For most followers of Jesus, our observance of Easter this past weekend marked a significant point in our yearly calendar that has been specifically set aside to celebrate the pinnacle of our faith, Jesus’ resurrection and life giving ministry. It’s meant to be a significant pause built into our busy schedules cementing a spiritual rhythm in our own lives, a rhythm that continues to impact us well past the holiday itself. But, if you are anything like me, the insanity of our mortal existence quickly sinks its claws into my pathetic attempts to establish any semblance of spiritual consistency. Life just seems to take over and, instead of maintaining a thoughtful pursuit of the eternal, I get swept up into the relentless storm of the mundane. I want to change this. So, this year, I’m committing to intentionally engage in three things I’m hoping will break this cycle.
1. Establishing Spiritual Breathing Space
This is so much more than just performing a daily ritual. It’s about intentionally building time into my schedule where I can take a deep breath before plunging into the chaos of the day. Jesus did this consistently during his ministry. In fact, it seems that these moments were a very important part of keeping his focus on God’s will for his life, empowering him to do the things he did and, ultimately, making the sacrifice he made.
This is an essential spiritual rhythm, one with which I have always struggled. I know it is important. In fact, I can tell how this impacts the flow of my day. To be honest, I usually notice the difference when I look back at the end of the day and realize that I missed this vital aspect of dedicating my time to God.
In order to make this happen, I’m going to focus on three simple steps. The first will be to find a space where I can be alone with God. Silence and solitude are key aspects of this, even if its only a short time. Second, I’m going to incorporate reading scripture into this time. God’s word impacts my life and I need to soak in it, daily. Third, I’m going to keep it simple. In-depth Bible studies are awesome but, for this time in my day, I’m going to just simply read and let the Holy Spirit speak to my heart.
A few resources that I have found very helpful in the past include: The Book of Common Prayer (a time-tested scripture-based resource), the Pray-as-you-go Podcast (free online), and Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest (a classic daily devotion written by an original Aberdonian).
2. Evoking Spiritual Conversations
The second thing I am committing to is intentionally evoking spiritual conversations within the contexts God places me. When I look at what immediately precedes the Easter story, I see Jesus not only doing this with everyone he meets, but also praying that his disciples use the time, relationships, and resources (especially the Holy Spirit) to lovingly speak the gospel into people’s lives. (John 16:4-15; 17:1-26)
I’ve had a burden on my heart lately to move past the mundane conversations that seem to take place in so many contexts in which I find myself. I want to gently push these conversations to personal matters that, God willing, uncover spiritual depth. God has done such amazing things in my life and I want to share these things with others. My relationship with Jesus is such an important part of my life, impacting my very identity. I want people I know to understand this. I also hope that we have the opportunity to talk through things which God is putting on their heart. I’ll just have to be careful not to be one of those over-saved Christians that start distorting the gospel by misappropriating allusions with Christianeez speak. Comedian Michael Jr. has something awesome to say about this kind of person. https://youtu.be/48kHDuCwy5U
3. Enacting Intentional Service
When I think of Easter, I think of how Jesus was the epitome of a servant. During the 3 years of his earthly ministry, he served just about everyone he met in unique ways that met their specific spiritual and physical needs. His death on the cross was the ultimate expression of his love and the climax of his earthly service. But, we can’t forget that he continues to serve us, his people, as he sits at the right hand of God in heaven. (Heb. 1:1-4; 10:12-14)
As a response to our celebration of Jesus’ this past Easter weekend, I’m going to think of someone specific and commit to serve them in a simple way at least three times during the day. I want to actively put my faith into motion and serve, even in little ways, to show my love for them. I’m expecting this will be inconvenient and a bit of a pain. Nothing worth doing comes easy, especially in the context of relationship. Jesus got this, taught this, and lived it out on an epic scale.
How are you responding to this past weekend’s Easter holiday? What is God calling you to do? Who will you partner with in this process? Share in the comments section below!
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