We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but rather spiritual beings on a human journey.  So said Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.  Thus, the spiritual life is a matter of perspective, is it not?

I believe that the heart of Christianity requires time spent cultivating the contemplative life. Fear not, this is not only a task for introverts! There are as many ways to pray as there are people in the pews. What practice draws your attention to the divine?  Centering prayer, silent meditation or journaling? A solitary walk in the woods, a conversation with God or yoga stretches? Time spent serving a meal, building a Habitat for Humanity house or building a friendship across cultural boundaries?  I could go on and on and on.

I learn scripture by heart as a spiritual practice – there’s a quirky idea! I also journal and sit quietly with God every day. I pray with my dearest friends. (out loud – try it!) I pray for those in need. I ask God to show me how God sees a situation that bothered me when reading the newspaper. Over the years I have found that Jesus remains constantly present in my spirit to guide and teach and heal.

The spiritual life grows silently and invisibly in our hearts and souls. There is a deepening of compassion and a widening of wisdom. We find ourselves more at home with God and sometimes less at home in the world. The frenetic pace and compulsive buying of our culture leaves us empty. We long for worship or Bible study, choir rehearsal or Sunday fellowship. Because here in the church, we find a community of spiritual beings led by Christ. What a blessing, because we are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but rather spiritual beings on a human journey.

Rev. Cindy Maybeck
Summer Sabbatical Interim Pastor