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LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURES
All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.
*Matthew 11.29 (HCSB)
RECEIVING SACRED TEACHING
Where is the principal sacred space for healing and enjoying, thereby, spiritual peace and joy? Where do we go, first, to seek untying of inner knots constricting us from the freedom God wills for us to live, witness to, and share with others?
In William Griffin's rendition of the classic The Imitation of Christ, ascribed to Thomas á Kempis, Griffin calls one section "The Conversation Within." He renders the topic:
"The Kingdom of God is within," said the Lord in Luke (17:21). Therefore, turn your back on this wretched world, as the prophet Joel cried out (2:12). Grab hold of your heart and stand facing the Lord. Do that, wrote the Evangelist Matthew (11:29), and your soul'll find peace.
The outside world? You know where that's at already. But as to the whereabouts of the inside world, do you have a clue? No matter. The Kingdom of God'll find you. How? The "Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit," as Paul wrote in Romans (14:17), come only to the pious; that's to say, only to those who invite Him.
Of course, we may not need to go to the extent of calling the world "wretched," and we need to be clear on a proper view of "pious." Piety as gotten a bad name, for its shadow "self-righteousness."
Be pious? Yes. We must be pious to enjoy an inner conversation with the Spirit of Christ. "I pious?" Surely, the Inner Dimension does not manifest inwardly to impious persons.
Pious is, actually, not a reference first to persons who are holier-than-Thou, or sanctimonious. The English word arose in the early 1600s, from the Latin, "dutiful, kind, devout," and is perhaps related to the Latin "pure, clean." A pious person, then, is a person who takes his or her faith and its obligations seriously. For example, piety includes consistency in certain practices, communally and alone.
Indeed, while many Christians harshly judge Muslims, the truth is many Muslims dutifulness puts to shame the casualness with which many, if not most, Christians practice their religious duties.
We look at one example: prayer. How many Christians do you know who have a consistent prayer life - one in which they require (yes, require) themselves to have a regiment of set-apart times of prayer, and not just before falling to sleep at night? How many who profess Christ Jesus would even try such dutifulness (thus, piety) in prayer?
Now, contrast that with one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Each Muslim is required to set apart five daily times to pray; such are before sunrise, after midday, midafternoon, shortly after sunset, in the fullness of night. This is not an option. This is not just for the very devout. This practice of daily prayer is an obligation for every Muslim.
A dear Christian friend of mine has another friend, once a Christian, now a Muslim. This Christian was devoutly engaged his faith and its practices, only later to convert to Islam. His explanation: Muslims tend to take their faith more seriously. Then, we wonder why Christianity is declining in the United States, while Islam is growing. People tend to lose respect for a confession its adherents take casually; down deep, most persons want to believe in something that others who believe in it will be deeply dutiful about.
Yet, what has happened in the churches? We are turning church into programs and policies. We, in the churches, have almost lost all touch with the dutifulness of piety that opens one to the inner conversation, through the Loving Holy Spirit. Even most of our leaders are not skilled in the arts of spiritual discipline sufficiently to direct others in the inner conversation.
Says the Imitation: "But as to the whereabouts of the inside world, do you have a clue? No matter. The Kingdom of God'll find you." But it clarifies the one thing necessary for this inner Conversation to begin: we must each "invite Him."
Thus, Jesus says, "Come to me." That is His way of saying, "Invite me." Our turning toward the Divine is not only our seeking, but our asking to be sought. Our inward turning, even without our knowing the how of the inner conversation, is the beginning of our involvement directly in the conversation.
To maintain and nourish the inner conversation, we have to be dutiful. I am not saying be morbid or strained-faced. I am saying dutifulness is essential to the conversation that will result in peace and joy: "In the kingdom of God, ... [t]he important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." Now, how could we want more than to know the graces of peace and joy, through the Holy Spirit, and in conversation with Christ?
QUIETLY RESPONDING
Go into Silence. Commune with the Holy Spirit about your spiritual duties. Seek to discern how you can be more dutiful in areas of your Christian life. Consider choosing one area (such as, prayer, service, giving, church attendance ...) to focus on increasing your consistency in practice.
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian is pastor at Christ Community United Methodist Church, Harbour Heights, FL, and Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union at major book dealers.
*The etymology of "pious" is from Online Etymology Dictionary. © 2001 Douglas Harper.
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