In the Garden
The Lord God walked in the garden. What a beautiful picture of what life lived in communion with God was--and is supposed to be! One of the effects of the Fall into sin (Genesis 3 and following... and following...), is not only the casting out from the Garden but this break in communion with God.
But God refuses to give up on his creation. God restores the communion broken with him by allowing Jesus Christ, God the Son, to be broken on the Cross, and thus literally reestablishes communion through brokenness. We confess this every time we break the break of the Holy Communion: our brokenness is only restored through Christ's willing "breaking open" for us (cf. John 19:34).
Tree of Life
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil gets all the good press in the creation narrative, probably because it is by eating of this tree that humankind commits the first act of disobedience to God, thus breaking communion with him. But we might miss the Tree of Life.
Christian interpreters have long seen the fulfillment of the Tree of Life in Genesis in the Tree of the Cross in the Gospels. The Proper Preface (beginning of the Communion prayer) for Palm Sunday reads: It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, Holy Father, through Christ our Lord; who on the tree of the cross gave salvation to all, that where death began, there life might be restored, and that he who by a tree once overcame, might by a tree be overcome.
It's that last part that always gets me... and is potentially confusing. Here is the explanation: that he who by a tree once overcame [satan by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil], might by a tree be overcome [Christ's victory on the Tree of the Cross, the Tree of Life].
This Tree of Life is picked up in the Book of Revelation as well (22:1-2, also 22:14). This Tree--in Eden, on Golgotha, in the New Jerusalem--is central to the new Communion with God after our original communion with him was severed.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Journeying Through Genesis in Lent
Below is a preview of my March newsletter article... I thought it made good sense to send it out a bit early for our weekly devotions. +MDM
This Lent we will be spending our Lenten Wednesdays journeying through the book of Genesis. Genesis, a word that means “beginnings,” has always captivated the Christian imagination. Martin Luther wrote at least 8 volumes on Genesis. And both faithful Jews and Christians have long found its stories to be incredibly powerful testimonies to the power, wonder and mercy of God. Adults find the writings in Genesis an invitation to deep contemplation on the things of God and children listen with delight and wonder to the same stories.
In the early church, Genesis was central to Christian instruction in the Faith. Catechumens (adult candidates preparing for Holy Baptism) made their way through Genesis during Lent as their final preparation after years of pre-baptismal instruction in the Christian Faith. One of the reasons for the centrality of Genesis is that in many ways Genesis is a microcosm of the whole story of the Scriptures: creation, fall, the calling of God’s people and finally redemption and reconciliation. Some of the earliest Christian interpreters saw in the Joseph stories in particular a foreshadowing of the work of Christ.
Wednesdays: Fall into Ashes and Up from the Ashes
On the Wednesdays of Lent we will contemplate the creation, the fall of the creation into “ashes” and then how God is busily bringing this same creation up from the dust, up from the ashes. We will journey with the heroes of Genesis, who turn out to be quite a motley crew with really only one thing in common: God’s passionate commitment to save his creation.
We will gather for worship on Wednesdays at 11 am and 7 pm, with a light supper served at 6 pm.
Sundays in Lent
In addition to the six Wednesdays in Lent where we will encounter the Creation and its fall into sin, Father Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Leah and Rachel, and Joseph, we will also hear stories from Genesis on the first two Sundays of Lent. On March 1, we will hear the covenant promise to Noah, never again to destroy all flesh by flood. In this promise, we hear baptismal echoes, for as our sins are drowned by baptismal waters, we are saved and given new life. On March 8, we will hear the covenant promise to Abram: He and his wife Sarai will get new names and will be fruitful, giving rise to nations.
Lenten Devotions: All of Genesis
Finally, our Lenten devotional guide takes us through Genesis in a systematic way (a chapter a day after the first few days of two chapters each). If you have never read through Genesis chapter by chapter, this is wonderful chance to do just that.
Let us walk together through Genesis this Lent and there meet our God.
This Lent we will be spending our Lenten Wednesdays journeying through the book of Genesis. Genesis, a word that means “beginnings,” has always captivated the Christian imagination. Martin Luther wrote at least 8 volumes on Genesis. And both faithful Jews and Christians have long found its stories to be incredibly powerful testimonies to the power, wonder and mercy of God. Adults find the writings in Genesis an invitation to deep contemplation on the things of God and children listen with delight and wonder to the same stories.
In the early church, Genesis was central to Christian instruction in the Faith. Catechumens (adult candidates preparing for Holy Baptism) made their way through Genesis during Lent as their final preparation after years of pre-baptismal instruction in the Christian Faith. One of the reasons for the centrality of Genesis is that in many ways Genesis is a microcosm of the whole story of the Scriptures: creation, fall, the calling of God’s people and finally redemption and reconciliation. Some of the earliest Christian interpreters saw in the Joseph stories in particular a foreshadowing of the work of Christ.
Wednesdays: Fall into Ashes and Up from the Ashes
On the Wednesdays of Lent we will contemplate the creation, the fall of the creation into “ashes” and then how God is busily bringing this same creation up from the dust, up from the ashes. We will journey with the heroes of Genesis, who turn out to be quite a motley crew with really only one thing in common: God’s passionate commitment to save his creation.
We will gather for worship on Wednesdays at 11 am and 7 pm, with a light supper served at 6 pm.
Sundays in Lent
In addition to the six Wednesdays in Lent where we will encounter the Creation and its fall into sin, Father Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Leah and Rachel, and Joseph, we will also hear stories from Genesis on the first two Sundays of Lent. On March 1, we will hear the covenant promise to Noah, never again to destroy all flesh by flood. In this promise, we hear baptismal echoes, for as our sins are drowned by baptismal waters, we are saved and given new life. On March 8, we will hear the covenant promise to Abram: He and his wife Sarai will get new names and will be fruitful, giving rise to nations.
Lenten Devotions: All of Genesis
Finally, our Lenten devotional guide takes us through Genesis in a systematic way (a chapter a day after the first few days of two chapters each). If you have never read through Genesis chapter by chapter, this is wonderful chance to do just that.
Let us walk together through Genesis this Lent and there meet our God.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Lent and Easter 2009: Genesis and John
Our 2009 Lenten and Easter devotions are now available online. We will be reading through the book of Genesis for Lent and the Gospel of John for the season of Easter.
The book of Genesis has long been used in the preparation of catechumens (candidates for baptism) in the Church. It is a central part of the Holy Scriptures and explores some of the most profound questions of faith: Why are we here? What are God's intentions for creation? Who is God? What is God like?
The Gospel of John has been called the "theological Gospel" because it is in many ways a theological commentary on the Gospel. It explores the deep mystery and meaning of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It provokes a deeper "What does this mean?" with each chapter.
The book of Genesis has long been used in the preparation of catechumens (candidates for baptism) in the Church. It is a central part of the Holy Scriptures and explores some of the most profound questions of faith: Why are we here? What are God's intentions for creation? Who is God? What is God like?
The Gospel of John has been called the "theological Gospel" because it is in many ways a theological commentary on the Gospel. It explores the deep mystery and meaning of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It provokes a deeper "What does this mean?" with each chapter.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Prayer
Last week I got a lesson in prayer. Our youngest daughter was in the ICU for most of the week. Not much else matters when one you love, especially one so vulnerable, is hurting and in danger. So I prayed. A lot. And many faithful people prayed for us and with us. The sheer fact of prayer was deeply overwhelming to me.
As Christians, prayer is our real work. The rest is details. Last week was a reminder of this truth for me.
But what about our "non crisis" weeks? These words about prayer being our real work are easy to say, but often not so easy to put into practice.
Practical Deists?
Among many things, prayer awakens us the omnipresence of God.
Much ink has been spilled on whether or not the Founding Fathers of the United States were Christian. I am not terribly interested in wading into these waters, except to touch on one critical early Statesman: Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson has left many legacies for us to wrestle with, but one of his most lasting ones is that many of us are "practical Deists." Deism, simply put, is the belief in a god who sets the world in motion and then sits back, not really intervening. This, of course, is not the God of the Bible, for the LORD is an active God, always intervening in history, always on the move. The God of the Bible is the one who becomes incarnate, who takes our flesh upon himself, who walks around down here, not just "up there."
While I think most of us would denying being Deists in a formal sense, in our everyday lives we find ourselves "practical Deists": that is, we live from day to day in a way that suggests that God is at best, distant, and at worst, uninterested. In fact, God, though often invisible, is very close by, as near as our heartbeat. Of course, discerning God's presence is tricky, but the fact of God's presence is the consistent witness of Scripture. Prayer, practiced most fully, is a cultivated awareness and reception of God's presence among us and near us.
Lord's Prayer Under the Faucet
I also picked up a new spiritual discipline this past week: praying the Lord's Prayer while washing my hands. They say good hand washing takes soap, warm water, and a least 30 seconds. I found myself praying, in word and in song, the Lord's Prayer each time I washed my hands. I recalled my baptism as the water flowed... as well as my own sinfulness as I remembered that hand washing was also what Pontius Pilate did.
A few other notes...
Serving Opportunity: Thursday (2/19)
Rosalyn Goodwin of the Sparrow's Nest (a homeless shelter for women) in Toledo will be here at Bethlehem on Thursday, February 19th from 5:30-6:30 pm in the lounge to lead an orientation to the Sparrow's Nest ministry. All who might be interested in volunteering with this ministry (now or in the future) are invited to attend.
Sermons and Teaching Online
In case you missed worship, sermons are now available online. If I get it figured out, our adult Sunday school classes may also be available online. Ah, technology.
As Christians, prayer is our real work. The rest is details. Last week was a reminder of this truth for me.
But what about our "non crisis" weeks? These words about prayer being our real work are easy to say, but often not so easy to put into practice.
Practical Deists?
Among many things, prayer awakens us the omnipresence of God.
Much ink has been spilled on whether or not the Founding Fathers of the United States were Christian. I am not terribly interested in wading into these waters, except to touch on one critical early Statesman: Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson has left many legacies for us to wrestle with, but one of his most lasting ones is that many of us are "practical Deists." Deism, simply put, is the belief in a god who sets the world in motion and then sits back, not really intervening. This, of course, is not the God of the Bible, for the LORD is an active God, always intervening in history, always on the move. The God of the Bible is the one who becomes incarnate, who takes our flesh upon himself, who walks around down here, not just "up there."
While I think most of us would denying being Deists in a formal sense, in our everyday lives we find ourselves "practical Deists": that is, we live from day to day in a way that suggests that God is at best, distant, and at worst, uninterested. In fact, God, though often invisible, is very close by, as near as our heartbeat. Of course, discerning God's presence is tricky, but the fact of God's presence is the consistent witness of Scripture. Prayer, practiced most fully, is a cultivated awareness and reception of God's presence among us and near us.
Lord's Prayer Under the Faucet
I also picked up a new spiritual discipline this past week: praying the Lord's Prayer while washing my hands. They say good hand washing takes soap, warm water, and a least 30 seconds. I found myself praying, in word and in song, the Lord's Prayer each time I washed my hands. I recalled my baptism as the water flowed... as well as my own sinfulness as I remembered that hand washing was also what Pontius Pilate did.
A few other notes...
Serving Opportunity: Thursday (2/19)
Rosalyn Goodwin of the Sparrow's Nest (a homeless shelter for women) in Toledo will be here at Bethlehem on Thursday, February 19th from 5:30-6:30 pm in the lounge to lead an orientation to the Sparrow's Nest ministry. All who might be interested in volunteering with this ministry (now or in the future) are invited to attend.
Sermons and Teaching Online
In case you missed worship, sermons are now available online. If I get it figured out, our adult Sunday school classes may also be available online. Ah, technology.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Digital World
Digital World
Around this time of the year in 1985 Madonna released the song "Material Girl." She crooned: "I am living in a material world and I am a material girl..." With apologies to Madonna, if I had that song to sing today, I would change it to a "digital world." So much of our life, it seems, is lived in front of a computer screen. I don't think the church needs to uncritically embrace all of this technology, but I do think we can use many of the new gifts for the spread of the Gospel and the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God. For one simple example, I enjoy listening to several podcasts each week when I am in my car on the way to visits... call it virtual/digital continuing education.
In that spirit, I would like to alert you to a few new "digital" features to celebrate in our midst:
The monthly newsletter is now available for download (PDF file), usually before the print copy hits your mailbox.
The weekly bulletin is also available, along with the weekly announcements (also a PDF file), usually on Friday or Monday.
Sermons for the past several weeks are available on our web site as well (MP3 format).
And in this same spirit, new ways of doing things also call for new ways of serving. We give thanks for all those who for over 50 years have faithfully "run the tape" of our worship services to the radio station. In the past weeks we have moved to transferring this digitally and so now need a new corp of volunteers to digitize and upload the worship service for broadcast. Talk to me if you are interested.
By the way, we have moved a bit down the radio dial. We are now on FM 99.1 WFRO Fremont, 11:30 am Sundays.
Groundhog Day?
This past Monday many celebrated Groundhog Day. February 2nd is also important as a church festival as well, for it is on this day, 40 days from our celebration of Christmas, that we celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40). If you would like to hear a little more about this festival, I would invite you to listen to my sermon on the text, which also fell on December 28.
New Technology, New Songs
Since these reflections are digitally themed this week, I thought I would suggest one way to try some of the many wonderful songs in our new Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal:
1. Find the hymn you are interested in singing.
2. Looking the bottom right hand corner in the tiny print for the tune name (above the meter).
3. Google "CCEH tune>."
4. Click on the "Play as MIDI file" link.
5. Example "In His Temple Now Behold Him" (ELW 417), tune: Regent Square, meter: 8 7 8 7 8 7, would be googled "CCEH tune Regent Square."
Prayer
Finally, in our prayers this week we call to mind all who are left out of the digital world and seek, with God's help, creative ways to connect in "low tech" or "no tech" ways with all of God's children.
Around this time of the year in 1985 Madonna released the song "Material Girl." She crooned: "I am living in a material world and I am a material girl..." With apologies to Madonna, if I had that song to sing today, I would change it to a "digital world." So much of our life, it seems, is lived in front of a computer screen. I don't think the church needs to uncritically embrace all of this technology, but I do think we can use many of the new gifts for the spread of the Gospel and the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God. For one simple example, I enjoy listening to several podcasts each week when I am in my car on the way to visits... call it virtual/digital continuing education.
In that spirit, I would like to alert you to a few new "digital" features to celebrate in our midst:
The monthly newsletter is now available for download (PDF file), usually before the print copy hits your mailbox.
The weekly bulletin is also available, along with the weekly announcements (also a PDF file), usually on Friday or Monday.
Sermons for the past several weeks are available on our web site as well (MP3 format).
And in this same spirit, new ways of doing things also call for new ways of serving. We give thanks for all those who for over 50 years have faithfully "run the tape" of our worship services to the radio station. In the past weeks we have moved to transferring this digitally and so now need a new corp of volunteers to digitize and upload the worship service for broadcast. Talk to me if you are interested.
By the way, we have moved a bit down the radio dial. We are now on FM 99.1 WFRO Fremont, 11:30 am Sundays.
Groundhog Day?
This past Monday many celebrated Groundhog Day. February 2nd is also important as a church festival as well, for it is on this day, 40 days from our celebration of Christmas, that we celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40). If you would like to hear a little more about this festival, I would invite you to listen to my sermon on the text, which also fell on December 28.
New Technology, New Songs
Since these reflections are digitally themed this week, I thought I would suggest one way to try some of the many wonderful songs in our new Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal:
1. Find the hymn you are interested in singing.
2. Looking the bottom right hand corner in the tiny print for the tune name (above the meter).
3. Google "CCEH tune
4. Click on the "Play as MIDI file" link.
5. Example "In His Temple Now Behold Him" (ELW 417), tune: Regent Square, meter: 8 7 8 7 8 7, would be googled "CCEH tune Regent Square."
Prayer
Finally, in our prayers this week we call to mind all who are left out of the digital world and seek, with God's help, creative ways to connect in "low tech" or "no tech" ways with all of God's children.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Lent 2009: Ashes
For our Lenten Wednesdays this year our worship will follow closely the stories of Genesis. On Ash Wednesday we will contemplate the creation of the world and our fall into ashes (Genesis 3). On each of the following Wednesdays we will hear the stories of the call of God to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph as God calls forth his people from the ashes.
Join us for worship at 11 am or 7 pm with a light supper served at 6 pm.
Join us for worship at 11 am or 7 pm with a light supper served at 6 pm.
4 Jars
If you have not yet read it, pick up a copy of Three Cups of Tea and read it. The story of Greg Mortenson and his journey to build schools in remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan is inspiring. The associated organizations are the Central Asia Institute and the Pennies for Peace initiative.
Inspired by all of this, we've started a Pennies for Peace jar in our house. That got me thinking, however... what to do with all those nickels, dimes and quarters. After a week of the best minds in our family working on it, here is what we have come up with:
Nickels for New Pastors: Supporting the work of our alma mater, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Dimes for Dinners: Supporting the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's World Hunger appeal and local food banks
Quarters for Quarts: Supporting the work of WaterAid and other charities that provide clean drinking water, especially in the developing world
Perhaps you can come up with other creative ideas for directing our resources to those who are poor and suffering. I am also always interested in hearing about charities that are important to others and the reasons why.
Inspired by all of this, we've started a Pennies for Peace jar in our house. That got me thinking, however... what to do with all those nickels, dimes and quarters. After a week of the best minds in our family working on it, here is what we have come up with:
Nickels for New Pastors: Supporting the work of our alma mater, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Dimes for Dinners: Supporting the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's World Hunger appeal and local food banks
Quarters for Quarts: Supporting the work of WaterAid and other charities that provide clean drinking water, especially in the developing world
Perhaps you can come up with other creative ideas for directing our resources to those who are poor and suffering. I am also always interested in hearing about charities that are important to others and the reasons why.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
To Know, To Love, To Cooperate with God
In a little over a week (on February 8), our congregation will kick off the e100 Bible Reading Challenge, a journey through the "essential 100" passages of Scripture. We will also have a luncheon and a Bible Fair as part of that day's events.
But why read the Bible anyway? I'd like to take some time this week to answer this question. It was raised during one of the teaching sessions for our Bible in 90 Days program, when we were discussing some of the less "exciting" passages in Leviticus. Why should we read the Bible, anyway?
If the goal of human existence is to know God, to love God and to cooperate with God in God's active work in the world, then it seems to me that reading the Bible is part of how we know God and God's will for us and for the whole creation.
I know there are many excuses for not reading the Bible, but I don't really buy any of them. I know it is difficult. I know it is tedious at times. I know that it can be contradictory or confusing. But God is not simple either. I like to use the analogy of marriage. If you are married, you know your spouse is complex, sometimes hard to understand and even downright confusing at times. But it would be ridiculous to say something like: "He is so hard to understand, so I'm just going to give up getting to know him better or learn anything new about him. I have to live with him, but I just give up." However, we do this all the time with our relationship with God. "I don't understand how God is three in one, so I just don't think much about the Holy Trinity." "I don't get Leviticus, so I always quit reading the Bible then."
This past week we heard how Jesus called his first disciples, who would later be the Apostles. Jesus did not go the halls of the Hebrew Academy or to the famous CEOs. He called simple fishermen to follow him, to know him, to love him and to cooperate with his work in the world. He called people like you and me.
My encouragement this week is to roll up your sleeves, pick up the Bible and read. Bible in 90 Days? E100? Whatever. Open the Scriptures and read, that we may know and love God and cooperate with God's active movement in the world.
But why read the Bible anyway? I'd like to take some time this week to answer this question. It was raised during one of the teaching sessions for our Bible in 90 Days program, when we were discussing some of the less "exciting" passages in Leviticus. Why should we read the Bible, anyway?
If the goal of human existence is to know God, to love God and to cooperate with God in God's active work in the world, then it seems to me that reading the Bible is part of how we know God and God's will for us and for the whole creation.
I know there are many excuses for not reading the Bible, but I don't really buy any of them. I know it is difficult. I know it is tedious at times. I know that it can be contradictory or confusing. But God is not simple either. I like to use the analogy of marriage. If you are married, you know your spouse is complex, sometimes hard to understand and even downright confusing at times. But it would be ridiculous to say something like: "He is so hard to understand, so I'm just going to give up getting to know him better or learn anything new about him. I have to live with him, but I just give up." However, we do this all the time with our relationship with God. "I don't understand how God is three in one, so I just don't think much about the Holy Trinity." "I don't get Leviticus, so I always quit reading the Bible then."
This past week we heard how Jesus called his first disciples, who would later be the Apostles. Jesus did not go the halls of the Hebrew Academy or to the famous CEOs. He called simple fishermen to follow him, to know him, to love him and to cooperate with his work in the world. He called people like you and me.
My encouragement this week is to roll up your sleeves, pick up the Bible and read. Bible in 90 Days? E100? Whatever. Open the Scriptures and read, that we may know and love God and cooperate with God's active movement in the world.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Christian Unity
I would like to offer just one thought on the unity of the Body of Christ during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: working toward the unity of the whole Body of Christ is not an option for us as Christians. In fact, I would argue it is central to our calling as the Church.
In this spirit, I would invite you to reflect on two texts:
1) The Gospel of John, chapter 17: Jesus' "high priestly prayer" for his disciples before his Passion and
2) The New Delhi Statement (1961) of the World Council of Churches, especially paragraph 2:
We believe that the unity which is both God’s will and his gift to his Church is being made visible as all in each place who are baptized into Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord and Saviour are brought by the Holy Spirit into one fully committed fellowship, holding the one apostolic faith preaching the one Gospel, breaking the one bread, joining in common prayer, and having a corporate life reaching out in witness and service to all and who at the same time are united with the whole Christian fellowship in all places and all ages in such wise that ministry and members are accepted by all, and that all can act and speak together as occasion requires for the tasks to which God calls his people.
It is for such unity that we believe we must pray and work.
With prayers for the unity of the whole Church...
In this spirit, I would invite you to reflect on two texts:
1) The Gospel of John, chapter 17: Jesus' "high priestly prayer" for his disciples before his Passion and
2) The New Delhi Statement (1961) of the World Council of Churches, especially paragraph 2:
We believe that the unity which is both God’s will and his gift to his Church is being made visible as all in each place who are baptized into Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord and Saviour are brought by the Holy Spirit into one fully committed fellowship, holding the one apostolic faith preaching the one Gospel, breaking the one bread, joining in common prayer, and having a corporate life reaching out in witness and service to all and who at the same time are united with the whole Christian fellowship in all places and all ages in such wise that ministry and members are accepted by all, and that all can act and speak together as occasion requires for the tasks to which God calls his people.
It is for such unity that we believe we must pray and work.
With prayers for the unity of the whole Church...
Monday, January 12, 2009
Moderation in Growth | Joy in Work
I would like to tackle a couple of topics this morning: moderation in all things--including our spiritual growth--and working daily with excellence and joy.
1. Moderation
I have written several times in the last few weeks on New Year's Resolutions. I think they are, by and large, a good thing. However, they often become quite ambitious: "lose 30 pounds, eat healthy every day and exercise 45 minutes a day." The problem, of course, with overly-ambitious resolutions is that quickly we give up on them. Or, sometimes we go strong for a few weeks, delighting in the new life upon which we have embarked, and then crash and burn when sometime interrupts the flow.
This is one reason, I think, why we often fail at dieting. Rather than see a diet as a lifestyle, we adopt a strict asceticism in our eating and then, when we fall and eat the whole pint of ice cream, throw up our arms and say, "Well, I guess I failed at that, so I might as well give up altogether." Then the floodgates open.
It is no secret among those in the fitness field that the gyms are packed in January and that by February the numbers are back to normal, except for the number of annual memberships sold! The "regulars" at the gym, so I am told, sometimes even stay away during January because it is too hard to get a treadmill.
This all concerns me because I see this attitude also being adopted when we consider spiritual growth. Disappointed at the state of our soul, we embark, New-Year's-Resolution-style, on an ambitious project of spiritual renewal: an intense prayer, Scripture reading, fasting or works of mercy regimen. My guess is that many of us crash and burn by late January in this area too.
So what then shall we do? Give up altogether when we have fallen and eaten the whole pint of ice cream? Not at all. I think our ambitious projects, even in faith, and our subsequent failures invite us to a different way. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus invites us to take up our cross daily and follow him (Luke 9:23). In other words, just as moderation in eating and exercise is beneficial for our bodies, so too moderation in the spiritual disciplines is also beneficial for us. In other words: baby steps.
Both world-class athletes and professional musicians will tell you the key to their success is daily practice. First you master the basics, even if they are tedious, before stepping up to the next level. So I invite you to consider your life in terms of prayer, Scripture reading and works of mercy. Where would you like to be at the end of January... 2010? And then ask: How can small steps, a daily routine, be taken so that we might take up our cross daily and follow our Lord Christ?
2. Excellence and Joy in Daily Work
Speaking of the daily grind, I always see a lot of grimaces come January. Perhaps it is because of the winter perma-cloud that descends on NW Ohio this time of year. Perhaps it is the winter blahs. I wonder if this not a time to recover delight in our daily grind, in our everyday work, in our "toil."
Now what I am speaking of is not simply a "grin and bear it" attitude (which in my mind is just a grimace with a thin veneer of a smile). Nor am I encouraging an artificial "positive attitude" wherein we do helpful self-talk. Remember the Stuart Smalley character from Saturday Night Live? "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me." No, instead God desires for us something much deeper.
God has given us the gift of work (even when it is "toil" as in the book of Ecclesiastes) and God expects diligence and excellence in the tasks which God sets before us. If you are a builder, work to be the best builder you can be, by God's grace. If you scrub floors, scrub those floors to God's glory. If you are charged with the care of children (in my humble opinion, one of the highest callings, and here I am including teachers), care for them with God's own tender mercy and love, and in doing so you will raise up children for the Kingdom. Whatever "state" (vocation) you find yourself in, do it to God's glory.
When we recover this excellence in our daily work, then true joy is found. This is not ephemeral, wistful happiness, but a deep joy that rests in the conviction that God has given us the gift of work and has provided an inherent satisfaction in doing that work well.
Peace be with you this week.
Calendar
You may want to check out our calendar for upcoming events. The newsletter also has more detailed information on many of these activities. Finally, remember that the e100 Bible reading challenge begins in just a few weeks... spread the word!
Next Sunday: January 18
You are invited to join us for a youth luncheon this Sunday (1/18/09) after 10:30 am worship and a Creative Arts and Puppet Ministry workshop beginning at 12:30 pm. All are also invited to a public performance at 6pm as part of this workshop.
1. Moderation
I have written several times in the last few weeks on New Year's Resolutions. I think they are, by and large, a good thing. However, they often become quite ambitious: "lose 30 pounds, eat healthy every day and exercise 45 minutes a day." The problem, of course, with overly-ambitious resolutions is that quickly we give up on them. Or, sometimes we go strong for a few weeks, delighting in the new life upon which we have embarked, and then crash and burn when sometime interrupts the flow.
This is one reason, I think, why we often fail at dieting. Rather than see a diet as a lifestyle, we adopt a strict asceticism in our eating and then, when we fall and eat the whole pint of ice cream, throw up our arms and say, "Well, I guess I failed at that, so I might as well give up altogether." Then the floodgates open.
It is no secret among those in the fitness field that the gyms are packed in January and that by February the numbers are back to normal, except for the number of annual memberships sold! The "regulars" at the gym, so I am told, sometimes even stay away during January because it is too hard to get a treadmill.
This all concerns me because I see this attitude also being adopted when we consider spiritual growth. Disappointed at the state of our soul, we embark, New-Year's-Resolution-style, on an ambitious project of spiritual renewal: an intense prayer, Scripture reading, fasting or works of mercy regimen. My guess is that many of us crash and burn by late January in this area too.
So what then shall we do? Give up altogether when we have fallen and eaten the whole pint of ice cream? Not at all. I think our ambitious projects, even in faith, and our subsequent failures invite us to a different way. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus invites us to take up our cross daily and follow him (Luke 9:23). In other words, just as moderation in eating and exercise is beneficial for our bodies, so too moderation in the spiritual disciplines is also beneficial for us. In other words: baby steps.
Both world-class athletes and professional musicians will tell you the key to their success is daily practice. First you master the basics, even if they are tedious, before stepping up to the next level. So I invite you to consider your life in terms of prayer, Scripture reading and works of mercy. Where would you like to be at the end of January... 2010? And then ask: How can small steps, a daily routine, be taken so that we might take up our cross daily and follow our Lord Christ?
2. Excellence and Joy in Daily Work
Speaking of the daily grind, I always see a lot of grimaces come January. Perhaps it is because of the winter perma-cloud that descends on NW Ohio this time of year. Perhaps it is the winter blahs. I wonder if this not a time to recover delight in our daily grind, in our everyday work, in our "toil."
Now what I am speaking of is not simply a "grin and bear it" attitude (which in my mind is just a grimace with a thin veneer of a smile). Nor am I encouraging an artificial "positive attitude" wherein we do helpful self-talk. Remember the Stuart Smalley character from Saturday Night Live? "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me." No, instead God desires for us something much deeper.
God has given us the gift of work (even when it is "toil" as in the book of Ecclesiastes) and God expects diligence and excellence in the tasks which God sets before us. If you are a builder, work to be the best builder you can be, by God's grace. If you scrub floors, scrub those floors to God's glory. If you are charged with the care of children (in my humble opinion, one of the highest callings, and here I am including teachers), care for them with God's own tender mercy and love, and in doing so you will raise up children for the Kingdom. Whatever "state" (vocation) you find yourself in, do it to God's glory.
When we recover this excellence in our daily work, then true joy is found. This is not ephemeral, wistful happiness, but a deep joy that rests in the conviction that God has given us the gift of work and has provided an inherent satisfaction in doing that work well.
Peace be with you this week.
Calendar
You may want to check out our calendar for upcoming events. The newsletter also has more detailed information on many of these activities. Finally, remember that the e100 Bible reading challenge begins in just a few weeks... spread the word!
Next Sunday: January 18
You are invited to join us for a youth luncheon this Sunday (1/18/09) after 10:30 am worship and a Creative Arts and Puppet Ministry workshop beginning at 12:30 pm. All are also invited to a public performance at 6pm as part of this workshop.
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