Religion vs. Spirituality
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 29.03.09More mature, insightful, and easily better read than myself, Sarah Wilson has posted an article this week titled The Deeper Side. Very interesting notes on the relationship between religion and religious rituals (which I’ve certainly seen as dead and lifeless!), and real, active faith. Essentially, the practice of discipline. Something I am sorely lacking, as any visitors to my apartment can probably tell you. Down to the most basic of life expectations, cleaning the bedroom, I fail. 
Discipline, like getting up in the morning (and the two are sadly linked), is exceedingly hard for me. Maybe someday I’ll grow up.
Today’s sermon, in continuation of the themes the past few weeks, was on… failure. Ever wonder why 120 people, after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, would agree to wait patiently for an unknown event? Sure, they believed the promise that He would send something special, but it was because they knew they needed something special. They’d all failed. And knew it. It’s easy to pick on Peter (having so publicly denied Christ), but they’d all stumbled, fallen, and failed. Of course, the story ends (well, begins!) with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus keeps His promises, and it’s not because we’re good people… it’s because He loves us. Like in addiction counselling, recognising our failings, and truly desiring change, is the first step.
In my life, it’s easy to look back and see failure… lots of it. But it’s also easy to think it’s not that bad, and presume upon God’s grace. This will, I can only assume, be the topic of next weeks sermon!
In the meantime, I highly recommend reading When We Have Failed, What Next? by K. P. Yohannan. Truly someone I respect as a spiritual leader, having persevered through countless trials, and yet openly talks about his failings – weeping at the chances he passed up to minister to the untouchables of his home in India, and urging those around him to seek a deeper relationship with Christ. The book is markedly human, and rather comforting because of it.
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