Lent Reflection #4

Last week, I started this series of Lenten reflections by saying that I'd be blogging 6 days a week, but I'm not going to do that.  It's going to be 5 days (Mon.-Fri.) which lines up with my Bible reading plan, which is on a 5 day/week schedule.  

If you're a Christian, it's pretty obvious that a lot depends on what you believe about Jesus.  I have found, paradoxically it seems to me, that the older I get and the more I study Scripture, the less certain I am about exactly who Jesus is.  I've come to understand that so much of what I've believed or thought I knew about Jesus in my life was actually shaped (warped?) by a bunch of stuff that actually had nothing to do with Jesus: culture, politics, denomination, my own selfish point of view, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I still very much believe in and depend on the grace that God gives us through Jesus Christ - his life, death, and resurrection.  I believe more than ever that Jesus is Lord over all creation.

Not Jesus.

What's changed is that I don't believe that Jesus simply validates my own little narrow worldview.  All the stuff that we can get so wrapped up in and upset about (politics, theological squabbles, worship style, petty church stuff) seems so small and unimportant when I read Colossians 1.  That chapter convicts me that I'm often tempted to make Jesus a personal mascot or one of those little religious figurines I can keep in my windowsill or on my desk.  My limited worldview and woefully incomplete understanding tempts me to make Jesus into a Precious Moments figurine.  Well, in Colossians, Paul ain't having it…

Jesus is a big deal in Colossians.  Here's a sample of who Jesus is/what Jesus does in Colossians 1:

• He's the image of the invisible God - want to know what God is like, look at Jesus
• In him and for him, all things were created (see John 1 for more details…)
• He is before all things and "in him all things hold together" (I love that phrase - makes me think of Paul in Acts 17:28 - "In him we live and move and have our being." It also makes me think of Yoda's explanation of the Force, but that's a whole other blog post)
• He is the head of the church
• He is the firstborn from the dead (the first to be resurrected from the dead)
• He has first place in everything
• "In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell"
• God has reconciled all things to himself through Jesus
• Through "the blood of his cross", God has made peace

That's a lot. It's pretty obvious that when we try to enlist Jesus to endorse our political or theological convictions, we make him way too small.  Small enough for us manage and manipulate.  Or maybe we make up an idol, slap the name "Jesus" on it and worship the stuff we like about ourselves.  

Is that too harsh?  

Also not Jesus.

Too bad.  It's Lent. 

We should all repent for trying to make Jesus our personal mascot. 

Lent Reflection - Day 3

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." - Hebrews 13:2

"Do not be afraid."  This is the most common command from God in Scripture. Not the greatest or most important - love is obviously the greatest and I think (if we must rank them) that "repent and believe in the good news" might be more important.  So, if the command against fear is not the greatest and if it's (arguably) not the most important, why does it occur so often?

The easy answer, of course, is that we are easily frightened.  And most of us are pretty good at hiding it - we like to cover up our fear with self-confidence, stubborn certainty, a lot of possessions, etc.  Fear is not always a bad thing and it can keep us from getting ourselves in trouble.  The problem is that we have a tendency to be ruled by our fear.  We let it dictate how we live and who we love, who we serve and to whom we show hospitality. 

While there are certainly times to exercise caution and hospitality does not mean letting people take advantage of us or putting ourselves or our loved ones in harm's way, there are times when we are reluctant to show hospitality to strangers because our fear of hypothetical 'what if' scenarios carries more weight with us than Jesus' command to love our neighbors and God's repeated command that we not be afraid.  These 'what if' scenarios are really powerful, but pay attention to the fact that Jesus doesn't leave us any wiggle room in his command for us to love our neighbor.  There's no "unless" in the greatest commandment. 

"Love your neighbor, unless they have been mean to you…"

"Love your neighbor, unless they are a different religion…"

"Love your neighbor, unless they have a lifestyle that you disagree with…"

"Love your neighbor, unless there's some hypothetical scenario that makes you afraid of doing so…"

It's difficult and sometimes it's inconvenient for me to do so (even anxiety-producing), but the command is pretty clear.  I'm thinking that I've got a ways to go and a lot of repenting to do during this season of Lent…

Lent Reflection - Day 2

I probably didn't listen to them because of G-funk's hair

A few years ago, Toni Ruth and I were talking about music - specifically about her accusations that I'm a musical "elitist" (a well-founded and true accusation, by the way).  She was surprised to learn that there was a substantial gap in my musical knowledge - I have not really listened to Simon and Garfunkel.  Besides what I've heard on the radio and in public places, I've never really paid them any attention.  And as an amateur music nerd (especially when it comes to classic rock and all its tributaries, including folk), I should be familiar with Simon and Garfunkel. 

I'm kind of feeling the same way about the book of Hebrews.  I'm currently on chapter 12 and I've been really surprised by three things in Hebrews:

1. How familiar so much of it is, even though I've not really studied it in any kind of in-depth way.  I've heard or said so many of the verses in the book, but I've learned that I've typically heard/said them out of context.
2. I've been surprised by how important Hebrews is to a Protestant understanding of salvation.  You only really need Romans and Galatians to go along with it and it's not too difficult to find all you need for a sufficient Protestant account of how God saves people through Jesus' death and resurrection.
3. I'm actually pretty shocked that Paul was long considered to be the writer of Hebrews.  Totally different style and points of emphasis. 

So, that's all pretty academic stuff and given what I said yesterday, I need to pay some attention to the 'devotional' aspects of all this.  It ain't that hard to do with Hebrews 12.  For example, here's verses 1-2:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

If you're a disciple of Jesus, you're in it for the long haul.  The life of faith isn't a sprint, but a long distance journey.  This is what I find so compelling and encouraging about how United Methodists understand sanctification - the lifelong process of God's grace at work through the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, perfecting us in love.  The whole time, we are looking to Jesus, who has run this race to completion and showed us the path that we are to follow.

The writer of Hebrews also reassures us that we are not running alone.  We are surrounded by a "cloud of witnesses" who have run or are running the race alongside of us.  That's why in 10:24-25, the writer says,

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I'll make a deal with you - if you'll pray for me today as I'm seeking to run the race and keep my eyes on Jesus, I'll pray for you as you do the same…

Lent Reflection - Day 1

I've made it through Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus in my reading plan. Genesis and Exodus were enlightening while Leviticus was, predictably, a bit tougher to get through.  Numbers starts out looking to be just as tough as Leviticus (though I know that Numbers includes a lot of narrative stuff).

The first chapter is the reporting of a census of the 12 tribes for the purpose of figuring out how many able-bodied men are available for battle. The Hebrews are getting ready to enter the land that God promised them and they will need to be ready for a fight. Chapter 2 gives more details about the military arrangements.

At the end of chapter 1, something caught my attention. I'm trying to intentionally set aside my more 'academic' questions as I'm doing my daily reading.  Instead, I'm trying to think about Scripture more devotionally, imaginatively, and prayerfully.*  So, Numbers 1:53 says that "the Levites shall perform the guard duty of the tabernacle of the covenant."  If Exodus and Leviticus teach us anything, it's that God means business when it comes to worship.  This is serious stuff and God will not be trifled with. Given the already sketchy history of Hebrew worship (golden calf, anyone?), it's not a surprise that God is really detailed about worship requirements nor is it a shock that God sets aside one whole tribe to serve as security for the worship space.

I started thinking about how good a job I do 'protecting' worship.  Do I treat the worship of Almighty God with the respect and reverence it deserves?  Do I give worship preparation, worship leading, and worship participation the attention it deserves?  The ancient Levites were tasked with protecting the worship space against attack from the various tribes and nations surrounding the Hebrew people - it's not very likely that I will have to stave off attacks from the Hittites or the Jebusites here in Harrisburg.  So, what might be the threats to worship for the people of Harrisburg UMC?  What 'enemies' do I need to be mindful of?  There are surely more than what I'm going to list, but here are three that come quickly to mind.  Feel free to do your own reflection about what threatens to derail your worship.

• Distractions - I probably don't need to explain too much here. Phones, tablets, e-readers, Apple watches, etc.  As a pastor, this is a tricky thing to deal with - I'm not an entertainer and I realize that for most people, texting/games/Twitter is usually more interesting than what I'm preaching about or singing Love Divine All Loves Excelling again (that's my favorite hymn, by the way, so you better put your phone down when we're singing that one...).  But, I truly believe that we are robbing ourselves of something really meaningful when we choose to immerse ourselves in the digital to the neglect of the incarnational.  
• Entitlement - it really should go without saying that worship is not about me or you. It's even less about our personal preferences. But, you know, here we are. If one of my church members wants the old fashioned hymns and another member wants modern praise and worship, it's awfully hard to make both happy.  And if I work to try to please both of these people, it will make it really difficult for me to prepare a worship service that's pleasing to God.
• Lack of Expectation - God is everywhere, always present, always moving.  God's grace is always and in every situation going before us - inviting us to a deeper relationship and greater love. What's lacking is our awareness.  Our presence in the present.  As a preacher and worship leader, one of my tasks is to invite my congregation to awareness through worship.  It's almost impossible to lead a person to awareness who is completely convinced that they are going to be bored and that nothing will change.  If, however, a worshiper is convinced that they will experience the presence of God in worship, it doesn't really matter the style of music or the style of preaching or the clothing choices of the pastor/congregation (within reason, of course) - that person is going to be aware of God's presence if the worship leaders are taking their roles seriously.  One of my jobs is to take my task as worship leader and preacher seriously - to protect that time and that place so that people who come expectantly may experience the Spirit of God in worship.

* I'm fully aware that an 'academic' reading can also be imaginative and prayerful. I'm just saying that my goal in my daily reading is more about spiritual growth and less about intellectual pursuit.

Reflections During Lent - Ash Wednesday

I'm really bad about keeping a daily discipline for any length of time.  I have tried to do daily or weekly blog posts a number of times and every single time I give up after 3 or 4 entries.  I can offer a lot of excuses that all sound really valid - there's a lot going on and a lot of stuff that invites my attention pretty much all the time.  Some of the stuff is absolutely necessary (sermon writing, family time, bathing…), but some of it is just easier than posting a daily blog (catching up with the latest news about Star Wars Episode 8, playing guitar, watching Netflix, etc.)

Today marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance and, hopefully, a season dedicated to the deepening of discipline.  This year, I've been following a 'Read the Bible in a Year' plan and I've been faithful to the plan thus far.  And each day, I spend a few minutes writing down my thoughts about that day's reading.  As I think about Lent and my (thus far) successful Scripture reading, I sense an opportunity for me to deepen my discipline.

So, here it is: each day during Lent (with the exception of Sunday), I'm going to try to be faithful to read that day's reading and post a few thoughts about the reading.  Some days, it will be very short.  It might a few simple questions to ponder, it might be a few lines of poetry (that's already happened in my journal - be prepared for some fumbling attempts at poetry…), or it might be some theological reflection.  The point is that I'm going to try to see this thing through. 

If you want to read along (or if you like the idea of holding me accountable for a daily post), you are cordially invited to do so…

God's Wide Mercy

"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made." Psalm 145:8-9

Over the past few years, my appreciation for the Old Testament has grown exponentially. Probably my favorite theme of the Hebrew Scriptures is the change in the conception of the reach of God's blessing and mercy on the part of the Hebrew people. For much of the Old Testament, the Hebrew people see themselves as specially blessed because they are chosen by God. The descendants of Abraham quickly forget that they were chosen to be a blessing for the world, not to simply be blessed.  Not to trivialize the covenant, but the Hebrew people were chosen by God for a specific task, kinda like when I was growing up and I was "chosen" to clean up the kitchen or take out the trash.

There's a slow development in the Old Testament (if you are going by when these books were likely written) that moves from a limited understanding of God's mercy ("God is merciful to Israel") to a broad understanding ("The Lord is good to all…").  You see this reflected in many of the prophets, especially Isaiah and Jonah.  Of course, this is tied up the Jewish response to exile and a growing understanding of the larger world, moving from regional skirmishes to being in the middle of clashes between Empires. 

As a Christian, I understand Jesus as the way God has blessed all of creation - freely offering love and grace and mercy.  Jesus is the culmination and embodiment of God's steadfast love and compassion.  And what makes the crucifixion so tragic is that it shows how humanity responds to the grace, mercy, and love of God, especially when that grace, mercy, and love is offered to all people.  It can be a subversive, counter-cultural, and even dangerous thing to offer compassion and love to all people.  It can be a risky thing to offer love without regard for difference - and it breaks my heart that many of the people who resist abundant love and no-strings-attached compassion are the same people who claim to be disciples of the One who teaches us what unbounded love looks like.

For what it's worth, I'm sticking with Jesus…

I Should Have Learned By Now...

Earlier this morning, my 10-year-old daughter finished running her third 5K.  I am as proud of her as I've been of anyone in my entire life.  For one thing, I NEVER would have done that when I was her age.  I don't think that I had a tenth of her perseverance and commitment when I was in 5th grade.  For as long as I can remember, I've had as a regular conversation partner in my head a voice that says: "You can't do that."  I've heard that voice in my head specifically related to physical fitness and health.  I've spent much of my life defining myself as lazy, unmotivated, and out of shape.  Granted, in the last few years, I've done a lot better - I've been more responsible with my eating habits and I've finished six 5K's in the last 5 years.  That's not nothing…

This morning I heard that voice again, but it wasn't about me.  It was about my daughter.  After she finished the race, she had the usual (and very rewarding) post-race euphoria and was talking about her future running plans: seven more 5K's (to give her 10 total), a 10K, and then a marathon*.  The voice in my head instantly spoke up: "she's not going to do that."  Fortunately, that voice did not leave my head.  I caught myself and said to my amazing daughter that it sounded like a great plan. 

If anybody's got a legit reason to back down, beg off,
and be lazy, it's Mary.  When she was 18 months old, we found out that she had a heart murmur and we were told that these things usually correct themselves over time.  However, after a particularly persistent FNP at her pediatrician's office insisted that we follow up about what she was hearing through her stethoscope, we made an appointment with a cardiologist.  Fast forward 18 months later, and we're taking our daughter to Baptist Hospital in Winston for open-heart surgery to correct an issue related to how the murmur 'fixed' itself.  (If you're interested, her problem is a called sub-aortic stenosis and she's most likely going to be having another surgery at some point in the next few years. Prayers appreciated.)  She came through the surgery with flying colors and was ready to play and run only 2 days afterwards. 

And now, here's my miracle of a daughter just finishing up her third 5K, each one of which required 6 or 7 weeks of training.  She's ten and the survivor of open-heart surgery.  And here I was, after journeying with her through so many things, thinking: "you can't do that."   I'm shutting that mess down now.  

I should have learned by now that my daughter is defined by her tenacity, her commitment, and a desire to accomplish her goals.  I should have learned by now that my daughter will not be limited by my own hesitation, doubt, and skepticism.  While I'm at it, I'm not going to let that voice tell me what I can and can't do anymore, either.  He's not telling the truth…

*Props to my big sister for showing me what's possible and for being such an inspiring example for my kids - you're awesome!  I think that when Mary talks about her future running goals, she's got you in mind...