Field Report #012

 40-Day Challenge Report: Day 7

Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” Mark 13:35-37

"Stay Awake" continues to be the theme of this challenge. Sometimes it means to literally stay awake and practice the daily disciplines that give good and constructive rhythms to life. Usually it means to stay alert and intentional about my actions, and not slip into the malaise of 21st-century autopilot that involves a lot of screen-staring and faffing about.

Day 7 is looking good so far, and I still only have the one slip-up on disciplines from days 1 through 6. I need to keep up the routines I am building without letting any of the long-term projects slip. It's important and to keep the disciplines in perspective, not as Pharisaical laws, but as Godly habits and rituals that, as a Christian, I am free to pursue. 

For example, Paul writes to the Thessalonians that one should pray without ceasing. Is it wrong for the Christian to hear this and decide on a few regular hours of prayer to practice throughout the day? Of course not. Is it wrong for a Christian to hear this and bind his own conscience or the conscience of a fellow believer to such an observance? Absolutely. Is it still helpful to pursue such a plan or regular practice? Indeed it is.

The spirit of the challenge also puts Paul's admonition at the end of 1 Corinthians 9 into mind. Let us not run aimlessly; let us not box as one beating the air.