Spiritual Balance – Page 21 – Andrea Arthur Owan

Enjoying the Benefits of Not Reading

FOR MY Free-for-All Friday posts, I often refer to and recommend a book I’ve been reading, one I think you’d enjoy or that could grow or enlarge your faith. But I haven’t read much the last month, which, for an author who’s a voracious reader, is really unordinary. I was enjoying the benefits that come from not having my eyes plastered to the words in a book or magazine or characters in a text or email.

Spending 25 days on a pilgrimage can do that to you. Change your focus.

But I don’t mean to imply that I didn’t read anything. I read—and tried to decipher—signs written in foreign languages. (I’m happy to say that, for the most part, I did pretty well with this!)

I also read special pilgrim maps, so we wouldn’t get lost or miss one of those special yellow and blue shell signs marking the route. (Our biggest obstacle to this was getting our brains used to the British-sourced maps that direct you to the top of the page for south, rather than the other way around. I never did get my brain adjusted. Thankfully, Chris did!)

And I read brief historical literature or pamphlets about the towns, villages, castles or churches we visited, and the people who made them famous.

And I read a few bus terminal signs and restaurant menus. And several texts from my kids. But not very many. And I wrote several brief ones in return. On Chris’s phone.

Satisfying a goal—

Part of our pilgrimage goal—mentally, physically and spiritually—was to deliberately divest ourselves of the daily anxieties of life. Like staying engaged in the endless world discourse, reading breaking news flashes, television-scrolling news briefs, texts and emails so we could “be in the know.” Instead, we wanted to be fully engaged in our moment-by-moment experiences. Undistracted from the here and now. Totally absorbed in where the map and our feet took us, in the conversations shared (and I do mean shared) at festival seating meal tables, in the geography of the land, and in the habits of its inhabitants.

Totally absorbed in what was happening to our bodies, minds and spirits.

I didn’t lug along a computer. My iPad rested peacefully in its pocket in my desk cabinet back home. I didn’t bring a magazine or book to kill time during down times. From the moment our plane lifted off the John F. Kennedy International Airport runway on its way to Paris and I returned home 26 days later, my phone was engaged in Airplane mode. (Actually, it took me two additional days after returning home to shut off the Airplane Mode toggle.) I had it along only to take pictures, and if a dire emergency warranted a call. It never did.

Frankly, I was surprised at how quickly and happily my brain and five senses responded to this new program.

They became fully engaged and magnified as they absorbed the sights, sounds and smells of pastoral settings brimming with sheep, cattle and horses, succulent green grasses, dank and mildewed medieval churches and monasteries, lazy rivers, spring-fed, dripping water fountains, the excited conversations of expectant pilgrims ready to start their journeys, the laughter of people enjoying al fresco dining and intimate conversations, the tick-tick-tick of un-capped hiking poles on cobbled streets.

And that was just on the first day!

My brain was so busy absorbing the sensory input I focused on that it didn’t have an opportunity to log one iota of regret at what it was missing out on.

And for the first time in a very long time my brain and I felt fully alive!

And so very grateful to be so.

In my last Free-for-All Friday post, I mentioned that I would be on a pilgrimage to discover a body and soul waltz. Now that my official pilgrimage is over for now, I can tell you my body and my soul quickly embraced the new tempo and melded together in perfect timing and rhythm, playing off of one another and gliding in synchrony.

It was a dance I didn’t want to end, and I’m making sure it won’t.

Next week Friday I’ll tell you how I’m accomplishing that. Maybe you’ll find some ideas and tips to accomplish the same things in your life.

I hope so.

But please join me this coming Monday when we’ll start preparing our hearts and minds for Thanksgiving!

Until then,

engage all of your senses in the moment. Be not only conscious but conscientious in every thought, word and life nuance.

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photo by Ian on Unsplash.com

Are You Double-Minded With Too Many Worldviews?

Today we’re wrapping up our worldview discussion with a major question:

How many worldviews do you have?

Over the last several months we’ve looked at some major movers and shakers in world philosophy. And we’ve discussed the basic beliefs of some of the most influential worldviews.

During our discussion, what did you discover about your own personal worldview?

Do you have a melting (or boiling) pot of worldviews? Have you melded an assortment of them together, like a smorgasbord?

Maybe you lean toward Marxism, as so many seem to do now without even knowing they do. Do you view religion as an opium for an oppressed creature?

Do you take a rational view of the world? Maybe you’ve combined a little Naturalism—like Environmentalism and Earth-focus—with a dabble of Romanticism and Christian Theism. That combination might make you feel more in tune with the polytheists of the world.

Or would you relate to being a staunch Realist, or an Absurdist who thinks the world is one big pointless joke that ends in Nothing. Nihil.

The disciple, James, had some scathing words for those who couldn’t make up their minds.

“…the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind… Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

Like the wave of a sea, blown and tossed by the wind, double-minded and unstable.

I don’t know anyone who wants to be considered unstable, tossed around by a multitude of beliefs, unsure of their past, present or future. Unsure offer worried about, the foundation upon which they stand.

I think we would all be wise to know what we believe and why.

And strive to build our house upon the Rock!

What worldview have you built your house on?

As you read this post, I’m learning how to be a pilgrimage, doing a lot of meditating on how I do life, and probably how I can do it better. I expect to return enlightened and changed.

Because of this,MEDITATION MONDAYS will be on hiatus until October 15, when we’ll start our journey of preparing our hearts for Thanksgiving with a look at gratefulness.

Until then, be convinced about what you believe and why. Know the facts. People who have done a honest study of Christianity—even with the sole intent of proving it wrong—have come to the conclusion that its founder really is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Knowing that and living like you believe it, will make your life’s path straight!

Looking forward to being back with you in a month!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Worldview Philosophies: The Lowdown on Realism, Absurdism and Existentialism

Today we come to the last three major philosophies—Realism, Absurdism, and Existentialism—in our worldview discussions. They give us an idea about just how weird the world can get in its thinking. Although there are many more philosophies we could cover, we’re sticking to the major ideas that have profoundly shaped our world, its politics, and social beliefs.

Meet Naturalism’s cousin Realism—

Realism has the same substance as Naturalism but takes that philosophy to the extreme. Realism says that if people were really honest, they’d admit that there wasn’t any God at all, that He doesn’t exist and never did. An Evolutionist (although we could argue that evolutionism by itself could be called a religion or philosophy) might fall into this category. Everything’s here by chance and God, or any god, doesn’t have a thing to do with it.

Realists embrace (and worship) reality. In their mind, that’s what should drive the world. Some have called it an “in-your-face” view of life. These are the “telling it like it is” folks. Whatever happens on earth stays on earth, and it’s all just a big game of luck, aside from what they can force into reality, to make happen. And that’s what they get meaning from. There is no abstract in life from which you can draw meaning. It is what you can see and experience.

Say Hello to the Absurdist, close friend of Realist—

The Absurdist believes what the Realist does, but takes it a step further. For them, there is no meaning to life. Zilch. The Absurdist abandons all hope of finding meaning in existence. At heart, you could consider them embracers of nihilism. They’re hardcore skeptics, pessimists and cynics that see nothing good or purposeful in the world. All religious and moral principles can be rejected because they ultimately mean nothing. Why would they if nothing in the world has real existence?

The extreme Russian Revolutionary Party held to Absurdism. Because they saw nothing good in the social order of their day, they didn’t see anything about it worth saving. On the contrary, they thought it should all be destroyed. And that’s what they set out to do.

They even reject the Romantic’s belief in a desire, that parts or aspects of life were transcendent. To an Absurdist, desire cannot exist if life is senseless, meaningless, and therefore, devoid of hope. The American author, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., combined Absurdismand Humanismin his writings. However, while he sometimes set outrageous plots and hopeless characters, there were undercurrents of encouragement for people making the world a better place. Somehow.

In an interview with Robert Musil in 1980, Vonnegut expressed his view on the condition of life, a condition that strongly correlates with the idea of the absurd:

“I think that at least half the people alive, and maybe nine-tenths of them, really do not like this ordeal at all. They pretend to like it some, to smile at strangers, and to get up each morning in order to survive, in order to somehow get through it. But life is, for most people, a very terrible ordeal. They would just as soon end it anytime. And I really think that is more of a problem really than greed or machismo or anything like that. I think that’s the fundamental thing that’s going on. (Musil 129) (Krisandra R. Johnson, Indiana Wesleyan University, published in Butler University Libraries’ Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research Journal, Volume 4, Article 7 )

Pretty sad commentary, isn’t it? Although I have a suspicion that he’s right about how people feel about life. As I view it, the problem, is that these despondent (and usually angry) people don’t have the hope they need to make this life meaningful, regardless of what situation they find themselves in. And they haven’t passed that hope down to their children, who are now suffering record numbers of depression and suicide.

Existentialism: Welcome subjective feeling as the way to live!

Existentialists don’t debate meaning of life. They go for the feelingit gives them. Who cares what it means? There’s no point to discussing meaning since it’s the feelingthat matters. They worship experience. No wonder an existentialist tends to go from one feeling to another, and search for it constantly.

No deity needed on this one. The goal is to do what feels good. The reality of life exists in human desire not some God who created and manages the universe. According to an Existentialist, discovering and experiencing your desires leads you to the divine. Not a true divinity, but a divine (perfect) existence.

They focus on making sense of the chaos in life and seeking to learn their life purpose, their reason for being. Evidently Existentialism as a writing genre is regaining popularity among the millennial generation. Not surprising since many of them don’t have a Judeo-Christian foundation to draw from; or their Judeo-Christian foundation was so legalistic, authoritarian and distasteful that they rejected it and ended up finding something more palatable that felt as though it had some Judeo-Christian ideas attached to it.

And you?

Would your worldview fit any of these philosophies? Have any of them seeped into your life perspective, theology or faith?

NEXT WEEK we’ll have one final formal look at worldview, why it matters, and how you may be affected by these philosophers in ways you didn’t imagine.

Until then, keep trying to figure out what worldviews your political leaders, teachers, writers and media personalities espouse. It will help you figure out what they’re basing their arguments on, how they see the world, approach life, and think you should live it.

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Your Body is a Temple

The last couple of months we’ve been doing a lot of meditating on whether or not we are more spiritual than physical, or if both are equally important to us. Today we’ll look at some additional supporting evidence for a blended combination.

Jesus indicated there are times when, although the spirit may be willing, the flesh fails to comply because it is weak. But does having weak flesh make it less important than our spirit? Even if our spirit/soul continues to exist immediately after physical death and simply moves on to be present with the Lord in a “new house?”

These three critical body and spirit Bible passages indicate that isn’t the case.

“[The body] is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (First Corinthians 15:44).

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (First Corinthians 6:19-20).

“…according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

Take-away—

Temples are important structures. They’re built for a physical and spiritual purpose and are to be a source of respite, of rejuvenation and hope, joy and promise. If God considers our bodies to be temples, how can we regard them as anything less important? And treat them as such?

God says there are both a natural body and a physical one. And both are equally important to us down here on Earth. (For more support, look up the passages having to do with eating and drinking unto the Lord.)

Jesus bought us with His life. He has chosen to take up residence in the hearts of believers. He lives in us. Body and spirit. Because of this, we are to glorify Him in both body and spirit. Our focus should be to glorify Him. The spirit can drive the glorification; but the body does the glorifying.

Every chance you get you must try to magnify Christ—in what you do with your body. What you see with it, experience with it, say with it. How you approach death with it.

Meditation—

In the weeks to come, remind yourself daily that your precious body is a special place to God. A hallowed place, a place set apart for Him.

To God be the glory, great things He has done—in body and spirit!

NEXT WEEK: One more proof that we are a lovely integration of body and spirit.

Until then, take care of your temple! It belongs to the King of the Universe.

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Photo by Kirill Zakharov

Will Your Resurrection be more Spiritual or Physical?

What does your future resurrection mean to you? Do you look forward to it with longing and joy, or questions, fears, and misunderstandings?

Do you believe your spirit will go on eternally but your decrepit, physical body will remain eternally entombed someplace in the Earth?

Today we’re going to explore some Scripture that may impart new meaning, new joy, and new purpose to you for your resurrection, and for your present life on Earth.

Getting it straight—

Throughout the pages of Scripture—Old Testament and New—you can read a promise of, and belief in a future resurrection—spiritual andphysical. There is both a physicality and soul/spiritual component. The physicality of a resurrection actually defines and solidifies the definition of resurrection.

Word pictures of resurrection—

Scripture gives us word pictures of people “coming forth” out of their tombs after hearing God’s voice calling them to come forth, like Jesus called out to Lazarus when He raised that dead man from the grave.

This resurrection will be grand and unspeakable, an awesome display of God’s creative and re-creative and restorative powers. It will be a day unlike any other since Jesus’ Resurrection.

There are Old Testament resurrection passages echoed in the New Testament.

Even Job believed in a bodily resurrection.

Supporting Scripture—

Meditate on the following verses to expand, solidify and encourage your resurrection view and hope.

“But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Jesus speaking in Matthew 22:31-32).

“And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14).

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed” (First Corinthians 15:51-52).

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (First Thessalonians 4:16).

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

“Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are I the graves will hear His voice and com forth—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:51 – 53).

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2)

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I

know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not

another,

How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27).

May your heart yearn within you, dear reader and child of God, for the bodily resurrection you will enjoy, the eternal spirit that already resides within you, and the promise of seeing our precious Savior—in our renewed, restored, and revitalized bodies—face-to-face!

Until NEXT WEEK (when we’ll explore more about the importance of our bodies), may you revel in these truths and meditate on them in supreme joy!

For more reading on this subject see this article on the “desiring God” website.

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Hand and Sea photo by Ian Espinoza

Bible photo by Colin Carey