Christian Spirituality

I have been reading a book entitled, Christian Spirituality: Themes from the Tradition, by Lawerence Cunningham and Keith Egan.  It is a book written for Roman Catholic Christians who are interested in pursuing a deeper walk with God.  However, its contents are no different from reading a book on Spirituality by Richard Foster or Eugene Peterson; except in terms of its focus on the Roman Catholic sacraments and the worship of Mary.

Something I have appreciated from this book is its focus on Evangelism.  Here is a quote from the book:

"One of the most persistent themes of contemporary spirituality is the critique of those who would understand the spiritual life only as a vertical relationship of a solitary person with God."

This indeed is the focus of many contemporary spirituality plans.  They are nothing more the egocentric, feel good plans with self-improvement as its only goal.  But true Christian Spirituality is the practice of spiritual disciplines for reasons that are beyond one's self.  It actually has a selfless focus.  First and foremost, its focus is on pleasing God.  Secondly, and as equally important, its focus is on others.  The rest of the quote:

"Spirituality demands a social context that embraces self, friends, neighbors, strangers, the earth itself refracted in, and bound by, the goodness of God."

True Christian spirituality should drive us to care beyond the welfare of our personal being to our fellow man and the rest of God's creation.  It is to see our fellowman as created in the image and likeness of God and realize that He is not willing that any should perish, but all to come to repentance.

     It is to care for the needs of others.  It is to see our world and its destructions from wars, greed, violence and natural disasters; and to stand in the gap for social justice and compassion for the down-trodden.  True Christian spirituality will automatically kick into motion within us whenever we see someone in need.

Christian spirituality does not come naturally to us.  Simply because we give our lives to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts does not guarantee spirituality.  Some Christians are the "unspiritually saved" because they have never made a commitment to the journey of faith; which of course is spiritual growth.

My theory is that the twenty-first century Christian (generally speaking) is to preoccupied with himself/herself in terms of spiritual growth.  I also believe that much of this is influenced by New Age movements that we have allowed to creep into our thinking by reading their books and following their ways.  Christian spirituality is about commitment and growth in the Spirit of the Living God.  It is to practice the disciplines of faith.  However, we practice them not simply to the end of our own spiritual well-being.  These practices should never be considered ends in themselves.  They are means to a more perfect end - to serve the will of God unto others.

Jesus practiced many of what we now call the disciplines of faith; like meditation, solitude and contemplation.  Before every major decision he withdrew to a quite place to engage with His Father through these modes of prayer.  But it was never to an end for His own self-improvement.  It was always for others according to the perfect will of God.

I think our persent day focus on Spiritual Formation is timely.  Hopefully it will awaken the church to revival and evangelism, the growth of God's Kingdom, and the care and compassion toward others in a world being destroyed by the greed of humanity.

Blessings,

-Pastor Leo