Lent 2014 - Monday, March 10th

Scripture Reading for Monday, March 10th

Reading: Mark 1:1-3

Preparing the Way

John the Baptist went ahead of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He proclaimed the coming of God's heavenly kingdom and the need for repentance of our sins. John went ahead of Jesus, preparing his way for an important purpose. It is important to remember that Jesus didn't exist in his own world; rather God used those he had prepared to, in-turn, prepare the way for the arrival of his only son. John the Baptist, a human, wasn't just an afterthought of God but an explicit part of laying the groundwork for what Jesus was about to do.

This is also true of Jesus' mother Mary, who bore him in her womb and raised him from infancy. It is likewise true of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father who loved and nurtured this miracle child. There were so many people involved in preparing the way for Jesus.

We can often dismiss ourselves as unimportant and somehow trivial, to think our part and our gift doesn't matter. I don't believe God thinks that way about us at all. We are all John the Baptists, and Marys, and Josephs in our own rights. Each of us are preparing, in our own part of the world and for those we live life with, the way for our Lord so that he can make his appearance in the life of another.

During the baptism of Jesus the Father pronounced his favor upon Jesus; that he truly was his beloved son and the hope of the world; he did this though with the full participation of John. God wants to partner with us in such a way that others would come to know who Jesus is because of us and our witness for Christ.

When we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and obey the words of our our heavenly father, we receive the gift of participating in the pronouncement of God's good news!

Questions for reflection or journaling

• Do you find it surprising that God would want to partner with us? Why?
• In what ways are you uniquely gifted for participation with God?
• What are some of the doubts standing in your way?

Prayer

Father, forgive us our self-doubt and our own worry over whether or not we are worthy of your grace. Prepare in us a heart that in return prepares the world around us for your arrival and restoration. Keep our minds on you and the gift of Jesus Christ as we move towards easter.

Amen

Lent 2014 - Sunday, March 9th - First Sunday of Lent

Scripture Reading for Sunday, March 9th

Reading: Hebrews 2:10-18

So That we Would be Made Holy

A term often associated with holiness in scripture is perfection. In this passage Paul speaks of God perfecting the offering that was Jesus Christ, specifically through his unjust suffering. Jesus' perfect sacrificial offering extends to us, even in our sin, the hope of God's mercy and the hope of a restored life.

We can often get hung up on the concept of perfection, especially if we see the job of perfecting as ours. Confession: my default beliefs can lead me to try and perform for God so as to prove my worthiness, and by this good work somehow negate the need for salvation altogether. As you can expect this type of self driven perfection can lead someone into a very neurotic form of spirituality in which we are always playing catchup to our own misdeeds, a fairly miserable spiritual existence.

Salvation is not a process of sin management, it is about grace and healing.

The perfection Paul writes of here does not begin within us; rather the perfection/holiness is brought about in us because of what our Father has already completed for us in and through Jesus Christ. Ironically the harder we try to perfect ourselves the further we move away from God's embrace of grace. Certainly Jesus expects us to take up our cross; however effecting a way for our own salvation is not part of that, he's already done that.

Thoughts for reflection or journaling

• How do we try and perfect ourselves, and get in the way of God?
• What would it look like if we trusted in God's ability to work out his perfected will in us?
• Why/how does unjust suffering perfect?

Prayer

Father, you have brought about a means by which we can be made whole and perfect again. Through your Son's life, death, and resurrection you have cleared the path for us to join you! Guide is in your ways that we might become a holy and set apart people with your word on our lips.

Amen

Lent 2014 - Saturday, March 8th

Scripture Reading for Saturday, March 8th

Reading: Isaiah 58

Fasting Isn't About Us

Today we turn to the Old Testament. You may wonder what Isaiah has to say to us about the season of Lent, the answer is 'fasting'. As followers of Jesus Christ we have inherited in a new way the special relationship between God and people that went before, namely the covenant of God with the hebrew nation. Part of that heritage is the adoption of several aspects of the Hebrew people, the most prominent being a day of rest (Sabbath) and another being the spiritual discipline of fasting.

As I wrote about earlier, fasting isn't something newly devised by Christians for the season of lent; it's roots lie in our submission to God. As we fast, and as we honor God's sabbath we open ourselves to God's restoration and blessing. This is not a transaction though, we aren't buying God's grace with our actions; rather it is a mutual honor to and of each other.

It is easy to turn fasting into something that is about us, our needs, our appearance before others. God reminds us that fasting, and participation in his covenant is for us yes, but we are not the end of the story, he has so much more to do through us to bring the healing of his covenant of grace and peace to a hurting world. Fasting then, is also a chance to take the focus off of ourselves and put it on others in the name of our loving God.

Isaiah, speaking for the Lord, reminds us that the fasting God wishes is a fast that brings about the things he is interested in; justice for the oppressed, feeding of the hungry.

As you fast during this season how can you make those times in which you would have partaken of food, or entertainment, or some other self-oriented activity and turn that into an offering to God?

Prayer

Father, we praise your name today and give thanks to you for your abundant gifts of mercy. We humbly ask today for your forgiveness for those times in which we have turned a blind eye to the suffering of those around us and have instead chosen to make ourselves more important than we should. Give us eyes today to see those opportunities around us to honor you and your Kingdom through acts of generosity and mercy.

Amen

Lent 2014 - Friday, March 7th

Scripture reading for Friday, March 7th.

Reading: John 17:6-19

Who you are

Yesterday we reflected on Jesus' question, "who do you say that I am?" Today I want to further that reflection. One aspect of answering that question of who Jesus is, is that our answer to it ends up re-defining who we are. Who we say Jesus is shapes (or should shape) our view of the world. It is one thing to think of Jesus as some wise person, and an utterly different thing to understand that Jesus is our Christ, our King, and Lord of all.

If we are truly living out of the understanding that Jesus is Lord, it changes everything!

Jesus loved his disciples dearly, and in today's passage he is praying for them even as he is entering into his final moments of his earthly life. Jesus speaks of those 'given to him'. Some interpret this concept in a narrow way saying God only ever meant a few for salvation. I believe a better way of understanding the meaning of the text here is this:

Those which we have the ability to influence in our lives for God, are gifts from God.

We are a people who live in the reality that Jesus is King, and to which has been given a world to serve, to love, and to teach who Jesus is. We are citizens of a Kingdom that is both on its way (not yet) and happening right now. Jesus' prayer is that we would live in this arriving Kingdom reality. We exist in a world bent in on itself. Jesus has claimed us from that bent world and made us citizens of something new. This claim is not just for ourselves, but that we would be sent into the world as people who help bring peace between fellow humans and our God.

Who have you been given? How will you serve them today?

Prayer for the Day

Father, so many messages, even from those that follow you, would have us try and forget this world, to move on. Give us the strength today to live out the fruition of our Lord's prayer that we would move into the world that has rejected you as signs and markers of your Kingdom of reconciliation and peace. Send your spirit to open our eyes to those around us who you would have us influence for you today, and everyday.

Amen

Lent 2014 - Thursday, March 6th

Scripture reading for Thursday, March 6th.

Gospel: Luke 9:18-27

Who am I?

Lent can be a season of discovery. Self-discovery, sure; but primarily a discovery of who he is. It is important that we know who he is because after all he is the one we have decided to throw it all in with.

Jesus asked his disciples this simple question, "Who do you say that I am?"

Why was it important for them to answer this question?

I can imagine some of the disciples were playing a mental game here with Jesus, hemming and hawing, not wanting to respond that he might be the Messiah. Only Peter was bold enough to step out on the limb, to risk the scorn of the group or the dissaproval of their master. Perhaps, part of the reason for the hesitation was because being Messiah carries a whole lot of baggage with it. Ushering in God's Kingdom, the beginning of heaven on earth, is a big deal. But more importantly it carries with it the baggage of more than a millenia of Jewish prophecy, and of anticipation for the King that would set things right and put Israel on top.

So what is Jesus' response to this grand revelation that he indeed is the one they had waited so long for, the one who would set all things right under his reign as king?

"Do not tell anyone..." Does that even make sense!?

Peter, and the rest were just told some of the biggest news of their lives and now Jesus says, 'keep a lid on it guys.' I would have wanted to run to the hilltops proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah, that it was all about to get a lot better for us, the Hebrew people. They did not do that though, they obeyed Jesus. They knew that if this whole Messiah thing was going to work out they had a whole lot more to learn about who this guy they called teacher was.

Learning about who Jesus is, is a lifelong process. There is no finish line this side of mortality, rather it is an ever deepening relationship we must wade into.

Spend some time journaling or meditating, knowing that Jesus extends to you the same question he asked the disciples, "who do you say that I am?"

Prayer

Lord God in Heaven, we give you praise today for sending your one and only son, Jesus Christ, to be our messiah. From the beginning and till this moment you are working out the reality of your kingdom of peace here on earth. Open our eyes Lord to who you are, and show us a glimpse of your nature so that we can in turn strive to be more like you each and every day.

Amen