The Receptive Life

Lutheran Spirituality and Spiritual Warfare

The Triune God vs. the “unholy trinity”

Do you ever feel like you and your family are being harassed by the “unholy trinity” (the devil, the corrupt world, and the sinful flesh)?

Are these spiritual enemies pushing you around and winning the day?

Do you feel ill equipped to fight back?

Here’s the good news … we have a Triune God who fights FOR us and WITH us.

Martin Luther said it this way …

The devil is called the master of a thousand arts. But what shall we call God’s Word, which drives away and brings to naught this master of a thousand arts with all his arts and power? It must indeed be the master of more than a hundred thousand arts.
(Martin Luther, Large Catechism, Introduction, paragraph 12)

“The Receptive Life” digital series will teach you how to …

defend yourself against the attacks of the “unholy trinity”
fight using the Scriptures and all of the promises of the person and work of Jesus
and receive all of the gifts that only the Triune God can give.

Read Some Reflections

Therefore, we Christians must be armed and daily expect to be incessantly attacked … For he (the devil) is an enemy that never desists nor becomes tired, so that when one temptation ceases, there always arise others and fresh ones …

… if you venture to help yourself by your own thoughts and counsel, you will only make the matter worse and give the devil more space. For he has a serpent’s head, which if it gain an opening into which he can slip, the whole body will follow without check. But prayer can prevent him and drive him back.

Martin Luther, Large Catechism, III, (paragraphs 106-111)

A “Mr. Miyagi” Approach to the Spiritual Formation of the Christian Life

In the 1984 movie The Karate Kid, a teen named Daniel is bullied by a group of well trained karate students from the local Cobra Kai dojo. Daniel is outmatched and outnumbered until Mr. Miyagi, the elderly and unassuming Japanese janitor of Daniel’s apartment building, comes to his rescue and begins to teach him the “Miyagi method” of karate.

Mr. Miyagi’s karate system is strange, slow and unconventional. It consists of Daniel waxing cars, sanding floors and painting fences. At the end of each day, Mr. Miyagi inspects Daniel’s work and says, “come back tomorrow”.

When Daniel is about to quit, thinking that he has just been taken for days of free labor, Mr. Miyagi shows him the underlying purpose of the chores and the repetitive motions.

Daniel realizes that all along, Mr. Miyagi has been teaching and he has been learning karate.

The Receptive Life is a “wax on, wax off” approach to fighting the “unholy trinity”. It focuses on the “basics” and emphasizes a daily return to, and repetition of the Christ centered and historic spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith.

Lutheran Spirituality as “The Receptive Life”

Martin Luther described the life of the Christian as “receptive”. The Latin phrase he used was “vita passiva” – the life that “accepts” or “receives” all of the good gifts of the Triune God.

Like beggars, we have nothing but, in and through faith, we open our hands and receive all good and gracious gifts from the pierced hands of Jesus.

When it comes to the forgiveness of sins, a clear conscience and reconciliation with God, we offer nothing.

No works.

No merits.

Rather, through the gift of faith, we cling solely to the person and work of Jesus.

The Receptive Life digital resource was created to help you learn how the Triune God gives (and how we receive) all of the gifts that only Jesus can give.

Read Some Reflections

Map and Compass

Twelve Outposts

Map of the Territory

For a detailed PDF of the territory, click here. Here are the thirteen stations/outposts of the territory:

Station 1: The Sign of the Cross and the Trinitarian Invocation
Station 2: Evening and Morning Prayer
Station 3: Confession
Station 4: The Reading, Study and Meditation of the Scriptures
Station 5: Morning and Evening Commendation
Station 6: Blessing and Doxology
Station 7: Ten Commandments (Monday)
Station 8: The Creed (Tuesday)
Station 9: The Lord’s Prayer (Wednesday)
Station 10: Sacrament of Baptism (Thursday)
Station 11: Office of the Keys (Friday)
Station 12: Sacrament of the Altar (Saturday)
Station 13: Vocation (Sunday)

Every day we walk to and through these territories. We go as a beggar, holding the spiritual sack wide open to receive all of the gifts that only Jesus can give. We make our way to each station because in each place Jesus offers and delivers on a promise. Here’s how it works …

When we get ourselves to these sacred places, the Holy Spirit connects us to the person and work of Jesus.
And when we’re connected to the Word of God (in the flesh, in the Scriptures, in the Sacraments), the God of the Word promises to give Himself to us.
And when the Triune God gives Himself to us, He promises to be with us, to fight for us, to work on, in, through and around us.

Again, everything from God. Nothing from ourselves. It’s all about receptivity. It’s not about earning performance points or a spiritual merit badge but about running to the places and embracing the means by which Jesus said that he would give all of his gifts. That’s the map, the lay of the land.

A Guide Along the Way

Compass

(the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle)

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle is an intentional and structured process that I've developed to help you consistently get to all of the "right" places. It’s a compass, a spiritual guide through the territory. The heart of it, as the name suggests, is Psalm 119 (one giant song, 176 verses, about the Word of God and the God of the Word). Psalm 119 (and the prayer cycle) pulses with these three themes:

oratio: prayer,
meditatio: meditation on the Scriptures,
tentatio: the promise of grace in the midst of soul-struggle.

Here’s a link to Martin Luther’s Preface to the Wittenberg Edition of his German Writings. In these words he speaks of Psalm 119 and the spiritual themes of oratio, meditatio, tentatio. Click here for the link. When sin, death and the Devil disorientate, the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle helps us get our bearings. Like a compass, it points to true north. It reorients and directs us to the following landmarks:

the spiritual rhythm of life (evening and morning prayer)
the person and work of Jesus Christ
the heartbeat and pulse of the receptive life
the continual call to live a life of repentance
the daily reading, meditation and memorization of Scripture
the Psalms (Life Happens/But the Lord is ...)
the Ten Commandments (the way of Love)
the Creed (the nature and character of the Triune God)
the Lord's Prayer (a guided intercession from Jesus)
the Forgiveness of Sins (Baptism, Confession, the Lord's Supper)
and our God given and graced Vocations (the call of Jesus to follow)

Here are a couple of Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle resources:

Backpack and Itinerary

A Set of Traveling Tools

Backpack

(Tools, Materials and Skills)

While traveling, we'll need some tools and materials. I’d like to suggest a couple of essential resources that you can put in the backpack …

You'll also need some skills and daily exercises. The following spiritual disciplines might take a little bit of work but with some encouragement and time they can be developed. Think of them as spiritual exercises that strengthen the soul. Here’s a list of some of the spiritual practices that we'll use …

Attending the Divine Service in God's House
Placing the Name and Activity of God Upon our Lives
Evening and Morning Prayer
Giving Up Control and Commending Ourselves into the Lord's Hands
The Daily Reading and Study of the Scriptures
Memorization and Meditation of the Scriptures
Praying the Psalms
Evening and Morning Commendation
Offering Up a Doxology
Receiving the Lord's Blessing
Examining Our Lives Through the Ten Commandments
Declaring the Truth of the Creed
Praying the Lord's Prayer
The Daily Practice of Re-Membering Your Baptism
Confession and Absolution
Preparation Before Receiving the Lord’s Supper
Identifying and Fully Engaging in our Vocation

Like all types of exercise, these spiritual disciplines are going to require some work. But remember, these practices are not about performance points or spiritual merit. They’re simply the means by which God works and gives to us the works of Jesus.

A Daily/Weekly Schedule

Itinerary

(15-30 Minutes a Day for Twelve Weeks)

And so, here’s what I’m thinking. If you give me about 15-30 minutes each day, for a couple of months, I’ll walk you through and show you around the spiritual landscape of the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle. In 15-30 minutes a day we’ll cover a lot of territory but the pace will be comfortable – not too fast, not too slow – progress not in leaps but a baby step forward every day. 15-30 minutes a day will give us enough time to explore, yet, at the same time, we’ll keep moving toward the next station/outpost. Let’s walk together with the promise that if we get ourselves to all of those places on the map, God will promise to do his work. And so, here’s the itinerary that I propose.

Week 1: the HEART, CORE AND CENTRAL MESSAGE of faith (Invocation and the Trinitarian Invocation)
Week 2: the RHYTHM of faith (Evening and Morning Prayer)
Week 3: the HEARTBEAT of faith (Repentance: Confession and Absolution)
Week 4a: the SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, TRAINING and FORMATION of faith (“training in godliness”)
Week 4b: the REVELATION and CONTENT of faith (the Word of God – heard, read and studied)
Week 4c: the WEAPON and SHIELD of faith (the Word of God – memorized and meditated upon)
Week 5: the EXPRESSION and EMOTION of faith (the Psalms and Morning and Evening Commendation)
Week 6: the BLESSING AND CONFIDENCE of faith (the Doxology and Blessing)
Week 7: the COMMAND and DEMAND of faith (the 10 Commandments)
Week 8: the OBJECT of faith (the Creed)
Week 9: the BATTLE CRY of faith (the Lord’s Prayer)
Week 10: the CREATION of faith (the Sacrament of Baptism)
Week 11: the SHEPHERDING and SPIRITUAL CARE of faith (the Office of the Keys)
Week 12: the NOURISHMENT and SUSTAINING of faith (the Sacrament of the Altar)
Week 13: the DAILY EXERCISE of faith (station + location = vocation)

Admittedly, at first glance, the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle may look overwhelming. But on this site, I’ll do my best to guide you through the process with further posts. I’ll also try and offer a number of retreat options where we can talk through some of the specifics.

For inasmuch as God Himself is not ashamed to teach these things daily, as knowing nothing better to teach, and always keeps teaching the same thing, and does not take up anything new or different, and all the saints know nothing better or different to learn, and cannot finish learning this …

… are we not the finest of all fellows to imagine, if we have once read or heard it, that we know it all, and have no further need to read and learn, but can finish learning in one hour what God Himself cannot finish teaching, although He is engaged in teaching it from the beginning to the end of the world, and all prophets, together with all saints, have been occupied with learning it, and have ever remained pupils, and must continue to be such?

Martin Luther, Large Catechism, Introduction, paragraph 16

Frequently Asked Questions

In what way is Lutheran Spirituality passive? What is “The Receptive Life”?

“We are beggars; this is true!” (Martin Luther)

The Father gives to us all of His creation. With empty and open hands we (and the entire world) receive our daily bread.
Our Brother, the Lord Jesus, gives us all of His works. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been purchased, won back, rescued, redeemed and clothed in His righteousness.
The Holy Spirit gives us all of His gifts. Through faith, we cling solely to the person and work of Jesus. We continually receive the forgiveness of sins, a clear conscience and reconciliation with God and the neighbor and all good and godly gifts needed for life in the Kingdom.

We have nothing.

Christ has everything.

Like beggars, we open our hands and receive all riches from the pierced hands of Jesus.

In what way is Lutheran Spirituality active?

The work of salvation has been accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus. He has paid the price for sin and defeated death and the Devil. It is finished! Though the forgiveness of sins has been purchased and won by Jesus, it continually needs to be offered, distributed and delivered to the world. Salvation has been accomplished for all but it needs to be applied and continually received by each person. Through the proclamation of the Gospel, the finished work of Jesus for the world is applied to us. His works become ours through faith.

The Holy Spirit offers the forgiveness of sins through proclamation of the Gospel. In the Church, the Holy Spirit has chosen to use tangible means (“vehicles”) to deliver the works of Jesus. We call these “vehicles” of the Holy Spirit and refer to them as the Word and the Sacraments.

As spiritual beggars, we are called to actively pursue and run to the places where the Triune God has promised to deliver the works and rich gifts of Jesus. Therefore, it is good and godly for us to actively pursue and diligently and consistently get ourselves to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to do His work.

Here’s a list of some good and godly habits that the Holy Spirit uses to give us the gifts of Jesus. Think of these spiritual practices as the “active” ways that spiritual beggars run to a heavenly banquet where they will receive the gifts of the Triune God …

Attending the Divine Service in God’s House
Placing the Name and Activity of God Upon our Lives
Evening and Morning Prayer
Giving Up Control and Commending Ourselves into the Lord’s Hands
The Daily Reading and Study of the Scriptures
Memorization and Meditation of the Scriptures
Praying the Psalms
Evening and Morning Commendation
Offering Up a Doxology
Receiving the Lord’s Blessing
Examining Our Lives Through the Ten Commandments
Declaring the Truth of the Creed
Praying the Lord’s Prayer
The Daily Practice of Re-Membering Your Baptism
Confession and Absolution
Preparation Before Receiving the Lord’s Supper
Identifying and Fully Engaging in our Vocation

We don’t “do” these exercises to merit gifts. Rather, we make us of these spiritual exercises so that, through them, the Triune God may do and give His work to us. We, like beggars, have nothing to offer.

Jesus gives everything. Through faith, we receive.

Can you describe the spiritual battle and give an example of how we can fight the “unholy” trinity?

Here’s an example from Martin Luther’s Large Catechism:

[105] Great and grievous, indeed, are these dangers and temptations, which every Christian must bear. We bear them even though each one were alone by himself. So every hour that we are in this vile life, we are attacked on all sides [2 Corinthians 4:8], chased and hunted down. We are moved to cry out and to pray that God would not allow us to become weary and faint [Isaiah 40:31; Hebrews 12:3] and to fall again into sin, shame, and unbelief. For otherwise it is impossible to overcome even the least temptation.

[106] This, then, is what “lead us not into temptation” means. It refers to times when God gives us power and strength to resist the temptation [1 Corinthians 10:13]. However, the temptation is not taken away or removed. While we live in the flesh and have the devil around us, no one can escape his temptation and lures. It can only mean that we must endure trials, indeed, be engulfed in them [2 Timothy 2:3]. But we say this prayer so that we may not fall and be drowned in them.

[107] To feel temptation is, therefore, a far different thing from consenting or yielding to it. We must all feel it, although not all in the same way. Some feel it in a greater degree and more severely than others. For example, the young suffer especially from the flesh. Afterward, when they reach middle life and old age, they feel it from the world. But others who are occupied with spiritual matters, that is, strong Christians, feel it from the devil. [108] Such feeling, as long as it is against our will and we would rather be rid of it, can harm no one. For if we did not feel it, it could not be called a temptation. But we consent to it when we give it the reins and do not resist or pray against it. [

109] Therefore, we Christians must be armed [Ephesians 6:10–18] and daily expect to be constantly attacked. No one may go on in security and carelessly, as though the devil were far from us. At all times we must expect and block his blows. Though I am now chaste, patient, kind, and in firm faith, the devil will this very hour send such an arrow into my heart that I can scarcely stand. For he is an enemy that never stops or becomes tired. So when one temptation stops, there always arise others and fresh ones.

[110] So there is no help or comfort except to run here, take hold of the Lord’s Prayer, and speak to God from the heart like this: “Dear Father, You have asked me to pray. Don’t let me fall because of temptations.” Then you will see that the temptations must stop and finally confess themselves conquered. [111] If you try to help yourself by your own thoughts and counsel, you will only make the matter worse and give the devil more space. For he has a serpent’s head [Revelation 12:9]. If it finds an opening into which it can slip, the whole body will follow without stopping. But prayer can prevent him and drive him back.

Martin Luther’s Large Catechism, III 105-111

Paul Timothy McCain. Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: Second Edition. Concordia Publishing House

What’s the “Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle”?

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle is an intentional and structured process that I’ve developed to help you consistently get to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to do His work.

I call it the “Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle” because …

it’s based on Psalm 119 (more on that below)
it teaches us how pray, meditate on the Scriptures and receive God’s gifts in the midst of “soul struggle”
it’s a tactile tool that helps us repeat and return to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to give to us His gifts

Think of it as a map, a compass and a spiritual guide through the territory. When sin, death and the Devil disorientate, the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle helps us get our bearings. Like a compass, it points to true north. It reorients and directs us to the following landmarks …

Week 1: the HEART, CORE AND CENTRAL MESSAGE of faith (Invocation and the Trinitarian Invocation)
Week 2: the RHYTHM of faith (Evening and Morning Prayer)
Week 3: the HEARTBEAT of faith (Repentance: Confession and Absolution)
Week 4a: the SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, TRAINING and FORMATION of faith (“training in godliness”)
Week 4b: the REVELATION and CONTENT of faith (the Word of God – heard, read and studied)
Week 4c: the WEAPON and SHIELD of faith (the Word of God – memorized and meditated upon)
Week 5: the EXPRESSION and EMOTION of faith (the Psalms and Morning and Evening Commendation)
Week 6: the BLESSING AND CONFIDENCE of faith (the Doxology and Blessing)
Week 7: the COMMAND and DEMAND of faith (the 10 Commandments)
Week 8: the OBJECT of faith (the Creed)
Week 9: the BATTLE CRY of faith (the Lord’s Prayer)
Week 10: the CREATION of faith (the Sacrament of Baptism)
Week 11: the SHEPHERDING and SPIRITUAL CARE of faith (the Office of the Keys)
Week 12: the NOURISHMENT and SUSTAINING of faith (the Sacrament of the Altar)
Week 13: the DAILY EXERCISE of faith (station + location = vocation)

Here’s a couple of Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle resources:

Why is Psalm 119 the central Scripture? What is oratio, meditatio and tentatio?

The heart of the “Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle”, as the name suggests, is Psalm 119 (one giant song, 176 verses, about the Word of God and the God of the Word). Psalm 119 (and the prayer cycle) pulses with three themes.

Martin Luther in his Preface to the Wittenberg Edition of his German Writings identified these three spiritual themes as oratio, meditatio and tentatio. They are Latin terms for …

prayer
meditation on the Scriptures,
the promise of grace in the midst of soul-struggle.

Here are some corresponding references from Psalm 119 (NIV):

Oratio: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Ps. 119:18)
Meditatio: “Oh, how I love your law, I meditate on it all day long.” (Ps. 119:97)
Tentatio: “I am laid low in the dust, preserve my life according to your word.” (Ps. 119:25)

Click here for a link to Martin Luther’s Preface to the Wittenberg Edition of his German Writings

Here’s a couple of Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle resources:

Why are the chief parts of the Small Catechism used?

Martin Luther’s Small Catechism contains the “ABCs” of the Christian faith. It was created by Dr. Luther to help the “head of household teach the Christian faith in a clear and simple way”. It was also referred to as the “layman’s Bible”.

The different stations in the Psalm 119 territory not only reflect the spiritual themes of Psalm 119 but also the foundational truths of the Christian life.

Week 1: the HEART, CORE AND CENTRAL MESSAGE of faith (Invocation and the Trinitarian Invocation)
Week 2: the RHYTHM of faith (Evening and Morning Prayer)
Week 3: the HEARTBEAT of faith (Repentance: Confession and Absolution)
Week 4a: the SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, TRAINING and FORMATION of faith (“training in godliness”)
Week 4b: the REVELATION and CONTENT of faith (the Word of God – heard, read and studied)
Week 4c: the WEAPON and SHIELD of faith (the Word of God – memorized and meditated upon)
Week 5: the EXPRESSION and EMOTION of faith (the Psalms and Morning and Evening Commendation)
Week 6: the BLESSING AND CONFIDENCE of faith (the Doxology and Blessing)
Week 7: the COMMAND and DEMAND of faith (the 10 Commandments)
Week 8: the OBJECT of faith (the Creed)
Week 9: the BATTLE CRY of faith (the Lord’s Prayer)
Week 10: the CREATION of faith (the Sacrament of Baptism)
Week 11: the SHEPHERDING and SPIRITUAL CARE of faith (the Office of the Keys)
Week 12: the NOURISHMENT and SUSTAINING of faith (the Sacrament of the Altar)
Week 13: the DAILY EXERCISE of faith (station + location = vocation)

These stations are “base camps” from which we journey into our world and return to rest and receive.

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle looks like it has beads? Is it a rosary?

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle consists of the following …

it is based on Psalm 119
it makes use of the core teachings of the Christian faith as referenced in Luther’s Small Catechism
it progressively moves through all of the ABCs of the Christian faith
it is a process with repeatable patterns (daily and weekly)
it enlists the age old mental skills of memorization, meditation and repetition
it systematically gets us to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to do His work
in all aspects it points us to the person and work of Jesus
and, if you would like, you can make a tactile tool (using beads) to walk you through the process

Though, at first glance, the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle may look like a rosary, upon examination and use, the “stations” and substance of the cycle and a rosary are not the same.

What makes the “Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle” unique? How is it different from what I already do?

The content and substance of the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle does not present anything “new” in message or substance. However, it is a new way to consistently and repeatedly get us to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to do His work and give to us all of His gifts in Jesus.

Let me ask, would it be good if we would consistently and repeatedly …

Attend the Divine Service in God’s House
Place the Name and Activity of God Upon our Lives
Commend ourselves into the Lord’s Hands in Evening and Morning Prayer
Daily Read and Study the Scriptures
Memorize and Meditate on the Scriptures
Pray the Psalms
Examine Our Lives Through the Ten Commandments
Declare the Truth of the Creed
Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Daily Practice and Re-Member Your Baptism
Confess Sins and Receive Absolution
Prepare for and Receive the Lord’s Supper
Identify and Fully Engage in our Vocation
Receive the Blessing of the Triune God

Has the Triune God promised to do His work and give His gifts when we do these things? The answer to all of these is “YES”!

The next questions are …

Are you consistently doing these things? If so, keep doing them. If not, the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle can help.
Do you have a spiritual pattern established that gets you to all of these places?
Is it clear, repeatable and comprehensive?

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle repeatedly returns us to the foundations of the faith which was “once for all delivered to the saints“. Jude 1:3 (WEB)

The Cycle consistently gets us to all of the places where the Triune God has promised to do His work and give us His gifts.

How long does it take to do the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle?

The Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle is structured around a daily and weekly cycle.

For a detailed PDF of the territory, click here.

Stations 1 through 5 of the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle are part of the “daily” schedule. Depending on your personal preference and pattern, these spiritual practices could take 30 minutes (more or less).

Daily Schedule

Station 1: Invocation/Prayer
Station 2: Evening and Morning Prayer
Station 3: Confession and Absolution
Station 4: The Reading and Study of the Scriptures (oratio, meditatio, tentatio)
Station 5: Evening and Morning Commendation
Station 6: Doxology and Blessing

Stations 7 through 17 of the Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle are part of the “weekly” schedule. Each day of the week focuses our attention on a different part of the Christian faith. Again, depending on your personal preference and pattern, meditation on these stations could take 30 minutes (more or less).

Weekly Schedule

Station 7: Ten Commandments (Monday)
Station 8: The Creed (Tuesday)
Station 9: The Lord’s Prayer (Wednesday)
Station 10: Sacrament of Baptism (Thursday)
Station 11: Office of the Keys (Friday)
Station 12: Sacrament of the Altar (Saturday)
Station 13: Vocation (Sunday)

I’ll provide some general guidelines and suggestions.

You can adjust and tailor to your own schedule and needs.

Here are a couple of Psalm 119 Prayer Cycle resources:

How do you suggest we begin?

Like a child …

We take small steps each day toward the Heavenly Father.
We trust in the work of our Brother, the Lord Jesus. He is with us and for us.
We rely on the Real Teacher, the Holy Spirit.

The Receptive Life digital resource provides a foundational framework and repeatable process. It consistently gets us and returns us to all of the “right places”. We take the Triune God at His Word and run to all of the places that He has promised to work and give to us His gifts. He cares more, knows more and is doing more than all we could ask or imagine.

Bonus Question: What’s the difference between Christian “piety” and “pietism”?

“Piety” and “pietism” sound the same but the distinguishing difference is what each points our eyes toward. In a few words …

Godly piety directs our attention away from self and outward towards the works of Jesus. It is a spirituality centered on the cross. It focuses on receiving the gifts of the Triune God.
Pietism turns our gaze inward and toward our own activity. It is a spirituality of self. It’s focus and confidence is on the “doing” rather than the “receiving”.

We don’t “do” these exercises to merit gifts. Rather, we make use of these spiritual exercises so that, through them, the Triune God may do and give His work to us. We, like beggars, have nothing to offer. Jesus gives everything. Through faith, we receive.

The Receptive Life helps us focus on the forgiveness of sins from Jesus.

It clings to the objective promises of the Triune God.

It is spirituality rooted in the person and work of Jesus.

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