STRESS has a particular effect on the soul; it subdues, it suffocates, and it separates us from God — unless we, as his disciples, conform the materials for destruction, via the mediatory cross, into a blessing, and thereby grow. But we do all have a limit to how much stress we can handle — acknowledging that stress can be, and often is, the antithesis of spirituality.
So hear; we can understand life in its contemplative nature as a continuum between the poles of stress and spirituality — two outcomes, as polar opposites, of being distant from God and being irrevocably near. And, still, there is a third condition possible in one’s contemplative nature: that of being stressed, but of also having accepted it as inherently part of God’s plan for the extension of his Kingdom, as Paul often was, for instance, in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. We don’t glory in these sufferings; we endure them for God’s glory and for his Kingdom’s sake. Because we can.
There is a rhythm of breathing out and of breathing in, through the cycle of stress and spirituality.
Breathing Out
To breathe out as an initial movement is to breathe all those stresses out into an atmosphere of receipt. We breathe out the condemnation, the confusion, the complexity, and all that confounds us, in preparation for what we will soon breathe in, through the agency of God’s peaceful Spirit of Shalom. Breathing out is necessary for making space. Making space is necessary for spiritual reformation. Spiritual reformation is necessary.
Breathing out anticipates breathing in.
Breathing In
Breathing in can only happen once we’ve breathed out. We can only receive what we have now made space for. Having breathed out all those stressful toxins, our lungs are empty enough to receive clean air — the sweeping wind of the Spirit.
To breathe in is to respire. To take healthy oxygenated air into our lungs is to receive respiration — so every cell may be fed on what every cell needs. There is only a subtle difference between respiration and inspiration — and both are connected to the Spirit; to wind. Wind is our life force. It proves we are alive. Physically, on one level, yet spiritually on another.
***
Breathing Out, Breathing In
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Breath of the Holy Spirit,
Giver of Life,
Give.
Provide, Lord, what I cannot do of myself — to breathe out.
Enable me to exhaust all that is in me that is not of You — make this real.
Help me let go.
Help me to let go of that which I wish to keep.
Restore my soul with Your very glorious sustenance of pure breath.
As my lungs empty, make space.
As space is made for new air, prepare me, O Lord, for better.
Purge me of the darkness that assails; bring thought through me of the light to receive.
Give my lungs energy to respire.
Help me heave upon the air, drawing it backward and deep.
Revive me by Your Word of inspiration so my respiration would not be devoid of You.
By the Lord Jesus Christ,
My Saviour, My Rock, My Redeemer,
I pray.
AMEN.
———————————————————————————————
Steve Wickham is a Baptist pastor serving in Perth, Western Australia. His passions are discipleship and reconciliation. He holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. He writes three blogs: Epitome, ex-ceed, and TRIBEWORK. Steve also ministers actively through social media.
I had not planned to post a new resource list for Ascension Day this year but was made aware of this excellent list that Paul Neeley put together and asked permission to repost it from his blog Global Christian Worship. Paul is an “ethnodoxologist” involved in the study and creation of Christian worship around the world. He teaches at the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies and co-founded the International Council of Ethnodoxologists.
The Ascension celebrates the day that Christ, in the presence of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven. The Ascension occurred on the 40th day of Easter, so it falls on a Thursday, and thus is often called Ascension Thursday.However, in many churches, the celebration of the Ascension has been transferred to the following Sunday, six weeks after Easter 2015 – so May 17 in 2015.
1. History: Although no documentary evidence of the Feast of the Ascension exists prior to the beginning of the 5th century, St. Augustine says that it is of Apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows it was the universal observance of the Church long before his time. Frequent mention of it is made in the writings of St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and in the Constitution of the Apostles.
2. Zac Hicks says we can ask, “Why do we give a special day to that event that seems nothing more than Jesus’ travel plans between earth and heaven?” He then goes on to suggest this symbolic theological reason:
When we think about the rituals associated with atonement and reconciliation between humanity and God, we see this (summarized) pattern:
- Sacrifice outside the Holy of Holies
- Entry into the Holy of Holies
- Fellowship with God in the Holy of Holies
The cross is obviously the sacrifice. The resurrection enables the sacrifice’s perpetual, living intercession. But without the ascension, there is no approach to God. There is no entry. The sacrifice (and we along with it) remain outside the Holy of Holies, outside rich, deep union and communion with God.
Put simply, then, ascension-less Christianity is like the priest never walking into the Holy of Holies. There’s no journey into intimate fellowship with God. It would be as if the whole sacrificial progression were at a stand-still, because, though the sacrifice were made, no further movement of intercession and mediation were made. The blood of the sacrifice stays outside, and it doesn’t sprinkle the altar.
In other words, the ascension (and session [Christ’s seating at the right hand of the Father]) helps seal for us what the crucifixion and the resurrection did. Christ is interceding, pleading His blood, and praying for us in the very presence of God the Father right now and ongoingly because the ascension happened (Heb 7:25).
3. Ron Man gives a related quote:
Although the critical point in Jesus’ ministry comes at the cross, the climatic point, as far as Hebrews is concerned, happens at the ascension. For Hebrews the ascension is the great liturgical moment for humanity. It is the pinnacle of Christ’s redemptive work because a human being enters the heavenly place of God’s presence and sits at his right hand.
(Christopher Cocksworth, Holy, Holy, Holy, p. 157)
4. Another aspect of the Ascension is that it is leads to Christ’s coronation as King of the Universe in specific fulfillment of Daniel 7:13, 14: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
5. John Piper – 6 reasons Jesus’s ascension matters
* Jesus continues to work after the ascension.
* The ascended Lord Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to his people.
* Jesus’s ascension is his heavenly enthronement as King.
* Jesus’s ascension is his return to his Father.
* The ascended Lord Jesus is our heavenly mediator and high priest.
* The ascended Lord Jesus will return as King and Judge in the same manner.
Here are some links to ideas and (non-musical) resources to celebrate the Ascension.
6. Read about a fascinating “visual representation of the Ascension” using kites in an outside service.
7. A service using the teachings of the Heidelberg Catechism on the Ascension of Christ coordinated with Scripture readings and songs.
8. You’ll find art from various cultures depicting the Ascension in my previous blog posts
Ascension day paintings and the triumphant Christ in Ascension Sadao
9. An excellent responsive reading
10. Psalm 47 is commonly used in this context:
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of
the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
HE IS GREATLY EXALTED.
—Psalm 47:5-9 (NIV)
11. Lifted Up to Glory and Power: A [lengthy] Dramatic Reading with Four Voices for Ascension Sunday
12. ‘With a Shout,’ a day-long conference held in 2006, explored the meaning of the Ascension – materials are posted online
13. An issue of ‘Worship Notes’ by Ron Man, with an essay, an “Ascension Concordance,” relevant quotes, a model service, and song texts.
14. Malcolm Guite – A Sonnet for Ascension Day
15. A responsive reading Litany by Christine Sine,
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new world has broken into ours –
a world in which justice does come for the poor,
freedom comes for the prisoners,
and healing for the sick.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new community has been formed –
a community that loves and cares for all members,
a family that welcomes all who are abandoned and rejected,
a place where all find a place of belonging.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new creation has begun –
all that was distorted is being restored,
all that is corrupted is being renewed,
all that was broken is being made whole.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God, God’s new world has begun.
16. Christine Sine posted a number of helpful links to resources in this blog post
A pair of responsive readings that I really like includes
* Ride on King Jesus: A Gathering Litany for Ascension Day
* An Affirmation for Ascension Day (Based on Ephesians 1:15-22)
17. Suggested books:
– Ascension Theology by Douglas B. Farrow
– Jesus Ascended: The Meaning of Christ’s Continuing Incarnation by Gerrit Dawson
– The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God by Jonny Woodrow & Tim Chester
– Space, Time and Resurrection by Thomas Torrance
18. Resources from Steve Taylor added by Christine Sine
I also wanted to add these great resources from my friend Steve Taylor. Ascension day in worship And Ascension day theology
We celebrate Ascension day on May 21st, 2020. What on earth is this you may ask? This is not a celebration that I grew up with, nor is it one that I have taken much notice of. It is not a celebration that most of us outside liturgical churches have ever heard of or ever really celebrated, but it is very important and I would highly recommend that you consider incorporating it into your worship cycle.
This is the fortieth day after Easter Sunday and we are celebrating the ascension of Christ into heaven. The day is also and, in some ways more importantly, a celebration of the new creation that Jesus’ resurrection brought into being. What beautiful imagery to carry with us for the rest of the season until Pentecost (May 24th). It seems such an appropriate celebration for those of us who are interested in sustainability and creation care.
Ascension day is a day of hope and promise. Jesus has ascended into heaven but we are not abandoned. Jesus has ascended into heaven but there is still much to do as we await his return. Jesus has ascended into heaven and a new world has begun but there is still injustice, oppression, suffering and death that needs to be overcome. Jesus stands beside God the creator as our cheerleader, our advocate, encouraging us to enter the world with his spirit blazing within us.
Last year I wrote this litany which I am reposting here because it gives me encouragement and strength to believe that God is bringing a new world into being. I find that reading a litany like this aloud really resonates in my inner being and increases my faith for the journey ahead.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new world has broken into ours –
a world in which justice does come for the poor,
freedom comes for the prisoners,
and healing for the sick.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new community has been formed –
a community that loves and cares for all members,
a family that welcomes all who are abandoned and rejected,
a place where all find a place of belonging.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
a new creation has begun –
all that was distorted is being restored,
all that is corrupted is being renewed,
all that was broken is being made whole.
Because Jesus ascended and sits at the right hand of God,
God’s new world has begun.
I am writing this meditation on the flight back to Seattle from New Haven CT. During the flight I have been reading Christine Valters Paintner’s new book, The Soul of a Pilgrim in which she explains:
Pilgrimage demands preparation. There is much letting go that needs to happen. Packing bags means we need to discern what to carry with us and what to leave behind. This is one of the great gifts of pilgrimage; an invitation to discern what is essential. (35)
Her words remind me that all of life is a pilgrimage, a journey toward the heart of God, and God constantly invites us to discern what is essential and let go of what does not really matter. We all carry burdens – the physical burdens of debt, possessions and ambition; the emotional burdens of guilt, fear and anxiety and often the spiritual burdens of brokenness, doubt, and lack of faith. These burdens weigh us down and need to be left behind.
What is your response?
Sit quietly for a few minutes with you hands resting in your lap palm upwards, acknowledging your need to hear from God. Read through the scripture above several times. Close your eyes and open yourself to the quiet whisper of God’s spirit. Think about the freedoms and bondages of your life. What are the physical, emotional or spiritual burdens that weigh you down and need to be released so that you can travel more lightly?
Palm Sunday by Jesus Mafa
Jesus carried the weight of the world on his shoulders yet he rarely seemed stressed out or overburdened. He knew how to travel lightly. He never made major decisions without spending prolonged periods of time in prayer and at the right time he was willing to turn his back on what must have been the most successful healing ministry in the history of the world, in order to walk towards Jerusalem and the cross. He knew that faithfulness not success was the best measure of a life well spent.
The world says fill each moment with noise and busyness. God says sit still and find me in the silence. the world says hurry, worry consume. God says do not be anxious I am all you need. The world says hunger for wealth, power and prestige. God says hunger only for me, crave justice, feed on generosity.
What is your response?
If Jesus does not give you heavy loads to carry where do you think these burdens you carry come from? Take time to examine your burdens and question their origin.
Christine Valters Paintner once more has some good advice:
Broaden your vision of what you carry. Imagine what kinds of attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and stories you tell about yourself that don’t need to go with you. (34).
What burdens are you carrying that God is prompting you to let go of so that you can more effectively walk on the journey God has laid out for you?
Listen to the song below. What else is God asking you to lay down?
Examples of Celtic Knots
I am in the process of looking for creative possibilities of craft activities that can provide a basis for new spiritual practices. Though this is a jewelry website, it is the most thorough page I could find on the meaning and history of Celtic knots.
I recently came across these simple instructions on making a Celtic knot which, as you can imagine, really caught my imagination. Drawing is a very satisfying creative process that stirs our imaginations and draws us into the presence of God.
This video has very simple instructions for making a Celtic knot.
I also found these instructions which are almost as simple. Enjoy and please share your Celtic knots with me.
You can use this pattern for creating a Celtic cross or you could follow these instructions.
Loving and nurturing God, we thank you for mothers.
For all they mean or have meant to us.
We thank you for the love they have shown and the care they have given.
For the many times they gave us hugs and held us close.
Loving and nurturing God we thank you for the qualities of mothers.
For their patience, their kindness, concern and understanding.
We thank you for the part they play in our lives,
and for this special day of saying ‘thank you’ to them.
Loving and nurturing God we thank you for the wonder of your mothering.
As a mother protects her children, you watch over us day by day.
We thank you for your arms which always encircle and protect us,
Your hands shield and deliver us from harm.
Loving God, we pray for those for whom Mother’s day brings heartache rather than a celebration.
We pray for those who have never known their mother or whose mothers have died.
We thank you for your mothering heart and your tender love,
Which nurtures all who feel abandoned and lost.
We wait with those who long to be mothers but as yet have not had their own children.
We grieve with those who ache because they will never be mothers.
We thank you for their mothering hearts which long to be expressed.
Lord in your mercy, mother us all with your love.
We pray for those who struggle with the way their children have chosen to live their lives.
And grieve with those who are orphaned or have a difficult relationship with their mother.
We thank you that when we long for a mother’s love you do not abandon us.
Lord in your mercy, mother us all with your love.
May all of us have the comfort of knowing that your mothering love is constant,
Your understanding is perfect and your compassion is never-ending.
We thank you that you gave birth to all of us with delight and joy,
Lord in your mercy mother us all with your love.
Amen
This prayer was inspired by and adapted from these mother’s day prayers.
This is the last of a series that I have posted on God as mother this week as a preparation for Mother’s day. Here are the other posts:
Meditation Monday – Connecting to the Mother heart of God
Biblical Maternal Images of God by Shiao Chong
Maternal Images of God – a video and a prayer
Let’s Get Creative – Honouring Our Mothers
The response from so many to the article and reflection I posted earlier in the week about the feminine images of God in the Bible has inspired me to produce this video with Biblical verses and prayers interposed. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.
Biblical Maternal Images of God
compiled by Christine Sine
The music is Vesper: La Dimora Dell’Eternal by Lisa Peretti. (Used with permission.) not by Jeff Johnson as it says on the title page.
Today we thank God for the gift of mothers and mothering around the world.
As one whom a mother comforts, so I will comfort you – Isaiah 66:13. (RSV)
Gentle, patient God, thank you for your tender care.
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you! Isaiah 49:15 (NIV)
Loving, caring God thank you for your compassionate care.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content. Psalm 131:2
Protecting, embracing God thank you for your nurturing care.
How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings… Matthew 23:37
Comforting, warmhearted God thank you for your gentle care.
God was like an eagle hovering over its nest,
overshadowing its young,
Then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air,
teaching them to fly. (Deuteronomy 32:11 The Message)
Ever present, sustaining God thank you for your enduring care
I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. (Isaiah 46:3 NLT)
Sustaining, all sufficient God thank you for your satisfying care
I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. (Isaiah 46:4 NLT)
Faithful, providing God thank you for mothers and their love
Everlasting and eternal One, thank you for your mothering love.
Amen, Amen and Amen
This post is part of a series posted for Mother’s day that focuses on the mothering aspects of God. Here are the rest of the posts: Enjoy.
Meditation Monday – Connecting to the Mother heart of God
Biblical Maternal Images of God by Shiao Chong
Maternal Images of God – a video and a prayer
Let’s Get Creative – Honouring Our Mothers
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