Importance: 10%
The Big Idea: An📃Epistle used for OS in Jan 2023 covering a basic look at healthy Christian living.
We are people who have received an incredible gift. Salvation from sin, death and the devil. This salvation makes us children of God and heirs of His coming kingdom which will have no end. Amen.
These few words and their various forms are things we often hear or repeat in worship. Yet so often Monday comes and we are left with the question: Well, what now?
At the core of this question is the realization that life is about living and doing things. Every single day includes things like getting up, eating, going places, working, and learning. But how does the gift of Christ’s salvation come into the midst of these normal ordinary things?
Our Christian answer to this question is one that has been formulated in various ways throughout many cultures. For example, being a Christian in the Roman Empire looked different than being a Christian in 16th century Germany. But the core answer is always the same. Living as a Christian is about allowing the gift of salvation to permeate every part of our day. In the book of first Timothy, Paul compares types of training to make this point: “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” - 1 Timothy 4:8
The Church has a long history of Spiritual Disciplines as the specific activities with which to live out “training in godliness.” These Christian practices range from different ways to pray, eat, read the Bible, and even sleep. Beginning in the 500s Monks began to order their days around nine set hours called the daily offices. During these special hours, the whole community stopped to pray, sing, and read Scripture. Over time these daily offices became more and more complex until Luther pointed out that monks no longer brought the gift of salvation into the midst of their days, but had completely gotten rid of a normal day to day schedule. In response to this, we see in the catechism intentional examples of how to pray as families, during meals and before and after work. Once again bringing Christ’s gift of salvation into the midst of all life, not just for those who are locked in a monastery.
As Christians today, we often struggle with the opposite problem. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone currently alive that struggles with stopping to pray so much they never get anything else done! Rather, we often go about our days being sucked into so many cares and worries with the gift of salvation as a distant reality.
Living as a Christian is a continual balancing act. We seek to faithfully carry out the jobs and roles our lives call us to while also inviting Christ into the middle of everything we do. In order to make this happen in our lives each day, we have a vast repertoire of spiritual disciplines to learn and choose from. For example, while Luther recognized the impracticality of nine daily offices, he retained the main times of prayer in the morning, evening, and at bedtime as important times to slow down and connect with God and one another. In fact, you can still find these services in our hymnal today: Matins (for in the morning), Vespers (for in the evening) and Compline (for bedtime). These services are wonderful examples of what it can look like to bring the gift of salvation into the midst of our often hectic and busy lives.
As we seek to live as Christians, we are free to explore and grow. We have a rich history of innumerable generations who have each intentionally shaped their lives around Christ in unique ways. From blacksmiths to airplane pilots, students to CEOs, we all have an opportunity to take the gift of salvation with us everywhere we go. It is amazing how God can use even the simplest practice to help ground and reorient us toward His love and grace.
As we enter this new year, I encourage you to take some time and evaluate your life. Rather than resolutions to finally eat right or exercise more, consider training in Godliness. What could it look like for you to intentionally bring God’s wonderful gifts into the routine of your day? What an opportunity, what an Adventure! I pray that Christ’s love may guide you into a life full of His beauty and grace. Amen.