LEARNING THE COMMON RULE

LEARNING THE COMMON RULE Week 6 –

Habits of Purpose for Our Life in Christ

This week we finish our 40 days together learning a new series of habits. Now is a good time

to consider how you can incorporate the new practices you have learned into your life more

permanently. Along the way, we have discovered that new habits can be difficult to form. We

can see we have gained a new rhythm when we don’t have to give ourselves reminders each

day. The new way has become our way of living, and now the routine serves you instead of

you serving it.

Monday, February 8

- Day 36 - Morning

Psalm 48:9-11

Within your temple, O God,

we meditate on your unfailing love.

10

_{Like your name, O God,}

your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;

your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11

_{Mount Zion rejoices,}

the villages of Judah are glad

because of your judgments.

Ok. If you have attempted our little exercise of meditation, you may find that a few things

happened. First, your mind wandered as you were picturing Jesus in the scene from the

gospel. If you are just learning this practice of meditating on the word, then this is bound to

happen. God made our minds to work this way. They can easily be distracted, and you can find

your mind racing down rabbit trails leading you on a tangent. This is bound to happen, so

please don’t be discouraged. You can use a phrase from the scripture text to help keep your

mind on track and circle back to that scene where you are meeting Jesus. Second, I found that

my imagination was weak and unexercised. I had never thought about scripture in this way. I

had never asked the Spirit of God to lead me to Jesus like this. This may be your experience

as well. One of the purposes of meditation is for Jesus to become even more real to you. I find

that this happens when a person tells me a story. As they add more details, my experience

deepens. This is what happens when we practice meditation in this way. Jesus begins to take

on flesh and blood and become even more real to you. Jesus is real by the way, and you can

come to know him even more deeply by meditating on his word. That is what our text is about

today. The Jewish people practiced meditation, this focusing on the word of God. But notice in

a psalm today, they have come to meditate on the unfailing love of God. Now, they are not

thinking about the concept or idea that God loves them. For them, God’s love is bundled

together with his mighty saving acts on their behalf. The verses before these talk about the

unlikely victory that the Lord provided to his people when they were attacked. As they

returned to meditate on what happened, they could see that the Lord was dwelling with them.

The Lord had given them their victory. The Lord loved and saved them. This is one reason why

we meditate on Jesus and also the cross. When we see Jesus, we see God acting on our

behalf. We find ourselves sustained by his mighty hand. Now, at this point you may feel

unproductive in your times of meditation. You have gained no new insights or new

understanding, but like imagination, it takes practice to cultivate this new growth. Our desire in

it all is to know Jesus. We want to hear the soft sound of his sandaled feet walking alongside

us each day. And, yes, we spend our time meditating on the word of God, the gospels that tell

us about Jesus, the God that has come to us in human flesh that we might know and

experience his presence.

Let us pray:

Gracious and loving Father, we can feel the distance between us and you. You inhabit eternity,

and we are locked in time and space. We seek your face, O God of Jacob. We humbly ask that

you reveal your presence to us through Jesus Christ. For in his name, we pray. Amen.

Monday, February 8

- Day 36 - Midday prayer

How has time away from media and entertainment affected you? I find that limiting my

exposure to TV news calms my heart and makes me more receptive to God and his word.

What have been your discoveries during the 40 days?

Let us pray:

Father, I come today repenting of my independence, of thinking I can do life without you. My

rebel heart can only be changed by your faithful love for me. You remind me that I have

nothing that has not been given to me. Indeed, my life is all gift. Thank you for your patience

and faithfulness through every season of my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Monday, February 8

- Day 36 - Evening prayer

Have you been intentional in how you use your conversation time with others? Consider

asking how they see God working in their lives and what God has been teaching them during

the pandemic.

Let us pray:

Lord God, this time is a moment of fear for so many people. There is the fear of sickness and

loss, the fear of an uncertain future, the fear that this time of difficulty will continue without

letting up. Lord, your presence and your word calm my fears and provide me with a sense of

security and peace. Enable me to rest this evening because I trust in you. I pray in your holy

name. Amen.

Tuesday, February, 9

- Day 37 - Morning

Ok. We have been looking at prayer and our desire to know Jesus in a more personal way. We

have been talking about ascending the hill of the Lord, and coming into his presence. I’m

going to throw a curve at you today. The New Testament and the gospel turn this idea on its

head. What do I mean? It takes the idea of ascending, that is trying to go up into the presence

of God, and turns it into going down. Descending. As in descending a staircase through

humility. We know we can’t reach heaven. That was the project of the town of Babel. Instead,

God has come down in Christ. Indeed, we cannot ascend God’s holy hill. That leads us to our

text for today.

Psalm 131:1-2

O L

, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

2

_{But I have calmed and quieted my soul,}

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Here is David explaining what humility looks like. He speaks of a child at peace with his or her

mother. Weaned and no longer grasping for food, he, she can be at peace in the arms of one

so much greater that himself, herself. Here is beautiful insight into the pathway down, the path

to a humble listening. Often, we see prayer as speaking words, even as making a speech

before God. But, as in David’s explanation, it is sitting peacefully with the Lord. Knowing we

are in the presence of one so much greater than we are. Knowing that God is in control of all

things. Our minds and hearts are no longer busy with the thoughts of all we must do. The baby

at peace does not do that. He, she entrusts himself, herself into the loving arms of mom. Our

children loved to be cuddled when they were young. I remember I could sit and hold one of

our children for hours on end. That child felt no urgency to do anything but be held and loved.

What a beautiful picture of one of the stages of our prayer. Prayer is not only about our words.

It is also resting in the loving arms of our heavenly Father and enjoying his love. Often this is

referred to as contemplation. It requires that we come, not with our prayer list or our agenda,

but to simply be with God. Likely you know how to have this time with people you are close to.

You find that you enjoy sitting together in the same room, and that no words need to pass

between you. You enjoy being together. Your presence says it all. It says, “I want to be with

you. I am yours and you are mine.” At times like this we have nothing to prove but a

relationship to enjoy. I think this is what the Apostle Paul meant when he talked about praying

without ceasing. You know that you are always in the presence of God. Sometimes you use

your words to speak with him. At other times, you are just with him. This is the kind of

fellowship our Father loves. The gospel tells us that he doesn’t want anything from us. He

wants us to enjoy. Maybe you have found this with those you are close to. You don’t have to

be doing anything together. The gift is that you are together. You belong to each other, and

you are sharing your lives together. Here’s another text before we finish.

“I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to

revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

-Isaiah 57:15

Here is the Lord, as great as he is as our God, enjoying communion with the contrite, the lowly,

the humble. God resists the proud because the proud make no room for him. But he gives

grace to the humble. Is there room in your prayer time for the presence of the Lord? Can you

take time to still your heart and recognize that God takes care of you?

Let’s pray:

Abba Father, most days I live like an orphan. I forget that you are my loving heavenly Father.

Grant me time for stillness today that I might enjoy you and your presence. Help me to see that

you also enjoy me and my presence with you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, February, 9

- Day 37 - Midday prayer

Can you take some time today for stillness with God? If so, focus on calming your heart and

your thoughts and turning them to meditate on God and his goodness.

Let us pray:

Lord God, it is tempting to think that I must somehow measure up, be worthy of you and your

presence. I forget that you are the God that pursues me. Even when I am running, thinking that

I can catch you, you remind me that you are always with me, and you love me despite how I

am doing. When I am weak, you are strong. When I doubt, you are faithful. Teach me your

ways, I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, February, 9

- Day 37 - Evening prayer

Let us pray together:

My Great Provider, forgive me for the strategies I use to gain your favor and love. I want to

show you obedience and discipline, but there is always a weakness, a stumble. I can get

overwhelmed or become discouraged. But, when I rest in you and your steadfast love, I feel

secure and can live in joy. Remind me that my place with you is all gift. Provide by your Holy

Spirit the peace that enables me to rest secure. For I pray in your name. Amen.

Wednesday, February 10

- Day 38 - Morning

I am so grateful that we can take this journey together for the common rule. We have been

practicing some formative habits for five weeks. Prayer. Pushing away from media. Planned

time with others. Fasting. We continue looking at prayer today. I feel as if I have been allergic

to prayer all my life. Prayer has always been a battle, but as I get older the rhythm of prayer

has come more easily. Recently, a group of guys planned an eight-hour retreat to spend the

entire day in prayer. At first, I was reluctant, doubting that it could be productive and helpful. I

think some of the others felt this as well. But, by the end of the day, we were thankful for such

a privileged time with the Father. I wanted more. I hope you will find this to be the case as you

pray.

Psalm 19:9-10

The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

_{They are more precious than}

gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.

Now we have been learning the progress of prayer. Yesterday, we learned that contemplation

arises from a place of humility before God, from the calmness of my mind and heart. It is here

that we can return to the word of God and begin to listen to God. Now, there is the last stage.

Finally, there is delighting in God, like the way we use the word: delectable. We learn to

delight in God and enjoy our times with God. We learn to speak our prayers. We use our

words. We come to meditate on scripture and know the real presence of Christ in the word.

We learn to contemplate the sufficiency and majesty of God. Then we reach a place of delight

in God. Like the word of the psalmist in response to the word of God. It comes to taste like the

sweetest honey to him. This is how we find God himself. We come to love him and rest in him.

We delight in God. Now, I know at this point you may be thinking, well, I just don’t enjoy God

this much. I don’t love God in this way. Maybe you think you don’t love God enough. Pastor

Rick Warren says, “That is not your problem.” The problem is not that you don’t love God

enough. Remember we are not climbing up to God. We descend, and we find that he is

descending down to us. The problem is that we don’t see how much God loves us. We need to

see how much attention he has given to us. That is what happens at this time in prayer. We

become like King David who, when he thought about God’s interest in him, said:

Such

knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain

. Psalm 139:6. It was

overwhelming. He could delight in God’s interest in him and God’s love for him. Later in the

same song he said:

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

(verse 17) What David has discovered is how many of God’s thoughts are focused on him. You

can hear David’s joy in the discovery that he is loved by God. This has a transforming power

for your prayer. You are spending time with the God who delights in you. You enjoy being

delighted in. Now, here’s the thing. You may not believe that God delights in you. Sure, God

knows everything about you, but maybe you have felt that God disapproves of you or is

disappointed in you. It is here (and really everywhere) that we need the gospel. We need to

understand that we are loved…

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of

Christ.

You need to know that you are loved. This stage of prayer is resting in God’s love.

Being the child known and treasured by his or her Father, knowing the security and joy of

belonging to God.

Let us pray:

Our heavenly Father, Jesus told us not to think our prayers will be heard because we pray with

many words. Thank you, Father, that you hear us because of the cross, and that prayer means

I can enjoy fellowship with you. That is what I pray for today, fullness of communion with you.

For I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, February 10

- Day 38 – Midday prayer

As we are finishing our 40 days this week, let’s work to keep our pattern of prayer going.

Finding days for fasting has been particularly difficult for me during the 40 days. The goal of

these times is to deepen our spiritual hunger.

Let’s pray:

Gracious God, during this time of the pandemic we are being warned to keep our distance

from each other. Teach me, O Lord, how to be a faithful friend to those I love and that love me.

Guide me with your Holy Spirit that I might know what love requires at a time like this, and how

to be close when we feel far away. Thank you for drawing near to me. In the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Wednesday, February 10

- Day 38 - Evening prayer

Let us pray:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for emptying yourself, for making room for each of us. Teach us how to

make room for others in our lives and interests. The way of love we do not know. Show us the

cross, we pray, that we might know and enjoy all that you have given to us. Then help us to be

bearers of your grace to others. Amen

Thursday, February 11

- Day 39 - Morning

Today, we take a few moments to remember the power of habits, the rhythm and routine we

have established during our 40 days. Researchers tell us that as much as 40% of what we do

every day is not the product of our choices, but the actions of our habits. In other words, we

have made choices long ago that have become habits. Now, we don’t think about what we are

doing, but we continue to do what we have habitually done. Now, of course, our goal during

these days has been to harness the power of habit to serve our spiritual life. We have

intentionally set a course through scripture and prayer, friendship and fasting, and Sabbath for

the purpose of transformation.

Here is our text for today:

Psalm 68:19-20, 34-35

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.

_{Our God is a God of}

salvation, and to G

, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.

Ascribe power to

God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.

_{Awesome is God from}

his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!

I love the wording of David in this song. God daily bears us up. Sadly, we have a view of

salvation that tells us that on one day in our lives, the day we trusted in Christ, on that day God

saved us. Now, that is absolutely true. God redeemed us. He justified us. He adopted us into

his family. Yes, yes, and yes. But that is not all of it. God sustains us each day. He bears us up.

My salvation might have started on one day, but I experience it and am being saved every day.

That means salvation is also a linear event. It is also true that Jesus saved me when he went to

the cross, but the Holy Spirit is saving me each day as the work of Christ is being applied in my

life. Well, we might ask, how does that happen? I believe it happens in part through the habits

we have been learning. Through the scripture, truth is pouring into my life, sustaining me and

guide me. Through prayer, we are enjoying God and coming to God with our hearts, pouring

our hearts to him, really. Through our friendships shared over meals, and in community, we are

being supported and nourished through difficult days. In fasting, we are experiencing our need

for God more palpably and concretely. Through our creating white space, we are coming to

question things that had dominated our lives and driven our attitudes. Here, God is saving us.

And, he continues to save us as we walk with him. I like the metaphors of diet and exercise.

These are tools to maintain and strengthen, to sustain and support our physical health. Our

spiritual habits maintain our lives together in God. They keep us healthy, too! Our text includes

these words:

Our God is a God of salvation, and to G

, the Lord, belong deliverances from

death.

That is really it. God is extending to us life. He is delivering us, protecting us. That leads

to the last observation for today. Looking to God for salvation every day, using the habits,

really is worship. It is saying to God:

You are my savior. I trust in you. I look to you to redeem

me each day

.

I worship you

.

Let’s pray:

Lord God, I like to think that I take care of myself, and that I engineer the means for my own

life, my own strength. Thank you for loving me through my pride, and for helping me to see the

extent of your salvation. Thank you that you never give up on me. For I pray in the name of

Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, February 11

- Day 39 - Midday prayer

Let us pray:

Father in heaven, you are redeeming us each day. Help us to see our need so that we might

rejoice in your salvation. Show us today that our true freedom is experienced in service to you.

May our prayers today be good work, and our work become good prayers. May our tables

thrive with the life that comes from being together with others sharing life. Reveal to us the

beauty of being together and the joy of times of solitude with you. In the name of Jesus, we

pray. Amen.

Thursday, February 11

- Day 39 - Evening prayer

Let us pray:

Abba Father, as the day comes to a close, remind me of the truth of your word, and how bread

cannot fully sustain me, but I need your word. Help me to hear your word not as distant and

cold, but as your love letter reminding me of your good plan for me and for your creation. Lord,

help me to put technology in a healthy place in my life, to enjoy the benefits but not to get

trapped or distracted from life or from you. Thank you for always being faithful and present

with me, more present than my phone. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Friday, February 12

- Day 40 - Morning

This is our last day of the common rule. We’ll finish the week tomorrow and focus on what we

have learned along the way. Of course, I would love to hear what you have learned from the

journey. What has been the greatest challenge for you? What obstacles arose along the way?

Where have you see the greatest benefits?

Today our scripture is from the sermon on the mount.

Matthew 6:19-21

“

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where

thieves break in and steal,

_{but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth}

nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

_{For where your treasure is,}

there your heart will be also.

Now, of course, we can hear Jesus’ words about what we do with our money. Indeed, he is

teaching us how treasuring works. But I do not think it is all about directing our money toward

the kingdom of heaven. I think there is a more general principle at work. Even if we cannot

change our hearts, I think there is a way to direct your heart. We tend to give our hearts to

what we treasure. For example, let’s say I invest all of my retirement savings in a particular

stock. You can bet I’m going to check the stock quotes and track how my investment is doing.

You see, by making this investment, I am actually directing my heart, connecting my heart to

the performance of that security. I believe I can also do that by investing my time. If I invest

time in the word of God, or into a friend, I am also directing my heart to love the scriptures and

to love my friend. Giving my time, investing my time, will create the same heart attachment. I

am going to care about how my friend is doing and what is happening in that person’s life. I

will find myself praying for that person as well. You get the idea. I want us to think about our

habits in this way as we come to the end of day 40. You have invested your time, yourself, into

these disciplines. Do you not want to see the fruit of your new habits? Of course, you do. It

only makes sense. You see, in the process, you have directed your heart there. There your

heart will be also. I hope during these days your heart has been opened to the power of

treasuring and how using habits can knead structure and intention and life into your days. In

truth, you will have habits and routines. This is the way our lives work. The question is will we

see this and choose to cultivate those habits that will support our life in Christ? I see Jesus

doing this with his disciples. First, in communion with him, he invites them into a level of

life-sharing that is transformative. He devotes the lion’s share of his ministry time and influence to

a few men. These are the ones that will carry his good news across the world. Jesus gives us

an example of shaping others and being shaped by spiritual friendship. This is healthy practice

for us as well. Second, we see him model practices of prayer and communion with the Father.

He not only teaches them a healthy model of prayer, but his life shows forth what he teaches.

He often sets aside time to retreat from the activities of the day and spend time with his

Father. If the Son of God needed communion with his Father, how much more do we? Indeed,

we see Jesus punctuating his life with these times. Often, we see the fruit of his prayer times in

the way he does his ministry. His prayer time keeps him focused on his Father’s will and his

mission and calling. Our prayer time can do this for us as well. Of course, we see all the

disciplines of his life with the Father coming together at the cross. Jesus doesn’t cease his

habits when darkness and death loom. No, he continues speaking with the Father, guiding his

prayers with the words of scripture. Even when the Father must seem far away, Jesus is

seeking to draw near. We need to see Jesus to remind us to keep coming to the Father, to

keep seeking, and knocking, and asking. When you are bearing your cross, this is the time to

run to your Father. You will find that he has already come to you. So, whatever your day is like,

whatever season you are living through, the habits are life because they drive us to God. They

do this through days of joy and weariness, in the heat of the day, the dark of the night, and the

bright light of midday.

Let us pray:

My gracious heavenly Father, there times when I forget you are there. I forget that I can come

boldly to your throne of grace in Jesus. Let me hear your still small voice inviting me to come

to you, when the days are dark and I feel I am in a dry and weary land and there is no water.

For I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Friday, February 12

- Day 40 - Midday prayer

Let us pray:

Holy God, what I long for, I know that forty or a thousand days of habits cannot provide. But

you so freely provide your presence and your faithful love for me. Help me to remember that

today. I cannot ascend the hill of the Lord or come into your holy place, but Jesus has torn the

curtain keeping us apart so that I might be able to know you and enjoy you forever. In the

name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Friday, February 12

- Day 40 - Evening prayer

As we finish day 40 tonight, let’s remember once again our habits. Scripture before phone.

Prayer three times or more a day. A meal with someone each day, and an hour without

technology. And our weekly habits, intentionally chosen four hours of viewing. Taking a

Sabbath. An hour with a friend. And a fast of some kind during the week.

Let’s finish in prayer tonight, and then we have a wrap-up tomorrow:

Lord God, make our times with friends a fire around which each of us can gather for warmth

and light. Provide for us freedom in the gospel that allows us to be honest with each other

about our struggles and our joys. Teach us when we fast that our emptiness can only be filled

by you and your steadfast love. And, in our Sabbath, help us to hear the words of Jesus, “It is

finished” so that we can rest in you. For we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Saturday, February 13

- Morning

Ok. You’ve finished the 40 days. Feels like a great accomplishment to establish some new

habits.

Our text for this morning is a good reminder for us as we finish up.

Luke 10:17-20

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your

name!”

_{And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.}

_{Behold, I have}

given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,

and nothing shall hurt you.

_{Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to}

you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Here’s the scene. Jesus had instructed his disciples and sent them out on their first mission

trip with him along. Yes, they went out in pairs, but this is the first time that they wield the

power of the kingdom. It is an amazing experience. People’s lives are changed by their

ministry. They see spiritual strongholds broken and real spiritual power bring change and

hope. This is what happened when they returned. They were pumped! They have stories to

tell. They have faced spiritual warfare squaring off against demonic forces, and they have seen

victory. It is difficult to imagine how excited they are. Even Jesus talks about what has

But, here’s the thing. He tells them not to find their joy in their ministry or in the experience of

spiritual power they have seen at work through them. Instead, he says,

rejoice that your names

are written in heaven.

Now, it would seem that Jesus is telling them to chill out and not to be

so excited about their ministry. It sounds like he is trying to tamp down their excessive

exuberance. But, if we think so, we are getting it wrong. No, he shares in their excitement.

What he is saying is that is great, but there is something even better than the victory they are

seeing in their ministry. He tells them that their place with the Father is a source for even more

joy. It is their salvation. That is the point at the end of our 40 days. I hope you have been

excited about learning the new habits and can see them at work in your life. I hope you decide

to continue many or even all of them. But that is not the source of your joy. The relationship

with your heavenly Father is. For goodness sakes, your name is written in heaven. You have

an inheritance in the kingdom of God, and the great gift to you in the Lord himself. By the way,

that is the underlying purpose of the habits. We are hungry for God. We long for fellowship

with the one that created us, the lover of our souls. We thirst for a drink at the well, and we

discover that the Lord Jesus is the living water that alone can quench the thirst of our hearts.

He alone is the wellspring springing up to eternal life. So, how about we do this today? Let’s

rejoice in the God who invites us to come to him, the God that makes the way for us to have

fellowship with him. That’s what we can have joy in as we come to the end of the 40 days. Yes,

the new discipline, the habits are a good addition to our lives. Give thanks. But, take your great

joy in knowing you belong to Christ, you have a loving heavenly Father. Your name is written

in heaven.

Let us pray:

It’s true, Lord, I often don’t realize what I have been given. Help me to take joy in you and your

presence in my life. You are my life, O Lord. Thank you for the gospel that is at work in me, and

for providing me with your Holy Spirit to reassure me of your grace. In the name of Jesus, I

pray. Amen.

Saturday, February 13

- Midday prayer

As we are finishing our Common Rule, let us thank God for his goodness and faithfulness.

Let’s pray:

Lord God, when I am weak you are strong. When I am confused, you repeat to me your faithful

promises. When I doubt or question, you gently and patiently show me your love. I rejoice that

you are God, and that I can come to you. I glorify you. Help me to enjoy you and your presence

in my life today. Thank you for speaking to me the word of life and providing me a secure

place to stand. I pray in your name. Amen.

Saturday, February 13

- Evening prayer

Next week, we will be beginning a new podcast, a meditation on the cross of Jesus that will

lead us through the coming season to prepare us for Good Friday and Easter. I’m pretty

excited about sharing this time with you. The title is The Shadow of The Cross.

Let’s pray together to finish up this week:

Our good, good Father, we rejoice in you. During this season of fear, you have led us on a

pathway of peace and joy. During a year of distance, you have drawn near to us. During a year

when questions about the future mount, you have provided the assurance of your faithfulness

again and again. Prepare us in Christ for what lies ahead and cause us to be grateful for all

that we have in you. For we pray in your holy name. Amen.