I have read that today’s unchurched twenty-agers are looking for a dimension of spirituality for their lives. They know there is something beyond the material world, but they do not know what it is. They may describe it as a power or a mystery. They may try different ways to discover true spirituality, and they may conclude that “all paths lead to God.”
Why the interest in spiritual things? It really should come as no surprise. God created us in his image and likeness. This means we have a spiritual component within us that can only be fulfilled in relationship with God. When we disobeyed God in the garden we cut off that relationship and severely damaged the God-image on the inside. Now distorted, it seeks fulfillment in all the wrong places. That’s what causes the sense of guilt, restlessness, and hopelessness. All paths do not lead to God, after all.
What, then, is true spirituality? The apostle Paul testifies of his pursuit of spirituality through prestigious social connections, good education, and religious zealousness. But one day he met the crucified and risen Jesus, and his life forever changed. He wrote to his Philippian friends, “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). Robert Webber described Christian spirituality as “God’s passionate embrace of us; our passionate embrace of God.”
In Luke chapter 7 the unnamed woman, passionately seeking the divine embrace, interrupts the dinner party given for Jesus. We are told she is a “sinner” and that she honors Jesus in a very crude way. She pours on Jesus’ feet two very precious things -- her bottle of tears (representing her prayers poured out before God) and her expensive funeral ointment. Obviously Jesus’ religious hosts are annoyed, and indignantly wonder why Jesus puts up with her outrageous behavior.
The woman is so intent in her spiritual quest that she ignores the Pharisees’ intimidating resistence. Another time she might back away from their glares, but not today. The spiritual vacuum within has driven her to her shameful behaviors. But now, within Jesus, she recognizes the incarnation of God himself, there to restore wholeness and reach out for divine embrace. Jesus does not disappoint. All those misdirected efforts to find fulfillment, he says, are forgiven.
Misguided twenty-somethings seeking spiritual fulfillment in the wrong places need to hear this story. They need to hear that the void within is filled, not with drugs or Yoga or philosophy, but with the real Jesus who became flesh and blood and now lives within our flesh and blood. Jesus is indeed the only path to God.
It seems our discipleship efforts need to include ways to help people fulfill the spiritual hunger within which point to the saving embrace of Jesus Christ. Our system of providing committed learning relationships needs to go beyond educating the mind (classes) and touch the heart.
I love this collect from the Book of Common Prayer. It helps me focus on what I need to do to extend spirituality to others through discipleship. It is my prayer for today.
Why the interest in spiritual things? It really should come as no surprise. God created us in his image and likeness. This means we have a spiritual component within us that can only be fulfilled in relationship with God. When we disobeyed God in the garden we cut off that relationship and severely damaged the God-image on the inside. Now distorted, it seeks fulfillment in all the wrong places. That’s what causes the sense of guilt, restlessness, and hopelessness. All paths do not lead to God, after all.
What, then, is true spirituality? The apostle Paul testifies of his pursuit of spirituality through prestigious social connections, good education, and religious zealousness. But one day he met the crucified and risen Jesus, and his life forever changed. He wrote to his Philippian friends, “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). Robert Webber described Christian spirituality as “God’s passionate embrace of us; our passionate embrace of God.”
In Luke chapter 7 the unnamed woman, passionately seeking the divine embrace, interrupts the dinner party given for Jesus. We are told she is a “sinner” and that she honors Jesus in a very crude way. She pours on Jesus’ feet two very precious things -- her bottle of tears (representing her prayers poured out before God) and her expensive funeral ointment. Obviously Jesus’ religious hosts are annoyed, and indignantly wonder why Jesus puts up with her outrageous behavior.
The woman is so intent in her spiritual quest that she ignores the Pharisees’ intimidating resistence. Another time she might back away from their glares, but not today. The spiritual vacuum within has driven her to her shameful behaviors. But now, within Jesus, she recognizes the incarnation of God himself, there to restore wholeness and reach out for divine embrace. Jesus does not disappoint. All those misdirected efforts to find fulfillment, he says, are forgiven.
Misguided twenty-somethings seeking spiritual fulfillment in the wrong places need to hear this story. They need to hear that the void within is filled, not with drugs or Yoga or philosophy, but with the real Jesus who became flesh and blood and now lives within our flesh and blood. Jesus is indeed the only path to God.
It seems our discipleship efforts need to include ways to help people fulfill the spiritual hunger within which point to the saving embrace of Jesus Christ. Our system of providing committed learning relationships needs to go beyond educating the mind (classes) and touch the heart.
I love this collect from the Book of Common Prayer. It helps me focus on what I need to do to extend spirituality to others through discipleship. It is my prayer for today.
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Reading that twenty-agers need spirituality in their lives reminded me of Willow Creek and the "seeker-sensitive" movement. As post-moderns become the loudest voice in churches, will we move away from the seeker-sensitive fad and towards something with deeper spiritual meaning and mystery?
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