classic Saturday

I am really enjoying spending each week this year in one of the 52 devotions found in Devotional Classics edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith. This week I read an excerpt from William Law (1686-1761) entitled "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life". Here's a bit:
"It is very observable that there is not one command in all the gospel for public worship. One could say that it is the duty that is least insisted upon in Scripture. Frequent church attendance is never so much as mentioned in all of the New Testament. But the command to have a faith that governs the ordinary actions of our lives is to be found in almost every verse of Scripture. Our blessed Savior and his Apostles were very intent on giving us teachings that relate to daily life. They teach us:

-to renounce the world and be different in our attitudes and ways of life
-to renounce all its goods, to fear none of its evils, to reject its joys, and have no value for its happiness
-to be as newborn babes who are born into a new state of things
-to live as pilgrims in spiritual watching, in holy fear, and heavenly aspiring after another life
-to take up our cross daily, to deny ourselves, to profess the blessedness of mourning, to seek the blessedness of mourning, to seek the blessedness of poverty of spirit
-to forsake the pride and vanity of riches, to take no thought for the morrow, to live in the profoundest state of humility, to rejoice in worldly sufferings
-to reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
-to bear injuries, to forgive and bless our enemies, and to love all people as God loves them
-to give up our whole hearts and affections to God, and to strive to enter through the straight gate into a life of eternal glory.

Isn't it strange that people place so much emphasis upon going to church when there is not one command from Jesus to do so, and yet neglect the basic duties of our ordinary life which are commanded in every page of the Gospels?"

Foster/Smith have some good questions at the end of each selection. A few to ponder this week:

If, as Law believes, the vitality of one's faith is revealed by one's actions, how would you describe your spiritual health?

What are some of the struggles you face as you attempt to demonstrate your faith not merely in words, but in actions?