Building Spiritual Strength to Face Challenging Times - August 2021
In the Sermon on August 8, 2021,
we talked about the spiritual discipline of Beholding the Glory of God.
From the sermon, “This week, I invite you to unlock the door that stands between you and God. It’s not locked on God’s side. It’s locked on yours. You may find that it gives way easily or you may have to get on your knees (literally or metaphorically) to open it. Whatever it takes for you, open it wide and practice the discipline of looking for God; beholding God’s glory.”
Here are some specific suggestions on how to incorporate this into your daily life, along with some encouragement for you.
This week I challenge you to make a conscious effort to engage in the spiritual discipline of beholding God’s glory. At first it may seem difficult, but with a little practice it gets easier and easier.
Start by looking for people that shine, love that like a bright beam shows through any and all layers of hate, fear and confusion that may cover it. Seek the Holy Spirit energy that, like a bright light connects you with the glory of God.
On that mountaintop on the day of the Transfiguration, Jesus beamed, his clothes, his face, his being was radiant with glory.Peter, James and John hiked up a mountain and found themselves in the right place at the right time. They got to behold the glory of God shown in Jesus that day.
How can we connect with the amazing power and glory of God?
Here’s my suggestion:
- Re-read or just think about this story and spend some time today and every day this week, in quiet prayer and meditation inviting the image of the Transfiguration to fill you.
- Consider how it makes you feel, then
- Remember that God’s glory still shines today and go out into the world to find it. Whether large or small, look for manifestations of that glory. What you’ll find may not be as overwhelmingly clear as the Transfiguration, but that’s ok. God’s glory shines in subtle ways too, and we want to delight in every glimmer!
Where do you behold the glory of God? Look for it outside of you and inside of you.
Outside, I see it in my grandchildren, I see it in tall, tall trees, in steep cliffs, in amazing waterfalls and I see it in you. Inside I find it in the way I feel when I sit quietly and enjoy a cup of tea, when I talk to an old friend, when I sing and let the praise well up in my heart as I do so. Transfiguration isn’t just how something looks; it’s how something feels. It isn’t just for Jesus. We, too, are made in the image of God. We may not shine as brightly, but we do shine. And the world needs the light that we can bring to it. So, this week, practice beholding the glory of God, then go out and shine.
Suggestions of Things to think about this week:
- The voice of God said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him.” What does that mean to you?
- Where do you behold the glory of God?
- What helps you connect with that glory so that you, too, can shine with the love of God?
Suggestions of Things to do this week:
- Continue to be thoughtful, careful, and prayerful.
- Unlock the door that stands between you and God and seek to behold the glory of God. When you do, you’ll see God in new and unexpected ways.
- Go out and shine as the light of Christ to this world in need.
Also, come back next week, either in-person or online. We have lots of love and scripture to share, lots of hope to pass around, lots of spiritual strength to inspire.
Joining in worship is always a good idea, but it’s especially important in the challenging times. So, I look forward to being with you again next Sunday.
I welcome you to reach out to share whatever experiences you might have with this. Next week, we’ll try another spiritual discipline. And week after week we’ll get stronger, go deeper and offer ourselves to be transformed more and more into the people God is calling us to be.
God bless you this week and always,
Rev. Susan+
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
3290 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, California 93003
[email protected](805) 643-5033www.saintpaulsventura.org
Twitter: @stpaulsventuraFacebook: St. Paul’s Ventura