new church life:
september/october 2015
not actually come from him but from the Lord. . . . The things that are called gifts
and presents made to the Lord by a person are essentially gifts and presents made
to a person by the Lord, and that they are called gifts and presents on account of
what they appear to be. All who are wise at heart recognize this appearance. (Arcana
Coelestia 9938)
Members of the earlier churches used sacrifice as a means of giving back
to the Lord. That ritual is no longer expected of us. Choosing to give financially
to a church organization (or any organization that appears to be committed to
doing the Lord’s work) is a good option for an external act that serves as a
reminder to us to give back what is His.
3. Quality Time
Spending quality time requires that we give that person our undivided attention.
Just as “words of affirmation” refer to words that we say to one another, quality
time has to do with listening to each other. (Chapman 65) This blend of both
talking and hearing is very useful in fostering healthy relationships.
Spending quality time with the Lord could be regarded as spending time
in external forms of worship: formally worshiping the Lord, attending church,
listening to sermons, spending time in prayer and meditation, and reading the
Word. (Canons 174) However, worship can be much more than an external
act. A true state of worship of the Lord is a constant state of conjunction with
Him by means of love and charity, containing acknowledgement of Him, faith
in Him, and love to Him. (Arcana Coelestia 10205) It is highly recommended,
nonetheless, that while we are still in the
natural world we participate in external
worship as it calls our attention back to the
Lord and can serve to instruct us about Him.
(Ibid. 1618, 1175) In fact, # 7038 states that
external forms of worship are “necessary.”
Observing the Sabbath can be a means
of creating quality time with the Lord. The
command to observe the Sabbath as a holy
day of solemn rest (Exodus 16:23) is no longer
required as originally directed. Just as true
worship is a constant state of thinking about
the Lord, so is the Sabbath. “Anyone in whom
the life of love, that is, in whom charity is
present keeps the Sabbath holy since nothing
delights him more than worshipping the Lord
and declaring His glory day by day.” (Arcana
Coelestia 1798:3; see also 10356) While the
A true state of
worship of the Lord
is a constant state
of conjunction
with Him by
means of love and
charity, containing
acknowledgement
of Him, faith in
Him and love to
Him.
494