Romans 5:1-8 English Standard Version (ESV)Peace with God Through Faith 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We’re beginning Ordinary Times, which we always find to be anything but ordinary. It’s season of Growing and Going. Finding that there is no formation without repetition. Sacred Rhythms are the undercurrent of what we do at Luminous. We’re intentionally learning more about what these rhythms look like during these months. Suffering -> endurance -> character -> hope (repeat)Prayer -> abidingOur individualism can distort our communion with God. The inner-contemplative life is more about being still and listening more than what we have made prayer out to be in the West. Much of the church is afraid of slowing down, meditating, or breathing… maybe we’re afraid of what we will have to confront. Maybe we’re afraid of what we will hear in the silence.Proper prayer assist us in abiding. We cannot abide unless we slow down, be still… listen. Abiding enables communion. Listening leads to hearing. We have more to learn in our listening more than expressing needs. To think that God doesn’t know our deepest hurts, struggles, or hopes is to have a distant approach / view of God. We mustn’t resist suffering. Lean in to it… for it will develop perseverance (endurance) and perseverance, character… and character, hope. Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent. -St. John of the Cross
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