Book Review: Soul Feast

Recently someone suggested that the journey of faith is not necessarily a linear one, in which we move from point A to point B. I’m inclined to agree, although I used to view it that way. If I was not farther along today than I was yesterday, then I was backslidden. Now it reminds me more of math class, where every year began with a review of the basics, of which mastery was critical if you were to move on to higher math concepts. God has been providing me with plenty of opportunity for review lately!

In Soul Feast, Marjorie Thompson takes us back to the basics; those spiritual practices which form the foundation of our walk with God. In the prologue, she summarizes her focus: “I remain convinced that the way forward lies in practicing the truths we know, not merely knowing the right theology.”

By way of introduction, Thompson spends an entire chapter on spiritual transformation. In this era where the word “spirituality” means something different to everyone, from New Age seekers to Twelve-Step program participants, what does it mean as followers of Christ to be spiritually transformed? Paul describes this as the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, continually forming us into the image of Christ. Thompson likens the spiritual disciplines as windows which must remain transparent, never obscuring but always enhancing our view of God. The minute they become a means to an end, the disciplines becomes opaque, “reflecting our distorted motives.”

Spirituality then, and spiritual practices in particular, are simply ways to make space for God to work in our lives. Prayer, fasting, scripture reading and hospitality are just a few of the seven disciplines covered in this book. Each idea is presented along with a few questions and opportunities to pause for reflection, along with suggestions for engaging in that practice. The book is aptly titled Soul Feast, for the myriad of ways in which we can enhance our walk with God are indeed much like a smörgåsbord. Impossible to taste everything at once, but over time we can learn to incorporate many of these practices into our lives.

Word of the Week: Breathe

Or perhaps it should be words of the week: "just breathe!" That's what I'm doing tonight, or starting to anyways, after not being able to OPEN my laptop since Tuesday night! Wow, that was a weird feeling of withdrawal. Even though I've begun shutting my laptop down one night a week and leaving it off for about 36 hours, that's a planned thing. Vastly different from staring at a locked-up-tighter-than-a-drum laptop!

All my husband's years of school paid off tonight though; he had it apart and open in about three hours and I'm breathing regularly again.

Seriously though, I am learning the value of stopping to breathe deeply throughout my day. It's sad that we as believers have allowed the very essence of life - breath - imparted to us by God, to become a scary word. We've kind of relinquished it to the rest of the world - the marketplace, exercise gurus and worshippers of every other god but ours.

Think about it. When God breathed the breath of life into his creation, it was intentional. Unlike the shallow breathing that gets us through most of our day, or the gasping for breath we might do because we're out of shape, deep breathing has to be intentional. It comes with a pause of sorts. It settles you down. Helps you focus. I am finding my prayer time much enriched when I take a moment to breathe deeply and clear my head and heart of cluttering thoughts. A deep breath in the middle of a stressful day beats crawling under my desk!

When's the last time you stopped to breathe deeply? Why not try it? Step outside and smell the fragrance of the rain or the falling leaves. Pause to marvel at the innocence of your children. Let a moment etch itself in your memory. Claim it for yourself again, this marvelous gift of God. Just breathe.

P.S. It's All Good

When I was a dorm supervisor at Bible college, I once shared a devotion on Romans 8:28. You're familiar with the verse no doubt, quoted below in the KJV I used at the time:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Using the ingredients panel of a cereal box, we agreed that a few ingredients seemed palatable - sugar, raisins, nuts, etc., but that most either taste bad on their own (salt, flour) or have no taste at all (niacin and all the other good-for-you vitamins). And then we discussed how all the ingredients God places in our lives are important and together, he works them for our good. This meant, for us seventeen to twenty-five year olds, even the not so pleasant things like family struggles back home, final exams, broken-down cars and break-ups with boyfriends. Oh and of course, the perpetually empty wallets!

Fast-forward twenty years - wow, has it been that long? I still believe, without shadow of doubt, that God uses everything he brings into our lives. But if I could share again today, I'd add two postscript thoughts.

One, God is at work in my life and yours - this we know. But I think his work is evident in so much more than just negative circumstances. We don't have to wait until we've got our backs up against the wall to be assured of his amazing presence. He is at work in our lives day in and day out, through the people he brings into our lives, the books we read, through his providence, through his Word and his Holy Spirit. He is constantly weaving together strands of mercy, hope and grace. I am confident that God works in every detail in my life for his glory.

For his glory. That's the second thought I'd add. HIS glory. HIS purpose. I'm afraid that for many years, I read that verse this way:

to THEM that love God, to THEM who are the called according to his purpose.

THEM = ME. I loved God. I was the "called." So his work was on MY behalf. So he could bring about his purpose in MY life.

Today, I'd have to change the emphasis, based on a better understanding of the context (here in the more familiar NIV):

And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love HIM, who have been called according to HIS PURPOSE.

Emphasis on God. In fact, much of chapter 8, especially from verse 18 on, speaks of the glory that will be revealed in us, and the whole creation waiting anxiously for redemption. It's not about me. It's his story, not mine. His creation. His plan. His purpose. His glory.

All things. It means so much more to me now and I expect in years to come, this verse will continue to mean more to me.