful and thought provoking. He has a webpage with numerous articles.

'How to' books are also prevalent. Many contemporary writers have provided endless books on topics addressing life as a Christian today.

Probably the best advice I can give is this. You know what interests you, pursue learning more about that! Also, be aware of your weakness. If you do not know much about the Old Testament pick up Derek Leman's "A New Look at the Old Testament" and get on it. It may feel like going back to school, but my theory is graduation means we have more control over what we study. We should never "leave school" because we should never stop learning.

study: Rule of Life

"Infusion" refers to the direct acquisition of knowledge through purely passive means. In simplest terms, someone pours information and insight into our mind and we are not required to do anything but sit there! It is the way computers work when we do a download.

Does God regularly download us with an infusion of information? Or, does God expect us to put in the hard work of studying and thinking? I think that there are times when I just know something and there are other times when things come quickly to me. Sometimes in a matter of seconds it all comes clear. Praching is that way.

When I do sermon preparation for our Sunday service I usually have two weeks to prepare. Typically, on the Sunday I preach I go to my office after all the services and simply read through the three lessons and psalm assigned for the next time I preach. I read them through and underline key words or phrases. It is not uncommon that I immediately know what I will preach about, although most of the time I am not so sure. A couple of days later I re-read all the texts, often times reading the verses and chapters which are the context for the three readings. Then I break out the commentaries. I will read four or five commentaries and also read the original Hebrew or Greek to see about key words. I do a check to see where these words appear eleswhere in the Bible. Several days are spent reading and studying. At some point I choose a theme and begin to write. The writing can go smoothly or be a frustrating struggle with a dozen false starts. I write a sermon three times on average. Often times I am not pleased with the result. I pray that some how it will come together. Then on Saturday evening I preach it the first time. I make adjustments in the early service. Each time I preach it is a little different.

Why bore you with details of sermon writing? Because I think it is helpful for understanding the place of study in a rule of life:

• Study has a purpose. We all don't preach on Sundays, but we are all "preachers" in some sense. The message we are called to share is delivered from the "pulpit of our life." Good preaching is, in part, a function of good preparation.
• We cannot study everything. Each week there are three readings and a psalm. I am a man of big appetite and I want to study it all. A rule of life requires discipline and focus. Learning demands focus. Be aware of your time limts and determine what you are going to study.
• Context is invaluable. If you want to look at a text, see it in the wider context of the chapter, the book, the canon. When we isolate anything we lose a grasp of its true meaning.
• Study builds on previous study. You do not have to get it all in at one time. Insights can come while walking the dog two days after you have wrestled with a concept or idea.
• Engage what you study with love. You cannot know what you do not love. And you cannot truly love what you do not truly know.

Study is a way to hear. It is a way to hear the truth. Truth is the voice of God. It is hard work but also recreational and a source of joy. It is possible that we will spend all eternity growing in knowledge. It is also possible that our knowledge, wisdom and insight are the raw material which God uses to work His ways on earth. Maybe we are partners with God. Maybe God is pleased when we are better prepared. Maybe tody we need to get on it.

Study, Super Bowl: Rule of Life

It is Sunday morning. Today is Super Bowl Sunday. For two weeks there has been lots of focus on this game today. One of the common themes is the amount of dedication and effort required to achieve success.

Today is one of those days where I feel most deeply a sense of failure. I know today millions of Christians will spend more dedicated time to their yearly Super Bowl party then they will spend at worship in the next month. Football, after all, is exciting. Worship is not so exciting. Right?

This is no rant. Actually, my frustration is tempered by things I have read. Many church Fathers in the 300's preached about people attending the games of their era. Seems that Christians have struggled with priorities for a very long time. Living in the world it is hard not to be worldly. We Christians have typically not done a bang up job!

The value of study is perspective. It is helpful to really study scripture as well as pray with it. The problem with studying Scripture is how we "study." Often times, we are ignorant of so much else that we end up misinterpreting the message! A wide range of commentaries are needed to see the text from a variety of angles. At least one of the texts needs to be ancient. I also try to hear from a Catholic and Protestant. More on this later.

We are also ignorant of the history of Christian people. We end up making our own cultural assumptions the touch stone for understanding everything else. We end up twisting the message to meet our own expectations. God has been working in and through people for a long time. Many of them are so holy! Learn from them.

Any time some one tells me that "it has never been this bad," I smile. I have read enough history to know that we have not even sniffed "real bad" yet. It has been worse. Unimaginably worse. And it has been worse many times. So study provides us with information which gives us a clearer insight into the real world. It takes the edge off some of our worries and bad feelings. I plan to write more about study and a Rule of Life.

Final thoughts on Prayer: rule of life

I got an e-mail yesterday about my recent posts. Trying to figure out how to post comments is too difficult for most people. If you need to contact me or would like to offer suggestions or ask questions I can be reached at jeff@standrewscollierville.org

The centerpiece of the e-mail was the issue of time. She said that many people have told her it is not necessary to spend a long time in prayer. She said the idea of warm up and cool down was helpful. She has also recommitted to her goal, an hour a day, with the assumption that she will not always make it. Her logic is 'better to come up short on an hour then it is come up short on ten minutes.' I agree. I would lilke to share some thoughts generated by my e-mail conversation with her.

My model for the Spiritual Life parallels my model for physical exercises.

• Do not feel compelled to do the same thing every day. You can change it up. Some days pray longer. Some days may be shorter but more intense. Some days focus on thanksgiving and praise. The key is being INTENTIONAL. Set up a schedule so that you are clear which days are which. Most people who work out will tell you that if my workout is based on how I feel, many days I would quit before I warmed up.
• The model. Physical fitness is strength, endurance, flexibility and speed. It is based on strength training, aerobics, stretching, nutrition, and rest. It is enhanced by variation in intensity and duration. People work harder with a partner and benefit from a guide/instructor/coach. I apply this to spiritual exercises. Sometimes literally, other times by analogy. (e.g. Bible = nutrition)
• Quiet time is important. My guess is God speaks in a whisper much of the time (see Elijah on Mt. Carmel). It is hard to hear Him if you are talking! Deep breathing and repeating a phrase might help. Things like "Holy, holy, holy Lord." A verse of scripture may be useful. On occassion do the 'Barney prayer,' look to God and say twenty times, consciously and out loud, "I love You, You love me." Enter into the reality of that!
• Posture matters. Face it, we are incarnate, body and soul. Kneel sometimes. Stand sometimes. Extend your arms outstretched and reaching and look up. Bow your head. Lay on the floor face down. Each physical position has a part in our  prayer. Your body communicates to your soul. You can pray (as a sinner, a needy child, an exultant disciple, etc.) more readily when your posture reflects the prayer. [Experiment: Fold your arms across your chesst, frown, and in a low, angry tone say, "Glory to God in the Highest." NEXT, open your palms and extend your hands over your head. Smile. Eyes wide open. Sing, "Glory to God in the Highest." Now reflect on the difference between the two.]
• Pray outloud sometimes. Especially when we are alone, it is helpful to verbalize our prayer. I have spent many hours talking to God in our empty church. In all honesty, it seems more real. It is more like communication and less like thinking. I have had some people tell me, "people would think I was crazy talking out loud when no one is there." [re-read that last line and think about it a moment......] If you pray, thinking no one is there that is a problem. Pray like God is really there and really cares. He is. If He isn't then nothing really matters anyway.
• Use your imgination in praying with Scripture. Pretend you are there. Look at Jesus and the crowds. Ask him about what He is thinking and feeling. Make analogies to your world. Ask him to reveal His heart to you. I did an 8th grade retreat once and we did a guided meditation. One of the girls shared later that she was shocked to see Jesus wearing blue jeans. She had an encounter which blew her away. How cool is that?

Commit, every day, to be a man/woman/child of prayer. Set aside time. Have a plan. Be open to be led by the Holy Spirit in a different direction. Be open to be invited to spend more time. Look at your life in terms of a season, a week, the day and right now.
Well, I have spent time doing this, now I need to go pray. I hope you see and hear God today!

Prayer 2: Rule of Life

We know that Jesus prayed. He went to synagogue and He identified with God's people, Israel. The word ekklesia (=called out, church) indicates that it is a people called to be God's own. The Judeo-Christian faith is shaped by this: We gather together. "It is not good for the man to be alone," God declared at creation. Each of us is made as part of the wider body.

I re-emphasize the corporate nature of faith because in our age it seems to be lost on most people. We are too individualized and isolated. Even so, we are also connected in many ways. We no longer write letters, though, we 'text' one another. Our communication on Facebook or Twitter usually consists of a sentence or two. How does that sort of communication impact our prayer?

The upside, we are reminded that there are so many other people. Social media connects us in real time with  hundreds of others. At least it feels like we are connecting...

The downside, we may lose the capacity to engage in deeper forms of communication. When I was a little Catholic school boy we were taught prayers called ejaculations. It is a term I rarely use in public because of its more common meaning. An ejaculation is a short expression like: "My Jesus mercy" or "My King and my God." We were taught to utter such prayers regularly. I did then and I still do today. But for most of us, that must be part of a larger discipline. Throughout the day I try to add this to my foundation (private  prayer time coupled with corporate liturgical prayer).

"How do you pray with Scripture?" David asked me last night. It depends. Sometimes I read only a small part. I meditate on words or phrases. I might think about how the characters feel. The main characters as well as others. I try to reflect on God's role. How is He different from my assumptions? This meditative approach aims to learn about God, to confront myself and my life ethic or to give me an understanding of the future. Frequently, this meditation leads to prayer (asking, thanking, repenting, praising). It can be very free-wheeling and spontaneous.

I love to pray the Psalms. In the Psalms they say things that I never would on my own (I am too shaped by piety and the desire to "do it right"). So when the psalm blasts at God about being "silent" or "slow to save" (I was taught not to complain) it opens me to be honest about my real life experience: God does not always seem to be around! What really enhances my prayer time with psalms is imagining the words comng from the mouth of Jesus. As I pray, I think of Him praying with me. On the cross He prayed a psalm ("My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?") Jesus praying the psalm makes the words different for me. And Jesus really is there, even if I cannot see Him!

Praying with Scripture is also an act of discovery. "Who are you, Lord?" I ask. As I wrestle with the Bible I see glimpses of God. Then, I can progress to reflecting upon my own life. I review His activity in my daily living. I try to make connections between my life and the Bible stories. It is often difficult but I do not get discouraged. I believe that God will use all these hours and hours I have spent seeking Him. Sometimes it seems like a waste of time, but usually I know, at my core, that I am better for it and the world is better for it.

As you read this I hope it is helping you clarify your own prayer regimine. Begin the day, first thing, thanking God you woke up and offering to Him your day. And during the day, spend the time allotted, as often as you allot it, to engage in real prayer. Not just Tweeting God, but actually talking and listening, actually desiring a connection with the Eternal, Holy, Loving, Creator-Redeemer of the Universe. And do not try to measure the impact it makes. In the end, that is God's work so trust Him. [We really are not that good at assessment any way!]

prayer: rule of life

In creating a Rule of Life, we must first identify our own character and our own ministry. Ideally, that is done in concert with others.
Pray-Work-Study. Let's start with Pray.

One aspect of the Rule should be corporate worship. Sorry, the Bible is pretty clear that God calls a people to Himself. He calls a people to worship. I know all about the problems with the church. I understand that people in the church are imperfect. I agree that lots of churches do lots of damage. But God calls us to be part of a people.

Corporate worship in the Christian tradition has focused on Sunday, the resurrection day (little Easter). If one's schedule permits then it might also be helpful to include a few other gatherings during the week. Some churches have daily eucharist or Morning/Evening prayer. [I am well informed about the problem many people have with corporate worship. They have told me for decades, "I don't get much out of it." It may be helpful to remember that corporate worship is intended to focus on God, not you. Not saying it should be a boring experience, but I am saying it is not primarilly about you.] Another option is a regular prayer group. Jesus said, "Where two or more are gathered in My name, I will be with them." Jesus seems to be a fan of group prayer.

Corporate worship is in conjunction with private prayer. Private prayer disciplines are truly a function of one's personality. I prefer to use the psalms and Scriptures in prayer. Many people use devotional books. Some sit in quiet and meditate. Others like to move. Some use prayer beads (like a rosary) or repetitve prayers (like the 'Jesus Prayer'). In general, I think there are a few components to all effective prayer, which I will have the temerity to share now:

• It needs to be scheduled. By this I mean, the foundation of our prayer life cannot be short prayers uttered as the mood hits. It is helpful to have a place set aside (call it sacred space). Humans get unconscious signals from environment. [The term "marriage bed" has powerful conotations. We do not serve meals in the bathroom. We react to invasions of our personal space.] The amount of time needs to be significant. I shoot for thirty to sixty minutes for my own daily prayer. I think physical exercise is a good model for spiritual exercise. It takes a while to warm up and it takes time to make an impact.
• Prayer is NOT magic. The primary reason for prayer is to have COMMUNITY with God. Prayer time is about me being reshaped and reformed by my relationship with God. It is a process of dying to self and growing in Christ.
• All good prayer has some moments of absolute quiet and centering on God. Because we are all different, many of us do not "do silence" well. I cannot imagine any situation where listening does not include the ability to be silent.
• All good prayer should include some interaction with God's Word. The heart of sin is our own heart! Our thoughts, desires, feelings, etc. are the producers of our own evil. It is not a good idea to assume that "praying from the heart" is some how pure. [People get mad when I say this, but I still know it is true] The Scriptures can help us encouter God from the outside. The Gospels reveal Jesus to us. The Bible reveals God to us. So some time in reflection on the Word of God is vital.
• All good prayer should include some time of thanksgiving. What would your life be like without your lips? or your finger nails? or your kidneys? or your your skin? Do you think you would spend time griping if suddenly you were to lose your eye sight? Then how much time should be spent every day thanking God for loved ones? health? joy? My guess is that ten minutes a day listing things for which we are thankful would be a worthwhile thing.
• All good prayer should include a time of being with God. Like a child in a parents' arms, like a servant before a merciful Master, like a student before a Great Teacher, like one lover gazing at another. Prayer is not primarily functional. It is not about "getting stuff" or "doing stuff." Prayer is about falling ever deeper in love and learning Who the Beloved is more deeply.

Foundation prayer. Every day for a signficant time, a time set aside and a place to do it. That is part of the rule of life which we fashion. Then during the day we find, more and more. other prayer moments creep in, any where and any time. And we do it every day without focusing on how we feel, because most of the time it will not feel especially wonderful.

What will I do/Who am I: rule of life

I was taught that grace builds on nature. In other words, God tends to use us according to our natural abilities and inclinations. Now, the first thing people want to point out is the exceptions to this rule. Yes, there are times when a person is asked (and empowered) to do amazing things or things contrary to their natural desires. But that is an exception, not the norm.

Each of us is blessed with a certain skill set. We have a personality and character. Last week I wrote about the healing ministry. I shared there that St. Paul believed that the charism of healing is not given to everyone to the same extent. So it is helpful to do an inventory of your gifts. There are many assessment tools available. Simply ask a few people who know you well what they think, that is a good starting place. Also, a good personality test is also helpful. The book, "Please Understand Me II" is one which I have found most helpful. There are dozens of others as well.

My personality is either a teacher or a counselor. My life as a priest has usually centered around bible studies, Sunday school and many hours of counseling. I am probably of most use to God and His kingdom in this kind of role. My rule of life should reflect this.

The rule of life (to borrow from St. Benedict) should center on Prayer, Study and Work. I would further subdivide work as in-reach and out-reach. This would cover both service and evangelism. But our work shapes the type of prayer and study we do. Our work impacts how we serve those in need and how we proclaim good news. Then our prayer and study will shape the way we do our work.

So the first step in our rule of life is to answer these questions:
Who am I? What gifts and talents do others see in me? What interests do I have? What am I drawn to do with my time, my talent and my treasure?

We live in a big world with lots of fertile territory. Jesus once said, "The harvest is plentiful, but laborers are few." Our rule of life aims to address Jesus' concern. It is our first step in becoming an effective laborer. A rule of life reflects our vision of our life as a disciple. It is important because God takes our lives seriously. A rule of life helps us to live consciously and intentionally. A rule of life keeps us on the way.