The rhythms of spiritual life

If I walk in a daily rhythm, one of the practices that is offered to me is the Daily Office. It is the opportunity to be reminded of what is basic in my life so I can operate in confidence throughout the day.

Daily I would have the opportunity to wait in confession before the Lord, knowing my heart and life are laid bare before him to examine.

Daily I would be anchored the basic truth of faith as I read the Apostles’ Creed and remember the Lord’s Prayer.

Those bass notes in my life keep me grounded as I explore my world, examine my time, and go about the work given to me.

Daily I can have a prayer to ground me. A prayer saints all over the world can pray. A prayer we can take into our hearts and meditate on and form our own words in prayer.

Rhythm.

Praying on this day (Sunday):

O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and steel us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I grew up in a tradition that looked down on written prayers. “Dead rituals” or some such phrasing I’m sure we had in our minds. But as written prayers go… I couldn’t come up with that off the top of my head. Also, I can then take it and breath that prayer and my own words back to the Lord throughout the day.

We need the daily habits to create deep rhythms that will sustain us in stormy waters. We are living in the time of uncertainty as Christendom diminishes but the faithfulness of God grows stronger. I don’t need Christendom. I do need Christ.

Rhythm.

Day by day, week by week, I can have my heart steadied and my faith rooted so that whatever happens in this culture does not shake me from who Christ is and that his glorious Kingdom doesn’t need a certain person in power to keep on shining in this world.

As I work to show what is needed as we “live in Babylon,” these rhythms are vital to this new life.

Find that rhythm. Walk in it.