Over the last month we have been reflecting on the Jesus Creed as Jesus’ way of spiritual formation
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God.
The Lord is One.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Formation
Living the Jesus Creed means having a perspective on life in light of God’s kingdom – a kingdom marked and shaped by fellowship with God (loving God) and with people who are being called to him (loving others).
Exercise 1
These are words of Jesus on spiritual formation.
Over the month of September: read – memorize – recite – reflect on these words daily.
Bask – sit in his presence and his love. Learn that love. Trust that love.
Take a few (or many) minutes to prayerfully read the Jesus Creed.
Allow this reminder of what we are called to be and do, shape our thinking and our actions.
Exercise 2
How do you think of heaven?
- Is it simply something far off and this world is insignificant or is God the creator both of this world and the new heavens and earth?
- How does understanding eternity as beginning now, shape or re-shape our life?
- What we think of heaven and eternity is our perspective in life here.
Thomas a Kempis, in his “The Imitation of Christ” wrote:
“Practice now what you’ll have to put into practcie then.Listen
Listen to this theme that relationship with God and with others is for all eternity.
Listen to what God is saying to you today about the importance of these relationships.
Imagine
Imagine perfect fellowship and intimacy with God and his people. Imagine that fellowship shaping your family, your friends, OCC.
Begin today – now – to consciously live in fellowship with God and his people.