Monday, May 18, 2020

Reflection - Spiritual Journey - Staying on Course

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 2, "Staying on the Way", Question 2, Page 15.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012



What would you say to those who seem to have gone off course?
PHOTO: What would you say to those who seem to have gone off course?
G. K. Chesterton, the great English writer, observes wisely in What's Wrong with the World (1910):

Man has always lost his way. He has been a tramp ever since Eden; but he always knew, or thought he knew, what he was looking for. Everyman has a house somewhere in the elaborate cosmos; his house waits for him waist deep in slow Norfolk rivers or sunning itself upon Sussex downs. Man has always been looking for that home which is the subject matter of this book. But in the bleak and blinding hail of scepticism to which he has been now so long subjected, he has begun for the first time to be chilled, not merely in his hopes, but in his desires. For the first time in history he begins really to doubt the object of his wanderings on the earth. He has always lost his way; but now he has lost his address.

It is easy to lose our way in this distracting and dangerous world. The greatest danger, perhaps, to the pilgrim's journey is what I would call "spiritual amusement parks." In amusement parks, people pay to get on rides; the faster the ride, the more exciting and entertaining it is. These rides give us a sense of travelling fast, but in the end we go nowhere; we merely return to where we started. With our sense of exhilaration rising and dying quickly, we move from one ride to the other, seeking endless entertainment. Could it be that Christians today face the temptation of entering spiritual amusement parks for exciting rides to nowhere? Instead these "amusement parks" become dangerous distractions, deceiving us into thinking we are going somewhere, confusing Disneyland rides for spiritual journeys.

We do well to bear in mind the wise warning of The Shepherd of Hermas (written between the end of the first and the mid-second century) of how not to grow old:

Because your spirit is now old and withered up, and has lost its power in consequence of your infirmities (physical or mental weakness) and doubts. For, like elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, so you, weakened by worldly occupations, have given yourselves up to sloth (inactivity), and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. Your spirit therefore is broken, and you have grown old in your sorrows.

 

What does staying on course look like for a Christian in his or her senior years?
The words of the psalmist speak to us powerfully:
"You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it" (Psalm 119:1-4 The Message). Indeed, "older age can be the beginning of our closest encounter with God" - if we learn to stay with Christ.
Artwork by Joseph Brickey - Leaving the Garden of Eden
Picture posted by The Church of Jesus Christ

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What would you say to those who seem to have gone off course? What does staying on course look like for a Christian in his or her senior years?

What would you say to those who seem to have gone off course?

G. K. Chesterton, the great English writer, observes wisely in What's Wrong with the World (1910):

Man has always lost his way. He has been a tramp ever since Eden; but he always knew, or thought he knew, what he was looking for. Everyman has a house somewhere in the elaborate cosmos; his house waits for him waist deep in slow Norfolk rivers or sunning itself upon Sussex downs. Man has always been looking for that home which is the subject matter of this book. But in the bleak and blinding hail of scepticism to which he has been now so long subjected, he has begun for the first time to be chilled, not merely in his hopes, but in his desires. For the first time in history he begins really to doubt the object of his wanderings on the earth. He has always lost his way; but now he has lost his address. [12]

 

Man has always lost his way.
PHOTO: Man has always lost his way. He has been a tramp ever since Eden; but he always knew, or thought he knew, what he was looking for. For the first time in history he begins really to doubt the object of his wanderings on the earth. He has always lost his way; but now he has lost his address.
Picture posted by Leena, factsonly.me on 27 May 2019

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAP5YJfHxlVolWvt0wFIqWWpwh3NGquhGRvVfkXyxgWVUVNtv6QFKZMfB4GyMZsVxjjBChSn3AUdxAoF_sUtHl3nSWGO7GNXklj8JoSk7F29s21s9KDDLinEci_P1a5bhgOzdFpASGKo0/s1600/team-word-illustration.jpeg
https://d5j1w8vb36q2v.cloudfront.net/73550/team-word-illustration.jpeg
https://www.factsonly.me/illustrations-about-harsh-reality-of-modern-society-73550



It is easy to lose our way in this distracting and dangerous world. The greatest danger, perhaps, to the pilgrim's journey is what I would call "spiritual amusement parks." In amusement parks, people pay to get on rides; the faster the ride, the more exciting and entertaining it is. These rides give us a sense of travelling fast, but in the end we go nowhere; we merely return to where we started. With our sense of exhilaration rising and dying quickly, we move from one ride to the other, seeking endless entertainment. Could it be that Christians today face the temptation of entering spiritual amusement parks for exciting rides to nowhere? Instead these "amusement parks" become dangerous distractions, deceiving us into thinking we are going somewhere, confusing Disneyland rides for spiritual journeys.

 

The greatest danger to the pilgrim's journey is 'spiritual amusement parks'.
PHOTO: The greatest danger to the pilgrim's journey is 'spiritual amusement parks'. In amusement parks, people pay to get on rides; the faster the ride, the more exciting and entertaining it is. These rides give us a sense of travelling fast, but in the end we go nowhere; we merely return to where we started. These "amusement parks" become dangerous distractions, deceiving us into thinking we are going somewhere, confusing Disneyland rides for spiritual journeys.
Picture posted by zoomzoomtour.com

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https://d1blyo8czty997.cloudfront.net/tour-photos/n/3648/1200x600/7806754502.jpg
https://www.zoomzoomtour.com/tour/11979



We do well to bear in mind the wise warning of The Shepherd of Hermas (written between the end of the first and the mid-second century) of how not to grow old:

Because your spirit is now old and withered up, and has lost its power in consequence of your infirmities (physical or mental weakness) and doubts. For, like elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, so you, weakened by worldly occupations, have given yourselves up to sloth (inactivity), and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. Your spirit therefore is broken, and you have grown old in your sorrows. [13]


Dear Lord,
Dear Lord,
PHOTO: Elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, weakened by worldly occupations, have given up to sloth (inactivity), and have not cast their cares upon the Lord. Their spirit therefore is broken, and have grown old in sorrows, withered up, and has lost its power in consequence of their infirmities (physical or mental weakness) and doubts.
Picture posted by irinama on 26 September 2009 - Fly to the sky
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJzwh5RnkKWqiwYeOM-F_DcomKq4xVe_wAlpPj3uho_h-0NnQEfh8byvszB6GDtryAur3khKaWQqS7b2T5IW0R7jq6blJ0F6qZ2HJfsNgtwve9YvHar9HJswxj2Xn1S-mKGkUmXUyo-c/s1600/fly_to_the_sky_by_irinama_d2aaphw-fullview_22.gif
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/9ffea02c-e549-4f99-8a83-6fcde8003f6e/d2aaphw-f58809ec-0f16-452d-83a7-a3ce4366f4ac.jpg/v1/fill/w_600,h_750,q_75,strp/fly_to_the_sky_by_irinama_d2aaphw-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD03NTAiLCJwYXRoIjoiXC9mXC85ZmZlYTAyYy1lNTQ5LTRmOTktOGE4My02ZmNkZTgwMDNmNmVcL2QyYWFwaHctZjU4ODA5ZWMtMGYxNi00NTJkLTgzYTctYTNjZTQzNjZmNGFjLmpwZyIsIndpZHRoIjoiPD02MDAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.MYgzrXXkgGbhp3qhoFqIQZ2iWISMCNSWojoFzse-Cks
https://www.deviantart.com/irinama/art/Fly-to-the-sky-138228116

 

What does staying on course look like for a Christian in his or her senior years?
The words of the psalmist speak to us powerfully:
"You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it" (Psalm 119:1-4 The Message). Indeed, "older age can be the beginning of our closest encounter with God" [14] - if we learn to stay with Christ.

 

What does staying on course look like for a Christian in his or her senior years?
PHOTO: What does staying on course look like for a Christian in his or her senior years?
"You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.
"Older age can be the beginning of our closest encounter with God" - if we learn to stay with Christ.
Picture posted by Rellick, Poets Corner on 13 December 2019 at 4:10 PM - You’ve Overcome

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https://poetscornerblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/youveovercome.jpg
https://poetscornerblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/youve-overcome/



Dear Lord
Dear Lord
PHOTO:Dear Lord, Thank You for letting us know that it is not helpful for us to be able to stay on course to heaven when we are wandering about, losing our way and without the correct address. We have always been looking for that home by our own but ended up losing our desires and hope of finding it.

One of the reason why it is easy to lose our way in our pilgrim’s journey is because of the distracting and dangerous world. We are enticed to enter into ‘spiritual amusement parks’ for exciting and entertaining fast movements but getting us to nowhere. These "amusement parks" are dangerous distractions, deceiving us into thinking we are going somewhere. We are confusing Disneyland rides for spiritual journeys.

Lord, please help us to seek You so that our spirit will not grow old and withered up because of our infirmities and doubts. Please give us hope, especially us elderly, by renewing our spiritual strength, so that we will not give ourselves up to sloth, but to cast our cares upon the Lord. We do not want our spirit to be broken and grow old in our sorrows.

Help us to be like the psalmist, staying on course and be blessed. We want to walk steadily on the road revealed by You, follow Your directions, and doing our best to find You. We ask for Your blessing just like other Christians who are staying on course, especially while in their senior years. Please guide us and prevent us from going off on our own, but to walk straight along the road You set for us. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. We want to learn to stay with Christ and have our ‘older age to be the beginning of our closest encounter with You’.

May Your blessing descended upon us as we stay on course, especially in our senior years, walking straight along the path You have set for us.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!

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Reflection - Spiritual Journey - Staying on Course
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 2, "Staying on the Way", Question 2, Page 15.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012






Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon<br>
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html


"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
 


"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020

https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html




Reference
[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 2, "Staying on the Way", Page 12-15.

[12] G. K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1956), http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/whats_wrong.html.

[13] The Shepherd of Hermas, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1962).

[14] Lei E. Missinne, Reflections on Aging: A Spiritual Guide (Lugyirum MO: Ligouri, 1990), 106.


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