Ancient Spiritual Practices For Modern Day Lifestyles

In today’s search for spiritual relevance, it can serve us to study the scriptures to discover fresh perspectives on how to connect with God. One way is through the study of ancient spiritual practices, rooted in the lives of God’s people which is traced back to Abraham. Spiritual practices are not meant to bring a religious discipline of works into our lives, but rather to make our faith more alive
and awaken our spiritual nature.

What do I mean by “ancient spiritual practices?”

There are at least 7 major spiritual practices in the Bible which can be found in the lives of the prophets, old testament saints and Jesus himself. These include:

1.) Pilgrimage: serves to undercut nationalism, ethnocentrism and racism
2.) Fasting: exercises self control to defy gluttony, lust and greed
3.) The Sacred Meal: emphasizes reconciliation with God, neighbor and enemy
4.) Common Prayer: knowing God in daily life
5.) Giving: bridging the gap between rich and poor
6.) The Sabbath: liberation from exploitation and workaholism
7.) Sacred Seasons: provides memories and anticipation for the community

Adept students of karate will tell you that Black Belts must master about 12 moves practiced millions of times to reach their level of expertise rather than learning a million different moves. In the same way, ancient spiritual practices can be viewed as a framework to assist us in enriching our relationship with God. When we seek to exercise these practices within an authentic community, the personal and shared experiences can open up an entirely new dimension of spiritual life with one another.

Jesus Christ was not a “Christian.” He was a Jew proclaiming a new way of life for both the Jew and the Gentile. This new way of life is sometimes in sharp contrast to the modern day Christian religion which has built in thousands of years of tradition on top of the original gospel of Jesus to suit its own needs.
The “Jesus Way” calls for a new way of life entirely. Are we open to this call? Ancient spiritual practices can assist us in making sure that we are in alignment with God’s call to this new order.

A “movement” is defined as people following and modeling the moves of their leader. We must constantly check ourselves to make sure we are acting as Christ followers vs. becoming adherents to a Christian religion. “Communities” of spiritual practice can help us become formed and transformed while learning how to love God and one another in every day life.

Experiment with a few of these spiritual practices. Note which ones you are familiar with and which ones you would like to implement more in your life. Begin working on and sharing these practices together in your faith communities and expect transformation. Sometimes we must look back in order to move forward!

RC