Cultivating Awareness of God Through the Rule of Life
Explore the Rule of Life as a trellis for spiritual practices, guiding decisions and fostering love through Rest, Prayer, Love of God, Relationships, and Work. Learn to structure daily life for greater awareness of God's presence, seeking delight and rest in various activities. Prepare for Sabbath to rejuvenate and guard against laziness, embracing true rest to ignite passion and renewal.
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Presentation Transcript
Our hopes for this seminar Clarify the Rule of Life and each category within in it Help you put pen-to-paper Generate ideas Remove obstacles Answer questions
Rule of Life A trellis which organizes our unique combination of spiritual practices into a structure that enables us to pay attention to God in everything we do Not simply activities we do (or don t do) but a means by which we are able to receive and give the love of God A practical filter to help us make decisions about what we will say yes/no to, how we will act on what we say we value Start small, making it a live document, refine/tinker over time
Rest Prayer Love of God (Receive/Give)) Relationships Work
An approach to all of life, not just figuring out a day off Rest as part of the Creation order (Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) God works, then rests, then works, then rests Rest is a hinge for our lives We want to be people who work from rest and not just work for rest Sabbath 24hr period once per week when you stop working (paid & unpaid) to rest physically, spiritually, emotionally This isn t just about stopping from work, it s about trusting God You will think about work on Sabbath Sabbath is being present with God, yourself, the moment Sabbath isn t a we can t do that day, it s a let s make this day different day
What do I need to stop that relates to my work --- paid and unpaid? List the activities that create delight and rest for you: Naps? Good food? Exercise? Nature? Family time? Woodwork? Writing? Cooking? Painting? Reading? Life giving relationships? If you work with your hands, sabbath with your mind. If you work with your mind, sabbath with your hands. How can you structure your day to cultivate a greater awareness of God in your life and in the world? What might help you see God s goodness and miracles all around you today?
Consider an evening to an evening (I.E. 6pm - 6pm, Saturday eve Sunday eve) We need to prepare for our Sabbath Some work needs to happen so you can stop work. (Hire a babysitter, make Sabbath happen for your spouse, groceries done, etc.) Though your day may be slower, beware of laziness. Laziness: Wastes time, dulls you out, empties you Rest: Reenergizes, revitalizes, refreshes, ignites passion, prepares
Rest Monday Sabbath Sabbath Cycling (Min 2hrs) Get outside/movement 4x/wk Plan and cook good food on Mondays & Weekends 2 wk vacation each August Bi-annual getaway with Sandra Limited social media Bi-weekly counselling sessions No screens/media after 9:30pm on weekdays
Personal practices, spiritual practices, spiritual disciplines Not things that we do to impress God, but the ways we receive the love of God If we want to be free, then we require structure Activities that enable us to launch into the deep Sacred Pathways Naturalists, Sensate, Traditionalists, Ascetics, Activists, Caregivers, Enthusiasts, Contemplatives, Intellectuals Practices can be done individually, or stacked together
Sacred Pathways Gary Thomas 1. Naturalists creation as God s cathedral 2. Sensates sounds, sights, smells, tangibles 3. Traditionalists loving God through ritual and symbol 4. Ascetics solitude, silence, simplicity, stripping away 5. Activists doing good, confronting evil 6. Caregivers showing mercy and love by action 7. Enthusiasts Celebration & Mystery 8. Contemplatives slow, silent, reflective engagement 9. Intellectuals loving God with the mind (reading, dialogue, debate, learning)
Scripture Reading Plan (YouVersion) Praying the Scripture (Lectio365) Prayer of Examen (Reimagine the Examen) Silence & Solitude Fasting Celebration Thankfulness Daily offices (3-5 time slots per day) (Day by Day by Scazzero) Confession & Repentance Community (Home Groups)
The Life Youve Always Wanted John Ortberg Sacred Pathways Gary Thomas Celebration of Discipline Richard Foster Praying the Bible Donald Whitney
Prayer Daily Morning & Evening (Spurgeon) OR Reading Plan Revelation reading Prayer of Examen 3x/wk Daily journaling/thought dump min. one page 15 minutes of breathing/ listening per day Day alone with God once a month
Relationships dont just happen, yet they are an essential part of experiencing life with God We cannot be deeply connected to hundreds of people, and only deep and substantial relationships have the power to change us for the better Who helps us see & follow Jesus more? Who is safe, loving and for us? Who are the people we have (or can) share real life with? Who has God put in my life for me to love and serve? It takes guts, faith & prayer to make a small list
If you have a spouse what are the weekly, monthly & yearly points of connection and growth? If you have children, what are one or two areas of connection (time, activity) for each of them? With whom can you more naturally share your house, possessions or meals? Who do you need to ask for more 1-on-1 time with (either once, to start, or more regularly)? What are the 3-5 names of people (not in your family) that might be people God wants you to invest time/life in?
Whether paid or unpaid, there is good work that God has given you to do on the earth - fits with your personality, skills, experiences and passions (may not be 40 hrs/wk) Some of us need better boundaries (and to take more risks) with not letting work dominate our schedules need to create more room for unpaid work and relationships Some of us need a better vision for work than a necessary evil or a paycheck The people we work with, for or over matter to God they are the most vaulable part of our work
How can you prioritize people (not just task) at work? What are the key priorities on your task list (ask Jesus)? What hard boundaries (hours, travel, extra ) do you need? What risks do you need to take at work by asking for more or less of something?
