We are more than just our mind. Yet human beings tend to be neck up people. We are wonderful thinkers, strategists, and mental pray-ers. However, God has created human beings with the marvelous gift of an entire body. As I wrote in my devotional book The Advent of God’s Word, the spirit needs a body. We could not speak, listen, care for, or assist others without a body.
Yet often the body is abused with overindulgence of food, drink, physical pleasure, and strenuous manual work. Even without overindulgences, longevity of life impacts the health and physicality of our body. It takes intentional effort through, stretching, cardo workouts, deep breathing, sleep, and balanced nutrition to maintain the best health for the body. When I meditate on the “Law of Love” from Deuteronomy, I wonder how the fullness of body, mind, and spirit are used in loving God.
The Scripture
As Moses and the Israelites wandered through the desert wilderness after being liberated from the weight of injustice, captivity, and oppression, Moses heard the words of God’s greatest commandment.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Duet. 6:1-9, NRSV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A1-9&version=NRSV
When the faithful community of God came out of bondage, they were commanded to live outwardly their deepest expressions of love for God. That expression of love was much more than mental consent and belief in Yahweh. They were to speak with their mouths, listen with ears, move through daily life, and relationships. This command for love spans every generation.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today as we live into a new day of life, I invite you to the spiritual practice of the Fab Four. This is not the California based tribute band to the Beatles, but to the four spiritual disciplines of body, mind, spirit, and breath. Today we consider how you give homage, or pay tribute of honor and glory to God with all dynamics of your life. It is loving God with body, mind, spirit, and breath that comprises response to God’s greatest commandment.
How will you intentionally stretch the body, open and clear the mind so that God can infill your being with the breath spirit of God? To center yourself into this open posture of love for God you may use the breath prayer Come Lord Jesus or possibly the ancient Jesus prayer will inspire your time of gentle stretching and mindful clarity. You may recall the ancient Jesus prayer has often been shortened to Jesus have mercy.
For the spiritual discipline of the Fab Four, spend intentional time in stretching the body. This could be as simple as hand exercises, floor exercises, or meditative walking. As you stretch the body, breath deeply offering your breath prayer. On inhalation mentally pray your prayer. While exhaling release all tension, resistance, or anxiety. Together the stretching, deep breathing and focused breath prayer opens the mind for the outpouring of our love to God.
May the fabulous four spiritual disciplines of body, mind, spirit, and breath fill your new day with joyous beginnings and endurance of everyday life.
