The Fruit of the Spirit: Incarnational Displays of the Divine

At our church, we are in the process of studying the Fruit of the Spirit, recorded by the Apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 5.

²³"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (vs. 22-23)

Over the past several weeks our Pastor has led us through a study of each of these fruit, defining them, discussing their respective qualities, as well as their practical application, relating them to various biblical stories and/or passages where they are clearly visible.

This series has been interesting, challenging, and above all, thought provoking. It has led my wife and I to re-examine our lives in light of these fruit, honestly appraising the extent to which we exhibit them in our lives as a whole. I'd be less than honest if I said that I've not suffered some deep conviction through this process, realizing that in many areas of my life, as it relates to these virtues, there's just so much room for improvement.

The Eucharist and Me: A Journey of Discovery

Our family recently returned to the United Methodist Church. My wife and I were both raised in Pentecostal churches but left it ten years ago and made our home in the UMC. A year ago, for various reasons, Shery and I made a deliberate decision to return to the Pentecostal church in an attempt to reconnect with our former heritage. While it was a wonderful experience in many respects, it was largely unsuccessful and in many ways, a defining one. While all churches participate in some form of liturgy, the formal and sacred quality of mainline liturgy has become an irreducible part of our worship expectations.

Yesterday, we experienced Communion for the first time since our return to the UMC. Over the year in which we attended Pentecostal churches, Communion was observed very little. Ten years ago when we first attended a mainline church, Communion was what drew us in. It was unlike anything my wife and I had ever experienced. The beauty of the language and the sacredness in which it was approached was entirely new to us. It was very moving, to say the least. Going an entire year without that left us feeling empty and wanting more. So, as you can imagine, the experience yesterday was tremendously refreshing.

The Church and the Social Gospel

Glenn Beck, radio and television talk show host, has always been controversial. He thrives on it. I am not a fan and I think I will leave it at that. My personal opinions of the man and his overall ideology is better left unsaid. And, I hardly have the time today, so that is another incentive to keep my mouth shut at this time. I would, however, like to touch on a subject that has created much controversy over recent days. Mr. Beck encouraged people attending churches that used the term social or economic justice to leave and find another church. He also equated social/economic justice to socialism, etc.

After steaming about this for a week now, and joining every "anti-Beck" group I could find on Facebook, I have had time for the initial indignation to subside and to really think about this problem. Unfortunately, Beck's sentiment is wide spread, and even Christians are very divided on the issue of social justice and what role the church should play in addressing the woes of society. There are two scriptures that come to my mind that address this very issue and I think they are very important in helping us to reflect upon our place in the world as people of faith. And really, that is what the core argument is all about to me. What part should the church or person of faith play in addressing the social and economic evils present in our world?

The work of spiritual recovery

The act of spiritual recovery can be a daunting challenge at times. Some time ago, I realized that my perceptions of God and religion had become nothing more than clinical exercises that left me feeling lost and spiritually destitute. It was not a pleasant admission to say the least. Personal introspection and honestly appraising one's catalog of ideas and the beliefs that direct your spiritual journey can be a most unpleasant task.

I would like to say that the solution to this problem is to simply return to the place where we last felt right. Of course, as with most spiritual problems, it is not always that easy. Our spiritual journey can not be measured in snapshots. The balance of experience, circumstances, education, acculturation, etc, all work together to make us who we are and who we are becoming. The narrative of our spiritual lives must stand as written, no matter how tempting it is to discard certain chapters and rewrite the story in a way that makes it more palatable to us in retrospect.

Marriage: Is love enough?

I wasn't going to write today. It's been a rough week, both physically and otherwise. But, I feel compelled to write something that has been on my mind all morning. There is a scripture in Ephesians where Paul is admonishing couples. Let's look at it real quick:

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Eph 5:24-33 (KJV)

Before I go further, let me just say that I am not a marriage expert. In fact, I am the exact opposite! So, what I write can be taken any way you choose, but it's more for me today that I write.

Paul begins his admonition here with a statement (one that I did not include) about women submitting to their husbands and that the man is the head of the wife. Now, I am not going to deal with that part at all because the weightier matter is before us. Husbands, love your wives. Now, why did he say that? Love your wives? This instruction to love your wife is repeated numerous times in the canon of writings ascribed to Paul. I remember reading this one time and thinking, if a man has to be told to love his wife, he has a serious problem. Love is the very foundation of marriage, is it not?