Friday, January 12, 2007

Spiritual Delights...

I've been brainstorming a bit and here are some of the spiritual delights I've been able to think of:

Scripture: reading(both private and public), study, meditation, and memorization

worship: singing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs (both private and corporate), playing instruments, dancing, shouting, clapping, lifting hands, bowing/kneeling/falling face down, visual (painting, drawing, ect...)

writing: songwriting, poetry, prose, journaling or prayer journaling

prayer: corporate both large and small groups, private

fasting: corporate and private, long and short term

fellowship: feasting and communion, practising gifts (building up one another), serving sacrificially, giving and sharing, hospitality,church, receiving (prayer,prophetic words,correction, healing, encouragment)

reading: biographies (of godly men and women in particular), church and revival history, mind opening fiction, solid 'christian living' stuff, hymns and poetry, anything else that expands your view of God and causes you to fall on your face in humble adoration of your Creator

listening/seeing: sermons, prophetic words, music, teachings, movies/theatre/drama


I'm looking for ideas . One area I'm interested in exploring is food/mealtimes. As a person who struggles with loving food too much, I am convinced that there is a way to eat "to the glory of God", in a way that helps me delight in him more instead of delighting in food more. ( I believe it was Smith Wigglesworth who read a chapter of the Bible with every meal to remind himself that we need God more than food.) I think this principle applies to every aspect of living, and I would enjoy hearing creative ideas about how to implement delighting in God in the midst of normal everyday activities. I'm basically looking for ways to open myself up to enjoy hearing God's voice more and more. Obviously, the first place I would start is getting Scripture more to the forefront of my mind. I think the method of Bible reading mentioned earlier, as well as memorization (both traditional and musical) will be key to helping me hone my listening skills. I've already found listening to good sermons and reading out loud to be very helpful in this-- there's something powerful about hearing the Word as opposed to silent reading. Also, one of my new favorite things to do is play guitar while alternating reading out loud (sometimes shouting) and singing Psalms from my Lutheran hymnal.

I'm not interested in setting goals as far as time or method is concerned. Mostly, I just want to spend more time enjoying God in all kinds of ways. I want to be more aware of his presence and more devastated when I'm not. I think this can only happen when I'm consciously with him more, both alone and with others (though I think the 'with others' bit is even more necessary than the 'alone' bit), abiding in him and being filled with him.

Maybe I'll consider this name for my book, assuming I ever really write it:

Spiritual Delights: God is Better Than Chocolate



No, too much like a diet book...

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