Nurturing Spirituality

clouds-414x317Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega of my spiritual nourishment.

His covenant-bonding blood makes possible my connection to God, and my eternal survival. The breath of his Spirit gives sustenance to my soul. It is not surprising, then, that a church community has been likened to a spiritual hospital, where those whose souls are injured, sick, or generally unhealthy come to heal. We are encouraged to actively participate in our spiritual hospital throughout our life, because just as we need air and water to survive physically, we need Christ’s presence for our souls to survive, and bear the fruits of his Spirit.

As God models in the trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, soul-refreshing community is essential for one’s spiritual health. No one would think of digging a hole in the ground and putting in a tomato or cucumber plant, and then forgetting about it until a few weeks later when you want its fruit. We all need the continuing watering for our souls that Christ’s body, the church community, provides.

Nourishing within the community is not limited to a special few. Throughout the New Testament we are reminded that we carry the Spirit of the living Christ in our souls, the same Spirit that Christ sent to be our advocate and our comforter. Thus the church community is meant to be the place where God’s covenant offering, Jesus Christ, is shared through its members and with those in need. It is in the church community where our lives are washed with the water of the Word. Spiritual nurturing is Christ lived out through the church, and through each of us as believers. As we fashion ourselves as Christ’s instruments caring for others as He cared for all who came to him, we enable the Holy Spirit to live through us, loving, healing, listening, and nurturing.

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22

When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." Mark 2:17

Nurturing Audio & Video

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Reflections to Consider

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Nurturing Publications

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Publications

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Nurturing Music

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Music

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Nurturing Reflection

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson +

    Eugene Peterson’s book, Eat This Book gets its name from Revelation 10:9-10 when John asks for the scroll containing God’s Read More
  • Martin Luther’s Quiet Time, Walter Trobisch +

    Martin Luther had a barber named Peter Beskendorf who asked his world-famous customer and doctor of theology, "Dr. Luther, how Read More
  • Storytelling +

    Eugene Peterson discusses his influences as a writer, as well as how and why he created the Message translation. This Read More
  • Life as an Alien +

    Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, provides an inspiring portrayal of what the church is supposed Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Separated Unto the Holy Ghost (Andrew Murray) +

    Below is chapter 3 from the book, Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, a South African "Now there were in the Read More
  • The Human Body and Spiritual Growth: Dallas Willard +

    In Christian Educator's Handbook on Spiritual Formation, edited by James Wilhoit of Wheaton College. "Spiritual formation" is the process through Read More
  • January 28 Devotional: Oswald Chambers +

    Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14 Read More
  • Coupla Things by Julie Moore +

    It has occurred to me that maybe more people would read my blog if the posts were shorter. I'm not Read More
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