Thursday, June 23, 2016

What are your "vitals?"

In my last post, I stated that I wanted to pursue the notion of using mindfulness as a tool to adding more vitality to my Christian life. Again, I have chosen to call this Christmindfulness. The very essence of the word vitality has to do with being alive. When paramedics are called to the scene of someone in distress, one of the first things they do is check for vital signs (often shortened to just "vitals"). Is the person breathing, is their heart beating, what is there blood pressure, and what is there body temperature? Stands to reason - you can't have vitality of life if you are dead. However, being alive is not guarantee enough of vitality either. I am fearful that there are plenty of the "walking dead" among those who say they follow Jesus (I would include myself in that category in times past). We have lots of names for this: "Luke warm;" "Nominal Christian;" "Sunday Believers;" "Fire Insurance Christians."  Yet a 'rose by any other name'... I trust that no one who becomes a follower of Christ sets out to be found lacking vital signs. We just seem to miss something.

Jesus said, "I came that they might have life and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV). This has been termed by many, "the abundant life." Note here that the context of this verse is a scene where Jesus has just healed a blind man. The Pharisees, having heard of this healing act by Jesus, question the blind man. When they didn't like his answers, they curse him and throw him out. Jesus hears of this and seeks out the man to explain a greater healing miracle than restoring sight. The Pharisees overhear this conversation and begin to question Jesus. He uses the Good Shepherd analogy and makes a contrast between those who come to steal (thieves) and himself - the one who comes to give a life full of vitality (my take on the abundant life).

You might be saying just now, "Thanks for the Bible lesson, but I came to this blog to hear about mindfulness."  Patience, grasshopper! I am getting there in due time. But first, I want to say more about vitality. Jesus' words in John 10:10b are important to this concept of vitality as I intend it.
Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament indicate that these word of Jesus are in the Greek present active subjunctive. Since I have forgotten much of 8th grade grammar, Robertson, thankfully, explains that this means that this is an ongoing possibility ("may keep on having").
In other words we both "may keep on having life" (i.e.' eternal life) and "we may keep on having" a full life (i.e.; abundance, vitality). The key in all of this, Robertson goes on to explain, is that this Jesus is the one who sustains this full life.

Now to my point. I have dedicated this blog to the idea of having Christmindfulness.  Literally, this implies that mindfulness is a tool that helps me create greater awareness and I use that awareness as a spiritual tool to more "constant contact" with Christ, particularly through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Triune God breathed life into the first man (Gen. 2:7), being more mindfully in contact with God breathes (a sustaining overflow) life into me, hence vitality. With my increased awareness, which is a direct benefit of mindful practice, I can moment-to-moment check my vital signs.

Next blog, as previously promised, I will talk about my own experience with learning mindfulness and the resultant vitality I believe it is bringing to my spiritual life. But you have to come back for that. So, become a regular follower and, please, tell others who might have a similar interest.



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