Spiritual Practice of the Month: Questing Pt 1

This week's focus passage is the story of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law and those who gathered from the city to be restored to wholeness as well. When Jesus got up, while it was still dark, the next morning and went to a deserted place, people are started searching for him. We all search for healing at various times in our lives: healing from pain, healing of broken relationships, healing from illness, healing for the world. Often, we look in unlikely places. We self-medicate or nurse our anger in groups of like-minded people or we withdraw from everything and everyone. We weaponize the words of "the enemy," and we even weaponize scripture to suit our purposes. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers. 

The spiritual practice of questing requires that we search diligently with an open mind and an open heart, that we read the whole of scriptures through the lens of grace, that we listen to viewpoints that differ from our own, that truly seek to understand, that we approach prayer with a goal of transformation rather than righteousness. 

This week, search for Christ's healing touch in the midst of diverse community. Engage in conversations with people who think differently than you do at least as much as you engage in conversation with those who are like-minded. Open your heart to some new understanding that could transform the way you live. This week, search for Jesus in the places you least expect to find him, and allow yourself the freedom to be amazed at what you discover.