What are you longing for?

In the Foundations of Faith: Christian Spiritual Practices Sunday school class, we’ve been exploring different spiritual practices that help us connect to God.  Throughout the 12 weeks of the class, we will explore solitude, lectio divina, honoring the body, centering prayer, experiencing beauty, the Examen, discernment, worship, and sabbath.  With each different practice, we will engage a different way to experience God with the expectation that one or two of the practices will inevitably fit for each of us. (I know I am absolutely terrible at sabbath…which may mean God is calling me to investigate how I can incorporate sabbath into my spiritual life).

For some of us, these spiritual practices are brand new.  They might feel uncomfortable because they require us to step outside of how we’ve always experienced God. For others, these practices are already part of our daily connection to God. Regardless of our experience, we’ve found a safe space to ponder what it means to know God and how we can experiment with different faithful traditions. 

We began the class talking at length about our own desires to know God and we judged our willingness to open ourselves up to being transformed by the Spirit. Meister Eckhart says, “the reason we are not able to see God is the faintness of our desire.” I’ve been pondering this in my own life as I thought about how I spend my time, what I fill my mind and heart with, especially with the state of the world.  For me, it was very convicting because, it turns out, I wasn’t as open as I thought I would be.  I had been hardened by the world of shame and guilt when it came to spending time with God (think “quiet time”). Do I actually have the desire for God to change me? Or is it easier to ignore the work that needs to be done internally and keep going down the path I am going?

The more I’ve been doing these spiritual practices, the more I found myself experiencing the peace of God in the small moments of intentional communion. It wasn’t scary like I thought. God desperately wants to meet us where we are.  God wants us to know the infinite love God has for us. God wants us to rest in the peace that we are beloved children. It felt so life-giving to experience the connectiveness that comes from a few intentional moments with God. My desires have changed. I find myself craving that time with our creator, because God shows up! My blood pressure lowers, my head clears. I feel peace in my body. It’s exactly what I need right now. 

So I want to ask you now- do you desire to know God? Do you crave communion with God? What are you longing for? 

One way I uncovered the answer to these questions is when I followed this exercise from Ruth Haley Barton’s book, “Sacred Rhythms”.  I hope you will spend a few moments completing the exercise. You can report back to me if you’d like, or join our Sunday school class if you don’t already have a class you’ve been attending.  If you need more resources to explore your own practice, our library has many books to help you on your journey.  In fact, Galen Bollinger has created an excellent resource for all church members to use in their own spiritual formation practice. Email me to get it, or stop by the library to pick up a copy!

 

PRACTICE

Read Mark 10:46-52. This is the story of the healing of Bartimaeus. 

 

Then complete the suggested practice prompt from Ruth Haley Barton’s book, Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, follow this practice as you think about your own desires and longings.

Settle into a comfortable position that allows you to remain alert. Breathe deeply in this moment as a way of releasing any tension you might be holding and becoming aware of God's presence, which is closer than your breath. Allow yourself to enjoy God's presence in quietness for a few moments.

 

When you feel ready, imagine yourself in the historical setting of the story of Bartimaeus as it unfolds in Mark 10:46-52, or imagine yourself in your own place of need. Read the story slowly, seeing yourself as the person needing something from Christ and calling out to him from the noisy crowd. How do you approach him or try to get his attention? What words do you use? What emotions do you feel?

 

Imagine that in response to your cry, Jesus turns to you. Now you are face to face with one another. Allow yourself the full realization that you have Jesus' complete attention (because you do!) and hear his question addressed to you: "What do you want me to do for you?"

 

Do not be afraid of emotion; it is important that you let yourself feel how deep your desire goes. You may need to sit with the question and your response for quite some time before you have fully gotten in touch with your heart's desire or have fully expressed it. Give this question and its answer all the time it needs. You may want to go for a walk with the question, lie in the grass and feel the warmth of the sun, curl up under a blanket, journal your response, engage in writing or artistic expression.

 

If you choose to journal, it might help to begin with the statement "God, what I most need/want from you right now is…" and then let your thoughts flow. Listen for Christ's response.

 

Don't feel as if you have to do anything; simply relish the intimacy and richness that come when we are able to "be with what is" in God's presence.