Weekly Words

Spirituality

In the final chapter of his book, Days of Grace, Arthur Ashe wrote to his daughter: “Camera, have faith in God. Do not be tempted whether by pleasures and material possessions, or by the claims of science and smart thinkers, into believing that religion is obsolete, that the worship of God is somehow beneath you. Spiritual nourishment is as important as physical nourishment and intellectual nourishment.” This profound parting advice by Arthur Ashe to his daughter, Camera, still provides us with a relevant message. In a Christian culture where so many are religious (followers of the regular routine of church, events, and celebrations), pious (followers of strict codes of behavior and diet), and/or holy (content to set themselves apart from the “sinners” and secularity of the world), we need a renewed focus on spirituality.

I often define spirituality as taking care of the homes that take care of us. Our spirit is the home of our relationship with God, and our mind and bodies are the homes of our spirit. Spirituality is taking care of these homes. All of us know that homes need maintenance, cleaning, repair, and upgrading. Wherever we live, we have to vacuum the carpet, sweep the floors, dust the furniture, change the air filters, mow the lawn, wash the dishes, etc …. You get the point! However, such is the case in our spiritual lives. Our mind, body, and spirit need care, cleaning, and nurturing so that we can have a healthy environment for our connection and communion with God.

Spirituality is more important than being religious, pious, or holy because no matter how much church we attend, how many moral codes we observe, or how many people or places we think are beneath us, when tough times and tough decisions come our way we need an invisible, intangible, foundation that will guide, comfort, and keep us. When we suffer the loss of a loved one, the loss of our job, or contraction of a critical illness only that which is deep inside of us can keep us calm, give us peace, or preserve our sanity. When we must make the tough decision between the pain of a bad relationship or the loneliness of no relationship we need something deep inside of us to push us to the right decision no matter how painful it may be. Moreover, spirituality is the key to a profound form of greatness that lives longer than us, reaches further than us, and grows bigger than us. This greatness can only be achieved when we make our lives about more than just ourselves. Connecting to something other than yourself (God, others, and great causes) is in part related to living for something greater than yourself. So, I challenge you today to not allow your spirituality to go unattended, untouched, or undone. Your greatness depends on it!

Humbly in Christ’s Love,
Pastor B.A. Jackson