Romans 8:1-17 Response

In Christ, the life that we have through the spirit is marked by profound freedom: freedom from the need to justify ourselves, freedom from the need to grasp for power and freedom to embrace a new identity.

This semester I have been participating in a book study on Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline with some of my residents here at Gordon.  We have read about prayer, fasting, submission, service, meditation, silence, confession and celebration, among others.  At first look, it seems that this sort of devotional reading would be anything but encouraging.  As grace-embracing believers we often balk at those things that remind us of the “oughts” and “shoulds” we thought we’d left behind.  But the more I have reflected upon the role of the spiritual disciplines in the Christian life, the more I have come to see them as a grace in and of themselves—a gift, a means for experiencing freedom in Christ and life in the Spirit.

Just as a watering can is no nourishment to parched soil apart from the water that flows from it and the hand that pours, so the disciplines are a means for experiencing grace and a tool given to us for the cultivation of our hearts.  The land is already ours.  The work of salvation has purchased the soil of our hearts for the King, and yet we are privileged to be a part of the cultivation—sanctification, if you will—of that soil.  If you’re like me, those tools are left too long in the shed.  I come to fear them—mis-believing that it is their power and mine alone that will bring forth fruit from the rocky ground of my heart.  But oh what a freedom, what a joy to remember that our call in this is to faithfulness—and it is His to bear the fruit.  We will quickly turn the tools into idols if we ask of them our salvation.

At the same time, if we neglect the use of such tools as the spiritual disciplines, we will miss out on a gift intended to aid us in experiencing the freedom of the Gospel.  Our Heavenly Farmer does not call us to produce the fruit of salvation OR sanctification, but to take joy in the freedom of working alongside Him—with His strength—as we cultivate the kingdom in our own hearts and the hearts of all we meet.  If you have never intentionally engaged the spiritual disciplines, would you consider the blessing that it might be to you?

-Considering the discipline of silence: This week, be aware of the talk that comes from your mouth—and heart.  How much of it is self-justifying?  Practice silence—or minimized speech—in contexts where you are tempted to self-justify.  Let God be your justifier.

-Considering the discipline of prayer: Greg talked about “active listening” as a way of receiving spiritual nourishment from God.  This week, try to use those small moments of time that are often filled (literally) with other things, to listen to God.  (ex: Ask God to speak to your heart as you drive to work and refrain from listening to the radio.)

-Caveat: In all of these things, steer clear of the temptation to legalism or self-righteous thinking.  For those of us who are “do-ers”, sometimes the true discipline is to do nothing and in our hearts give thanks for the grace and freedom of God.

~Cherri Anderson