practice, practice, practice

January 20, 2009

Psalm 36, 39; Isaiah 44:9-20; Ephesians 4:17-32; Mark 3:19-35


Eph 4:20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

This, of course, is a big Christian life theme; an important theme for a "Director of Spiritual Formation" - putting off and putting on, the baptized life. Paul refers to this manner of living, of a disciplined, discipled life, as "the way you learned Christ."

Yesterday I went with the COTA youth group to serve lunch at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Mobile. At one point, I tossed something from a distance into a trash can. One of our guys said something about my shot, and I thought and said, it took lots and lots of practice. Literally thousands and thousands and thousands of shots. (I also went to the driving range yesterday with a friend. I've hit thousands of golf balls too, but my shot is not as good... but seriously, I have not hit as many golf balls - with a good swing - as I have shot baskets with good form). The point is practice, practice, practice. Whether it's young Andy who went with us to the driving range who is already a good piano player, or Senior in High School Anna who is an amazing piano player, it takes practice, practice, practice - and our body, mind, spirit learns to do it "naturally."

Or whether it's the man in the Waterfront program who shared with me how he wasted four years of his life in prison because of cocaine, and thinking stupidly, thinking, if you will,

as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. (Eph. 4:17-18)

As he shared about his determination to live a new life, I shared with him it will be thinking right every day, a kind of practice, practice, practice. Day by day, working the program...

This is the "way" we learn in Jesus to live. We cloth ourselves in him day by day; we take on thoughts worthy of him, inspired by him day by day; we center ourselves on the "new man" who indwells us, and draw our life from him, not from our old, self-centered way of living. And we do it intentionally, when the pressure is off (great book by Larry Crabb by the way, though slightly different theme), then the temptation is not pressing us, so that we learn more "naturally" to see, and to will, and to live in and for the new creation in Christ Jesus.

And so Paul spends the rest of this section describing what "putting off and putting on" looks like. In essence, put off these things and put on these things...

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

"whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 4:35)

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
(Psalm 36)