As we have in these past weeks thought together about spiritual practices, I fear I have fallen into a trap that often captures us as we discuss this subject.  As we focus on one practice after another we see the practices in isolation.  In our attempt to describe and recommend a particular practice we spend our time describing the contours of a practice and fail to address how practices fit together and perhaps naturally lead one to another.

Take for example prayer.  You have probably seen many times prayer described as ACTS – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication.  Each can be described as a spiritual practice and addressed separately.  But when we recognize prayer can be and should be each of these, we begin to understand the danger in thinking of these practices in isolation.  Of course, ACTS does not yet describe the fullness of prayer, does it?  What of prayer as silence?

Today, what other practices can you name that naturally flow one into another?