I became a Christian at Calvary Chapel. I was swooned in by
the music. My heart softened by the dim lights and the melodic repetition ... He who began a good work in you…He who…
began a good work in youuuuu…he’ll be faithful to complete it, he ’ll be faithful
to complete it…He who started the work...will be faithful to complete it in you… I know you are humming it now. I
can see my friend Lynn up on that stage, her wide teeth-showing smile, the
light in her eyes, pointing her long pink fingernail right at my heart and
singing …in you!
I’d plant my bare
feet to the floor, wiggle my toes on the carpet, close my eyes and raise my
hands, fingers wide, high to the Heavens…
Lord, I lift your name on high...Lord, I love to sing your praises… I’m so glad
you’re in my life, I’m so glad you came to save us, You came from heaven to earth
to show the Way, from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay, from the cross to
the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord I lift your name on high…
Unified with my community of worshipers, the declaration of
celebration would begin…
Our God is an awesome
God, He reigns from Heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, Our God Is an
awesome God!!!
We sing glory,
honor…the battle belongs to the Lord…
And I’d drop to my knees, bow my head… No one but you Lord, can satisfy the longing in my heart, nothing I do
Lord, can take the place of drawing near to you….cause only you can fill my
deepest longing, only you can breathe in me new life, only you can fill my
heart with laughter, only you can answer my heart’s cry…and the tears would
stream, just as they are now, bathing my soul.
And as my heart rate slowed and I began to breathe deep and
calm, my voice lifted from my belly…
In the morning when I
rise…in the morning when I rise…in the morning, when I rise…Give me Jesus…Give
me Jesus..give me Jesus…you can have all this world…you can have all this
world…but give me… Je..eee…sus…
Back then I went to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. And by Saturday and Tuesday my chest would
start to ache for worship. I’d drive to church with joyful and desperate
anticipation, knowing God would meet me there and my heart would find rest as
the music began. The stark newness of spending time in the healing presence of
God was food to my young starved heart.
Give ear to my words, oh
Lord… consider my meditation…hearken unto the voice of my cry… my King, and my God…
for unto thee will I pray…my voice shalt thou hear in the morning, oh Lord… in the morning, will I direct my
prayer unto thee… and will look up...
I would look up, and the Lord heard my cries and my prayers
as I meditated on Him in the morning and in the evening. I would sing… and I
would release… and I would hold on to hope with my words, my breath, my mind, my
body and my spirit.
And after… I was clean… my heart washed, my mind clear, the
ache in my chest replaced by the calming balm of the Holy Spirit…like magic.
And with that I was able to face another day, tackling the
battles of my mind… and winning.
But now that I’m wrinkly… My eyes are dry, my faith is old, my heart is hard, my prayers are cold…
And I know how I ought to be… Alive to
you and dead to me… But what can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it
up with oil and wine… the oil is you, your spirit of love… please wash me anew…with
the wine of your blood…
But the charismatic faith of my youth has wavered and often
I find myself jaded and self- conscious. But life still kicks my ass… and I’m
still just, if not more, as desperate for peace and rest and sweet release.
I told this to the Lord recently.
He replied, “Namaste”…well, not audibly, but in that
God-leading-me sort of way.
In yoga practice, communally we start the flow, standing at
the top of our mats, we spread our toes wide and ground our bare feet to the
earth, the music is soft, the lights are low…I am swooned in. We shut our eyes,
hold our hands to our heart’s center in prayer… and we breathe. Inhale deep
through the nose, audible exhale out the mouth… and let it go. The air there is
110 degrees and as the beads of sweat drop and pool to the floor, the cleansing
begins.
The instructor says in a soft voice, “Set your intention for
the class, maybe a word, a focus that is thankful and restorative.”
And I hear, “meditate on whatsoever is lovely and true.” (Philippians
4:8)
Arms overhead, fingers fan wide and a gentle back bend… look
up… and open the heart…
…then forward fold, half way lift, crouch and curl, head
bows and fingers touch the floor…and my whole body worships.
…Oh come let us
worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our God,our Maker…
Half way lift and rise, biceps to ears for mountain
pose…heart to sky, fingers wide… and repeat gentle back bend…
Then she says, “Cast off that which is no longer serving
you.”
And I hear, “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the
past.” (Isaiah 43:18)
Forward fold, half way lift, crouch and curl, fingers to the
earth, bow head…
Breathe here for a moment, in through the nose, out through
the nose… and rest.
Rise again, flat back strong, arms wide in a reverse swan
dive, lift with your legs and belly engaged, relax the shoulders, arms reach to
the sky…mountain pose!
My breath is an ocean, my feet root down to the earth, my
hands stretch to the heavens… my muscles are alive… and my body rejoices…and in
this moment, I have victory.
Balancing Eagle Pose...
“Remember,” she says, “you are not your pose, listen to your
body, honor and bless the body that you are in today.”
My body is God’s temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. (1
Corinthians 3:16)
Left arm under the right for eagle arms, left leg wraps
around right to balance…find your Drishti, your still, focal point… so you
won’t fall...and squeeze…
You’re here for 3…2…1…now same thing, other side.
“Beautiful job Yogi’s, now shake it off and let it go.”
Down dog, lunge through, rainbow it out, Warrior Two, bend
your knee deep into your warrior pose, fierce and strong, feel the stretch… reverse the warrior, lift
your gaze, stand firm…
They will be as a mighty warrior. (Zechariah 10:5)
Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be
strong. (1Corinthians 16:13)
…I’ll stand with arms
high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all, I'll stand my soul
Lord to you surrendered…all I am is yours…
I’ve exercised before, I know the serotonin rush that comes
with a good sweat, but setting your intention for that hour to be honoring to
God, to be in His presence, to immerse your whole body ,mind and spirit in a
practice that is centering and cleansing and forgiving and excepting… is truly
magical.
Jon gets this. He mountain bikes through the hills near our
house and he comes home drenched and dirty, with pink cheeks and looking like a
boy. He says out there he hears God. When he reaches the top of a long, steep
hill, he climbs down from his bike, bends his knees in the dirt and raises his
hands to the sky. As he pants for breath and rest, he praises God and His great
creation.
Now a warning does need to be said. For sure, yoga can
deviate into darker places masquerading as light. And I am in no way saying
that yoga itself should be worshiped.
You shall have no other God’s before me. (Exodus 20:3)
My friend Julie brings a tiny gold cross and places it at
the top of her mat for focus and protection.
And trust me, I have more history with occult activity then
I care to recall and after eight hours of deliverance prayer, I am in no
position to play with fire. But I do believe Jesus gave me yoga.
I was stuck…stuck between an aging and tired faith and my
desperate need for daily renewal. And as only sweet Jesus can do, he gave me a
way out. (1Corinthians 10:13)
…when my heart runs
dry, and there’s no song to sing, no holy melody, no words of love within, I
recall the height from which, this fragile heart has slipped…And I’ll remember
you…I will turn back and do the things I used to do….
My bare feet ground down to the earth…my hands stretch to
the sky… gentle back bend and my heart lifts and opens…hands to prayer and I crouch
and curl, fingers to the earth, I breathe, I bow my head… and I surrender… I release…
…for the love of
Youuuuu…
Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
At the end of class we lay on our backs, arms to our side,
palms open and we close our eyes… and in quiet and stillness… we rest.
And then the instructor says, “The highest light in me
honors and respects the highest light in you.”
And I hear, “Love one another, for love is of God.” (1 John
1:4)
Namaste, Amen.
