Real World Spiritual Disciplines #1

This afternoon, the person in front of me in the 10-items-or-less express lane at the grocery store had 14 items. I know that because I counted. And I had a brief flash of righteous indignation that for me rivals the ecstasy of sex or even chocolate.

However, that will be the last time I'll count the items of the people in the express lane. I decided on the drive home that, beginning today, I am going to start practicing the spiritual discipline of not counting express lane items. I am adding it to my rule.

I hope its practice will nudge me to the place where I can experience the transforming power of God in my life. You see, I have a judgmental heart. I think, in many cases, it keeps me from forming deep relationships with others. Does the number of items the person in front of me  has change the way God calls me to relate to him? Not in the least. That anger, that self righteousness that I feel is sin, plain and simple and I need God to rid me of it.

Pray for me in my practice!

Now if I could just stop thumbing through the tabloids.

Lengthen the Cords and Strengthen the Stakes

"Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2

I'm blowing the dust off my cyber-desk. I came upon this passage a couple of weeks ago. I was blessed by the memory of it. Here is how God speaks to me through it:

God calls us to strengthen the stakes, to deepen our relationship with the Divine. As that occurs, I believe we then have the opportunity to start to lengthen the cords to expand the tent. As I grow in my relationship with God, I grow in my ability to make space for other understandings of God.

It seems this is the opposite of what often happens. Many shrink the tent, excluding those whose view of God does not match their own. And quite often, though not always, the stakes of those tent shrinkers are found to be quite weak.

Oh, to be the community of faith that throws open the curtains, welcomes all, and facilitates the strengthening of the stakes!