4 Values: Spirituality

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’
Matthew 22:1-4

God loves us. That's one of the most basic tenants of Christianity. God might get angry, frustrated, or disappointed in us, but God loves us throughout. When we love people we want to see them grow, learn, and we want the to be happy. But we also want to be with them. I think that God is similar. I think that God really wants to hang out with us, each of us.

There are different ways to hang out with friends. Sometimes I go out to dinner with my friends. Sometimes I invite them over to cook together. Sometimes we go out to the movies. Other nights we sit at a bar and chat. And sometimes we go on trips together that remove us from our daily lives and give us time to really be together. Spirituality is like hanging out. There are many different ways to do it. Sometimes one way is the most appropriate, sometimes another way. On good days it might be best to smile and sing and take in the beauty of creation. On bad days it may be best to sit quietly and talk softly to God. Sometimes it's best to gather other friends and go on a trip with God, you know, a retreat.

The spirituality aspect of JVC was a big draw for me. The benefit of being around other people who hang out with God is that they may know ways to hang out that I don't. Living in a spiritual community, I'll have the opportunity to learn new ways to be with God, new ways to know God.

Spirituality is about accepting the invitation to the feast. God has already prepared the dinner. At least half of spirituality is about showing up to enjoy it. By showing up, we have a chance to hang out with God. And when we hang out we build a relationship, a relationship that can inform and enrich our lives.