Most of you know I’ve been on a spiritual journey that is a little out of the ordinary. As I travel along I find there are diversions that take me off the beaten path, the well-worn trail, the safe, predictable (and sane) path of least resistance. The trail ‘less traveled’ is where I find the meat and potatoes rather than the chips and salsa, where I find a solid awareness of what matters the very most in spiritual living . . . and it’s not what you think. You nature lovers will ‘get’ this.
In real life when I get off the main path I’m bound to get poison oak. Even when I stay on the path I’m susceptible. I’ve already gotten my first poison oak rash for the season, it showed up on my forearm and all I did was go to Black Butte Reservoir to view the lake. I don’t know how it happened because I didn’t hike any trails. Maybe I got it from leaning on a rail that had some poison oak residue on it while I was viewing the dam. By nature of its unpredictability, when a person is on the unmarked trail they are bound to make a few unexpected discoveries, and I have. They will also go through an inner thrashing as they clean up the stuff that is impeding their spiritual progress, and it will take some time to recover, like it does for the poison oak to clear up. But then it gets divinely sweet and exceedingly rich (the adverbs and adjectives are necessary).
Anyhoo, the journey has been unusual. Then, every once in awhile, I read something that sparks my interest because it has elements of connectivity that cross over with what I have found in these out-of-the-way places off the mainline, formal, churched spiritual path so to speak. These people, like me, have found, and experienced, the same fascinating, less-talked about, components of the Christian Way, the same rejuvenating core reality, which makes me love it so much; and they love it too. I think if everyone could experience such wonderful “stuff” they would be more inclined to be less satisfied with their present Christian ease of beliefism. At times I try to compartmentalize these findings, but the thing refuses to be fully defined. Yet, it is more real than anything else I’ve ever known as a Christian believer. It is more of a mindset (of openness) and less of a bound system (of closed thinking). It is not harsh, it is gentle. It is not stuffy, it is lively. It is not expected, it is fluid. Lately I’ve been reading the writings of a Catholic priest who has made the same discoveries as me. No, we aren’t a perfect match in all our beliefs, but we both are alive to the gems found in this off-road traipsing into the liveliness of focused-on-Christ originality where the loveliness of spiritual living blossoms and grows.
I hope you’re curious because I’m ready to tell you. Here goes. The side paths are connected to the main path and extend out from it, but they always return back to the original trail-head. These side paths act as an addition, not a subtraction. Quite possibly I can explain it by using a picture of two levels, one on top of the other like is found in a two-story building. As Christians, we have some united beliefs that are the building blocks of our faith. These are areas of no compromise because to compromise would be to change, moderate, or obliterate the belief. These areas of belief center on foundational truths found in the Bible. Because the Bible is God’s word and thereby the true Truth, it provides the structure for Christian faith i.e. similar to how the skeleton provides the structure (framework) for our bodies–otherwise we would be formless blobs. Biblical truth cannot be changed or diluted or the whole living organism breaks down and soon loses its distinctiveness. Both Christian A and Christian B believe in the spiritual truth of redemption for human living kind found through the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The main, traditional path strikes me as Christian A. The secondary, unplanned path describes Christian B. Christian B must become a Christian A before they can add on the “B,” the second level of (spiritual) living space.
LEVEL 1 – CHRISTIAN A — Christian A is a believer who has put their faith in Jesus Christ. These people are regenerate, having gone through a true conversion experience. Their faith is important to them. These believers seek to follow the teachings of Christ and to love their fellow human. Going to church, serving in the church, practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, bible study, and obedience, and partaking in the ordinances and sacraments of the body of Christ are important to them. These are serious Christians who will share their faith, when given the opportunity, with those who have yet to believe in Christ. Christian A is a devoted Christ-follower. Often times these believers are quite devout in their faith. Christian A is not the casual Christian. Some A’s had a dramatic conversion. Others’ had a childhood or quiet conversion. At some point in their faith journey, they decided to dedicate their life to God and now it is their desire to continue traveling on this main path of accessing and living a fulfilling Christian life with an implicit desire to be faithful in all they do. This is descriptive of all true believers who have a strong walk with God that is meaningful to them. There is one troublesome area for Christian A; it is their propensity toward spiritual pride and self-righteous attitudes.
LEVEL 2 – CHRISTIAN B — Christian B goes one step further by entering into a relationship of pure delight and joy in Jesus Christ. You can’t have a level 2 unless you first have a level 1. Christian B has all the elements of Christian A in their life, but they are living with more awareness and fullness, which could be called the abundant Christian life. Like the second story of a building, they have added usable space on to their spiritual life. Quite by accident they begin to realize that there is another dimension to faith. Next, they begin to discover second-story living as they begin to develop a close, living relationship with God. These Christian believers are not satisfied with a functional faith (the main path); they have gone beyond the conventional wisdom to discover what there is to find in the secret places (the side path). Like Brother Lawrence, they practice living in Presence. Ask, Seek, and Knock is their guide into the unknown lands and then they absorb and go with what they find. Christian B knows what it is to delight in the Lord, and it has a lot to do with meditation and contemplative praying and seeking. Christian B is fully awakened into Jesus Christ (you will observe some of Jesus’ traits in them). Faith, for him or her, is alive, nurturing and life-giving and is not at all stale, boring or routine. This is a win-win for their Christian walk because this is what God has designed us for, to desire living (interactive) relationship with Him. Salvation makes it possible. Deeper levels of devotion make it delightful.
During Christian B’s foray on the less defined path, this believer will desire to know Christ in an intimate and real way. Because of this, their love, produced by Christ’s influence in their being, will release love that will flow unrestricted to other fellow human beings–friend or enemy, it does not matter because this love is as natural as being alive–simply because these individuals are centered in their soul with energy from the Source of all goodness (God). Sound delightful? It is. People who have this energy from above are living saints, who beam out their wisdom to others whenever and wherever their paths should meet. They have found what it is to have meaningful relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and it is transforming them into becoming more like Christ every single day–and it is outworking in their lives in unpredicatable and unusual ways. When they open the Word, it speaks to them. They love reading God’s words to them. For them, it isn’t a chore, it is a joy.
Should God make a suggestion to Christian B, he or she will follow His leading and with little hesitation. . . even when nobody else understands why they are doing this. These contemplatives are uncompromising in their loyalty to Christ and unmovable and unwavering in their trust in God. They are known for their love, wisdom, and grace, for even the ‘least of these.’ The world is attracted to Christian B in a strange way because they can’t quite sort out what they are seeing–a person who doesn’t care about material things but is driven by an inner spark of energy–it fascinates and draws them. People are in awe of people who are real and genuine, who are living, breathing beings who ‘act out from’ rather than ‘over talk’ their faith. There is one troublesome area for Christian B; it is the propensity toward self-induced experiences and inappropriately focused contemplative processes.
[Note: This is not eastern religion or transcendental meditation but the two might be confused due to possible overlap in modality of practice.]
But how do we become a Christian B? Hint> Love the Lord.
But how do we facilitate the ability to honestly love the Lord? Hint> Ask the Lord for it.
But how do we ask and what kind of words do we say? Hint> Say, “I can’t do this for myself, but You can. I want to love You, God, and to know You like I never have known You before. Help me, dear Jesus, to love you more.” Then trust Him for it. This is a serious request that God will answer over years, not days. Believe God for it.
What is the difference between contemplative text and traditional text?
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