September 30, 2024
Why is it that we are really proficient in compartmentalization? For Christians, there is the uncanny ability to separate the secular from the sacred. Peter Scazzero, a pastor in New York, summed up this problem by quoting a question asked by a church member, “Why is it that so many Christians make such lousy human beings? In a word, compartmentalization. We divide our lives into categories: Over here belongs to God…over there belongs to me.
For some, there is weekly attendance in worship on Sundays but no evidence of it from Monday to Saturday. For another, the berating of a family member for their lack of spiritual maturity, all under the banner of defending God. Finally, one can be lost in the joy of worship of God only to complain, gossip, and blame others.
How shocking it is to read that there is no noticeable difference between the way evangelical church goers live, and non-church goers live when compared to divorce rates, giving patterns, sexual promiscuity and cohabitation, and racism (See Ron Sider’s The Scandal of Evangelical Conscience for statical data).
Spiritual maturity is more than what one believes. It equally involves how one lives. Orthodoxy and orthopraxis must align. When there are disconnects, where one compartmentalizes the spiritual and the secular, there will always be problems. A life with God is one of unity (body, mind, and soul)—all of it is spiritual and sacred. Everything that we are and everything that we do is connected to God. The work of God’s Spirit is to bring wholeness. Therefore, we can segment our lives so that what we do on Sundays and what we do the rest of the week aligns—everyday is Sunday for that matter.
This Week’s Readings:
- Monday – Leviticus 11
- Tuesday – Leviticus 12
- Wednesday – Leviticus 13
- Thursday – Leviticus 14
- Friday – Leviticus 15
We are reading the Bible in just a little over a year! We are now reading Leviticus. You may join anytime. Just mark your Bible on the chapter you started and keep up with the weekly readings.
Things to Pray About:
- Pray for our country and the 2024 Presidential Election.
- Pray for spiritual maturity.
- Our unwillingly absent members and shut-ins.
- Pray for comfort for those who are grieving.
- Wisdom for our church leaders, local leaders, and world leaders.
- Family restoration through forgiveness.
- Continued growth of the faith of the people.
- Pray for understanding.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6