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Lenten Devotionals 2009
Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, the writer hopes persons of other faiths find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps you trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches you. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily.
Blessings,
Rev Dr Brian K Wilcox
Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader,
Spiritual Counselor, Chaplain
PRAYERFUL ENTERING
Let the following affirmation be preparation for entering into the Inner Sanctuary of the Heart of Hearts...
In this moment,
I am open fully to the Divine
I am not seeking anything
I am not straining for anything
In this moment,
Love is arising to me
Love is with me
Love is sustaining me
In this moment,
I am in Love with Love
I give and receive as I am given opportunity
I, thereby, am a conduit of blessing
Giving and receiving timely and joyfully
In this moment,
I am receiving all I need
I am not defined by the past
I am not defined by what I do not have
I am not defined by what I have
I am not defined by what I feel
In this moment,
Spirit and I are one
Spirit is bringing into my life whatever I need
*Brian K. Wilcox
LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURES
15Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. 16That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too."
*I Peter 1.15-16 (CEV)
* * *
Yoga [union with God] consists not in frequenting tombs and cremation grounds,
nor in falling into trances;
Nor lies it in wandering about the world,
Nor in ritual bathing.
To live immaculate amidst the impurities of the world -
This is true yoga practice [true oneness with God].
*Sikhism. Adi Granth. "Suhi."
RECEIVING SACRED TEACHING
What does it mean to be, to live holy? This holiness is not a specifically religious matter, but a natural Quality prior to religion and all we call spirituality. Holiness is and will be after religion, and all called spirituality. Any claim of religion to be sole mediators of holiness is arrogant, if not profound ignorance - or both.
Take a cell of the brain. The cell is set apart to a Purpose, within the context of the whole brain and billions of other brain cells. This destiny is given, not gotten, and lived by that one cell in the whole communion we call the brain. The cell is being holy in fulfilling that Purpose, for its purpose is one with the over-all Purpose.
Does the cell have to strain, push, or pull, hurry and harry about to get and live its destiny? No. What does it do - receive the calling, and be lived through by the overall Purpose in the individuated way the cell is designed to be in the overall "brain communion."
You are an individuation of God. You are not God, as God in Wholeness, but you are part of God, you share in the godness of God. You express That.
To be holy is to receive a destiny into oneself, to live out this calling, and to do so finding your meaning solely in God. All other meanings are secondary meanings and, therefore, are subordinate to this one Purpose: “Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well" (Matthew 6.33, CEV).
* * *
Now, therefore, how are we to be holy? What is required of us to live holy lives? Well, I share with you a little story, and the words of a hymn, the context of the story.
The lyrics to “Take Time to Be Holy” were written in 1882. William D. Longstaff wrote the words, later George C. Stebbins penned the music.
Longstaff was a wealthy Englishman. He was treasurer of the Bethesda Free Chapel, Sunderland, England, a port city in the northeast. Ira Sankey, the famed music leader of the D. L. Moody crusades, said “Take Time to Be Holy” was urged by a sermon Longstaff heard on the scripture “Be holy, for I am holy” (I Peter 1.16, KJV). Stebbins said the poem was inspired by Longstaff hearing a missionary to China say, “Take time to be holy.” Likely, both sources were inspirations for the song.
The idea of taking time to be holy might sound odd to us. Yet, the message is accurate. To be and live holy, as we need, there must be time given to aloneness, devotion, and quiet. In such giving of time, we commune with Holiness, we marinate in the Presence of Otherness, yet Otherness that surpasses all intimacies of earth – though, indeed, in the Divine, intimacies can be shrouded with the fragrance and bliss of heaven, lifted to the sublimity of the angels and celestial mysteries.
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
* * *
Therefore, to be receptive to Holiness, we must learn to relax - to marinate in Spirit. We must learn to stop the ceaseless hurrying. We must silence from our tongue the excuse of "I don't have time." Indeed, the avoidance of the time is the avoidance of the intimacy we long for. We must practice the spirit of Sabbath, which is, literally, “rest, cessation.”
Learn to relax. Program your body, each part of it, to let go and be at ease. Allow yourself to come into your natural posture and alignment.
Honor the life force that is in you, that flows through you. Honor it by relaxing, opening to it, and inviting it to surge through your body.
*Melody Beattie. Journey to the Heart. “Relax.” April 14.
* * *
The Psalmist says, “I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
What is this house? This house is a symbol for a sacred place set apart from the usual activities and thoughts, and affections. This house is within you. Yet, this house can be anywhere you take time to nurture your reception of the Holy. This house is a space where you are alone with the Alone. This house is where you gather with soul companions to take time to be holy together.
QUIETLY RESPONDING
A. The Hymn
Translate the hymn “Take Time to Be Holy” into a prayer, putting the words into a first-person address to Divine Presence.
B. Questions for Reflection
1)How are you taking time to be holy? Do you need more time set aside to nurture holiness?
2)Do you know an especially holy person? What convinces you that he or she carries a special degree of holiness?
3)What is the contrast between holiness, as presented in this writing, and the moralistic, dogmatic holiness often seen in our society?
4)Does one have to be religious to be holy? Explain.
5)How is holiness related to your being in God? Among others?
6)Do you believe persons of differing religious faiths can share a like holiness? Explain.
* * *
*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical spiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is 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 hymn story is from Robert J. Morgan. Then Sings My Soul. The quote from Sikhism was found at http://www.unification.net/ws/theme136.htm , March 31, 2009.
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