Takes Time, Takes Practice
FROM THE RECTOR
People rarely stumble into greatness. Being exceptional at anything—even for those born with rare talent—requires commitment and practice. The same is true for those pursuits we enjoy despite not being recognized for our accomplishments. Think of something you are good at, something you enjoy, something you love to do. Singing, baking, running, reading, writing, drawing—whatever it is, you do not need to be world class at it in order to enjoy the hard, deliberate work of honing that craft in order to delight in it further. Most of us measure our success not in the blue ribbons we win but in that feeling of gratitude that comes from practicing something over and over until we feel like we have accomplished something.
Sometimes we forget that spiritually meaningful pursuits take practice, too. On Ash Wednesday and the first few Sundays in Lent, when we kneel in worship for a prolonged period, I recognize that the ache in my legs is a sign that I have not engaged in that posture of prayer often enough. Though more subtle, I feel a similar weariness when I return to a practice like extended silence after a few months of other forms of prayer. Sitting quietly and listening to God for longer than a moment or two requires a commitment to daily practice. If I were to abandon a spiritual discipline after only one or two attempts because it did not come easily, I would never know the benefits that come only through persistence.
When Joshua accepted the mantle of leadership of God’s people after Moses’ death, he delivered a pep talk that exhorted the people to pursue prosperity by nurturing their relationship with God every day:
Be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:7-9
The way of God is something we pursue day and night, over and over, in order that we might be led by God into our best lives. It requires daily practice. To associate God’s vision of prosperity with the accumulation of wealth and power is to confuse worldly success with heavenly riches. Throughout the Bible, God reveals to us that our true prosperity is defined by the peace associated with universal flourishing. When we practice the way of God, which we recognize most fully in the way of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, we pursue, always and only with God’s help, that best life that God has in store for us. That life is something we cannot pursue every once in a while, when it is convenient to us, but is something we must seek daily.
Commit to the daily practice of your faith. Start each day with a prayer of thanksgiving. Set aside an hour every morning to read the Daily Office, sit in silence, and write in a journal. Stop each evening before you walk into your home to give thanks for the day that has passed. Walk around the block and pray for your neighbors. Say the words of Compline every night before you go to bed. None of those steps is magic, yet, like a river that over centuries cuts a canyon through a sandstone mountain, the daily commitment to deepening your relationship with God has the power to shape you and your life in profound ways.
This month, we are focused in particular on the financial practices we can use to deepen our faith. Like daily prayer, our commitment to giving is a way to align our hearts and minds and wills with God, and, like prayer, its power to shape us depends on our willingness to practice. We cannot grow closer to God by deciding at the end of the year to give part of our bonus to the church. Instead, we must make using our financial resources to support what God is doing in the world around us a priority that has daily implications. When we plan our budget around our giving, every dollar we spend—on food, on clothing, on leisure—becomes an expression of our faith. With a first-fruits approach, whatever we decide to buy is already subject to the spiritual commitment we have made, and that approach to our money has the power to change us radically.
That kind of intentional giving takes time and practice. This Sunday is Celebration Sunday, when we are invited to make a commitment of our resources to God’s work in and through St. Paul’s. At the end of all three services, the congregation will be invited to complete their estimate of giving cards and place them on the altar as an offering to God of their financial lives in the coming year. Those worshipping at home will have the chance to complete their commitment online. Before you come to church, please take some time to think about how your giving can become a daily spiritual practice. Start with a commitment to spiritual growth and let your financial commitment grow from there.
Yours Faithfully,
Evan