First Testament
The prophet Isaiah invites the practice of this spiritual discipline when he says, “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.” (Isaiah 12:5)
What is worship?
The discipline that Jesus is providing a template for here: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9b-13)
What is prayer?
In the passage following, this spiritual discipline is recognized as a way of finding hope, forgiveness, and restoration. “If we admit our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
What is confession?
After David commits adultery with Bathsheba and uses his position of power to have her husband killed in battle, he prays the following psalm in order to practice this spiritual discipline: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." (Psalm 51:1-3)
What is confession?
In Daniel 10:2-3, Daniel uses this discipline to mourn and to grieve. “ In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”
What is fasting?
In Mark 6:31, Jesus invites the disciplines to practice this discipline with him. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, Jesus said to the disciples, "Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest."
What is solitude?
While practicing this discipline, we may find ourselves exclaiming this exhortation from Paul, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Phil. 4:4)
What is celebration?
Closely connected to study, this following psalm appreciates this discipline which takes scripture and lets it sink into the heart: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” (Psalm 119:33-34)
What is meditation?
In this instance, the prophet Isaiah is anticipating when God will bring us into this discipline. Therefore when we practice this now, we join in the anticipation of what is to come. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, … of rich food full of marrow” (Isaiah 25:6)
What is celebration?
In this parable, Jesus is teaching primarily about the value of this spiritual discipline. "Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’" (Matthew 25:34-40)
What is simplicity? OR What is service?
As Paul and Silas travelled and shared their thoughts and experiences of Christ, they encountered some faithful believers in the Jewish synagogue in Beroea who used this spiritual discipline regularly. They even used it to consider carefully what Paul and Silas had to say. It is said of these people that, “they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
What is study?
This discipline often leads to justice as shown in this psalm: “How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry." (Psalm 146:5, 7)
What is service? OR What is simplicity?
What else is there to do inside a whale besides to do this discipline…or, at least, that’s what Jonah seemed to think. “I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:1)
What is prayer?
The singular, freedom-living Jesus invites us into in this passage might come into light through regular practice of this spiritual discipline: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?... “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6: 25-33)
What is service?
Paul asks the Philippians to practice this discipline in this passage: "Brothers and sisters whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phil.4:8)
What is meditation?
One might explain, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” (Psalm 62:5) while practicing this discipline.
What is solitude?
Perhaps this Proverb is inviting us to practice this spiritual discipline with its word of wisdom, “Better to have little, with reverence for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.” (Proverbs 15:16)
What is simplicity?
In this heart breaking moment right before the cross Jesus models this discipline in his relationship with God. “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” (Matthew 26:39)
What is submission?
The spiritual discipline described here suggests this discipline is also a whole way of life: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1)
What is worship?
Deeply connected to prayer, this discipline is used often to stand in solidarity with those who are lacking, or suffering, as in this example: “But as for me, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with [this discipline] I prayed with head bowed[ on my bosom, as though I grieved for a friend or a brother; I went about as one who laments for a mother, bowed down and in mourning.” (Psalm 35:13-14)
What is fasting?