Retreat on Grace, Gravity, and Growing Old

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Retreat on Grace, Gravity, and Growing Old

Reflection #1: A Study of the Life of Caleb: Grace

Who is Caleb?

·         from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh (Num. 13:6)

·         40 years old when chosen to be a spy (Num.13:1)

·         Leader of the tribe of Judah (Num.13:3)

·         Only Joshua and Caleb from his generation entered the promised land (Num.14:38)

·         85 years old conquest of Hebron and its surroundings (Joshua 14:10)

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV84)

18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

·         Individual and communities transformed to Christlikeness

·         Ongoing process

·         Holy Spirit is involved

·         God’s glory is restored

Meditation Points

1. Finding my true identity - who am I beneath my roles?

·         The move to interiority (from doing to being, and living from the inside, out)

·         Identity, not in what I do but in who I am (God’s beloved child, 1 John 3:1)

·         Intimacy, and the need to be known and love

2. Growing in authenticity - how can I live with my changing self?

·         Recognising the ‘false self’, and searching for my ‘true self in God’

·         awareness of my ‘persona’ (masks) Genesis 3:7-8

·         the place of suffering

·         yearning for wholeness

·         individuation : becoming a unique and complete individual, the person God made me to be

3. Embracing my shadow – how can I accept myself?

· In the crucible? Psalm 66:10; Job 23:10; Malachi 3:3;1Peter 1:7

· Making friends with the ‘Shadow’:

o things I have neglected about myself (the good)

o things I have rejected about myself (the bad)

o things I don’t yet know about myself (the undeveloped)

· Expressions of inner conflict - Romans 7:14-20

· Developing ‘balance’ – integration in the personality

4. Maturing in faith – what about my relationship with God?

·         What do I believe? How will I express what I believe?

·         dormant faith coming alive

·         inherited faith being challenged

·         active faith being reassessed

·         passive faith becoming active

·         A stumbling stone?

·         From certainty to mystery – less certain but more sure

Reflection #2: Study of the life of Caleb: Gravity

Meditation points

1. Who or what are your giants/obstacles as you grow older?

Be specific

List down the giants/obstacles

2. What are some of the ways you can slay the giants /overcome the obstacles?

Be specific

List down the steps

3. Pray about what you have written

Reflection #3: Study of the life of Caleb: Growing Old

Meditation Points

1. Vocation – identifying passion and purpose – where am I going?

·         Who am I as a person (identity)?

·         What are my gifts?

·         What is the passion within me?

·         God’s will = identity + gifting + passion

·         What is my vocation and my life message?

·         Who I am and what I do, in harmony

2. Faith and courage to step out

·         Some of our most significant and meaningful contributions can come as we grow older

·         More of the same, but differently?

·         Something new entirely?

·         A building on what has gone before?

·         God’s will, not selfish expression

·         Jeremiah 1:4-5, Ephesians 2:10 and Matthew 13:44-46

Reflection #4: Study of the life of Caleb: Legacy

Meditation Points

1. Legacy – what am I leaving behind?

·         Generativity vs stagnation

·         Passing the baton, not holding on (2 Timothy 2:2)

·         Living outside ourselves and thinking of others

·         Mentoring

·         Spiritual direction

2. Partnering with God – how can I sustain myself?

·         A new lease of life, but with danger

·         Working with God, not for God

·         The contemplative strand, and learning to abide (John 15:5)