It’s no secret that Leif and I have struggled over the years to connect spiritually through our personal times of devotion. In the early days of our marriage, we tried a laundry list of things that simply didn’t work. We began reading Oswald Chambers together on January 1 one year. By January 18, we couldn’t even find the book. We attempted reading the same passages of scripture for discussion, but also felt a sense of awkward disconnect. We tried reading the same books, listening to the same sermons among other practices and yet it always felt forced, unnatural, anything but, well, organic. Those images of spiritual marital bliss faded into the reality that growing spiritually together as a couple takes time, perseverance and hard work.
Over the last few years, we’ve found something that works. (And when you find something that works when it comes to spiritual disciplines, do it and keep on doing it!) We sit on the couch beside each other in the morning and read whatever we’re reading. I’m currently enjoying Bruce K. Waltke’s commentary on Genesis; Leif is making his way through The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan. As we read, we sometimes hmmm or oooh-ahhhh aloud, signifying we’ve found something special, then we share what we’re reading and our responses. It’s natural. Non-forced. The practice works for us. When we’re done, we each read a prayer aloud from Walter Brueggemann‘s Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth (a book given to us by our special friend Troy Champ). Then we spend time in prayer–for our families, our leaders, our friend, our world, and yes, you!–together aloud.
Brueggemann has a gift to bring hidden thoughts of the soul to light before God. Over the course of the fall, I wanted to share Walter Brueggemann with you every Wednesday. We invite you to join us for “Wednesdays With Walter” as you dive deeper in your own relation with God and prayer life:
You are the giver of all good things.All good things are sent from heaven above,———rain and sun,———day and night,———justice and righteousness,———bread to the eater and———seed to the sower,———peace to the old,———energy to the young,———joy to the babes.We are takers, who take from you,———day by day, daily bread,——————taking all we need as you supply,——————taking in gratitude and wonder and joy.And then taking more,———taking more than we need,———taking more than you give us,———taking from our sisters and brothers,———taking from the poor and the weak,———taking because we are frightened, and so greedy,———taking because we are anxious, and so fearful,———taking because we are driven, and so uncaring.Give us peace beyond our fear, and so end our greed.Give us well-being beyond our anxiety, and so end our fear.Give us abundance beyond our drivenness,———and so end or uncaring.Turn our taking into giving… since we are in your giving image:Make us giving like you,———giving gladly and not taking,———giving in abundance, not taking,———giving in joy, not taking,———giving as he gave himself up for us all,———giving, never taking. Amen.
Pick up a copy of Walter Brueggemann’s Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth, from Amazon, here.
