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Archive for the ‘Lent’ Category

Neglecting My Gift

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , on March 13, 2011| 2 Comments »

This is a partner verse to the previous message about training myself up to be Godly — also gift-based. Can’t train if I don’t know what I’m training to do and can’t nurture (opposite of neglect) my gifts if I don’t know what they are.

I Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Back in the day, Timothy had a specific experience when a group of elders prayed over him and layed on hands (a practice mentioned in a variety of places in scripture – a focused prayer). That day, apparently, a gift was given. What did that look like? Did someone speak the gift and another verify it? Did the Holy Spirit fall upon Timothy in some kind of dramatic way like a “tongue of fire?” Did Timothy, himself, proclaim a revelation of the gift?

We’ll never really know. But what about me? Is there a gift for me?

Many people I know believe this was one of the spiritual gifts (like those listed in I Corinthians 12 or Romans 12). But if that is true, how does one neglect a gift of that kind? If I have the “gift of prophecy,” let’s say (the speaking forth of God’s message or in some cases, foretelling of future events), how would I nurture it? How would I neglect it? Is it just a matter of using it? But how do I “use” a gift? It’s not like I can wield a prophecy at will. If it’s a gift, then it’s pretty much up to the giver to decide when to pass it along. In this case, that would be the Holy Spirit.

There are some people who believe they can find out what their gifts are by taking an online assessment test either here or here or even here. It used to be that such assessments were the domain of fringe churches and primarily independent churches, but now, even the mainline denominations have gotten into the spiritual identification business.

I’m being a little catty and arch here because it has started to feel a little like a child at Christmas sitting under the tree and trying to figure out what’s in the brightly wrapped packages. I no longer believe the gifts are determined or discovered in this way.

I believe God gives gifts as they are needed. Period.

We can either choose to use that gift in the moment or not. If we don’t use it, then it is not in operation. That does not mean the gift is lost to me or that God won’t give that gift again tomorrow.

If the Holy Spirit wants to heal, then that gift is given and the same for all the others. It’s possible that a person may have a sensitivity to one gift over another, but again, I think it depends on the time, the place, the need, the desire, etc.

So, if what I am saying is true, how would Timothy neglect his gift? I think it’s the gift of the mystery of the Christ. That is the ultimate gift and we neglect that gift when we don’t spend time to connect with the Holy Spirit, to pray, to commune, to contemplate, and then to respond to that time with actions, like love, touch, talking, listening, giving, or anything else the Spirit prompts.

I suppose there can be a gift of a mantle of sorts, like the passing from Elijah to Elisha [II Kings 2:13-14] but again, how that gift is used by the individual may be different even though the mantle is passed. Something to think about for another day, I think.

But for today, I merely ask the Lord to show me the way of nurture, that I, too, would not neglect that God has given to me. Alleluia.

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Train Yourself to be Godly

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , on March 12, 2011| 1 Comment »

Isn’t this a summary of the entire Christian walk? And yet, in the same way that I make New Year’s resolutions, start diets, and buy exercise equipment, I am erratic in my spiritual training. It’s the journey and not the destination that is critical.

I Timothy 4:7-8
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I know Paul makes a big deal about the benefits for the afterlife, but I am not moved by a promise for an unknown future. (I mean, what do we really know/understand about heaven – that multi-dimensional other place that we can not even imagine, much less describe.) No, I am more interested in what this training will do for my 3-D life now, my day to day, my interactions with others, my state of mind, my service, and my heart. If these would get boost from spiritual training, then whatever comes later is gravy. That may sound crass, but I mean it.

We live in a troubled world. As scripture says, we live amidst wars and rumors of wars. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. . . ” [Matthew 24:7] Japan just experienced a 8.9 earthquake and the headlines are reading that 9,500 people are already missing from a single city. This is a kind of mass devastation that feels unreal to those of us sitting in our living rooms and watching television or drinking in the sunshine of the day.

What is the spirit response to this weary world and sorrow?

I am a pebble tossed in a different pond, but there are those concentric circles around me. If I can manage to bring down the veil that dilutes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from within me, then God can use me to touch that first circle around me.

The training is for the first circle and then the second and then the third, ever wider. But I cannot leap into the bigger circle without the practice of the inner one. That is a true myth.

My problem: I keep putting only little pieces of myself into the water like a toe or a hand, I don’t jump in and get completely wet. I am afraid of drowning, even at this level. I don’t trust the water, not really. So I go out for more training in the use of goggles and flippers and underwater gear, instead of trusting that my previous training is enough.

What does most of that training look like? Letting go. It’s “Let go and let God” became so popular over the years. It’s more about letting grace work, letting the Holy Spirit lead the way. It’s about the breath of God doing the breathing and not some tanks strapped on my back.

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Deep Truths of the Faith

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

In the Amplified, this phrase is written as the “mystic secrets” of the faith. And in other translations, the “mystery of the faith.” In all of them, the key is the revelation that came through the Christ. Faith is required: it is not of this world.


I Timothy 3:9
They [deacons, servants] must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

Because Christianity has become so well “coded” and molded by traditions and habit and assumptions, the wonder of the message is often lost. God-Spirit manifested in the Christ and created a path back to Himself that was not burdensome or difficult, except for one thing: the path must be embraced as truth. The path is a wonder because it is a road filled with paradox. The way is not straight, but help is always within reach. The ground is not without potholes and rocks, but a guide is promised to navigate us through safely.

I think back to that moment in time when I accepted the mystery of Christ as a reality in my life. It is indeed a mystery how I could be faithless one day and full of decision the next, how I could be asleep and then awakened.

During this Lenten season, I am using a devotional called You Set My Spirit Free: a 40-Day Journey in the Company of John of the Cross adapted by David Hazard. I love this book because it makes the mystic writings of John of the Cross more easily accessible to me. He writes,

“This flame of love is sent down to us from the Father of Lights. Isn’t it love that bathes our soul, kindling a sense of awe and wonder at the glory of God? . . . What I have just described, is in fact, the way the Holy Spirit begins His work in the soul. It is love that causes us to rise up from spiritual sleep and open ourselves to God. Love is the call; and love is the transforming power.”

All love is a mystery, even the love between humans or animals. Yes, love can be nurtured and love can be protected, but the first instance of love, the awareness of love, that is mystical. To think any differently is to downplay its power. And for this reason, it is called a deep truth of the faith.

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Adam First: So What?

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , on March 9, 2011| 1 Comment »

I confess, I can’t get through this section of Timothy without copping a little attitude. In particular I find the “Adam first” argument weak, at best. If Adam was so perfect, why did he need a helpmate or companion? Both were made and both were needed. No, this conflict is about power.

I Timothy 2:11-14
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

Apparently, Paul encountered issues with strong women; why else would he bother to write this mandate? It wouldn’t be necessary to write that women were not permitted to do something unless they were doing it. That’s how I read it: women were not quiet, not in full submission, and were teaching at will to both men and women. Several of the early house churches were in the homes of women (I’m thinking of Lydia and Priscilla). So, what happened? We’ll never really know but controversies have raged as a result and women have been selectively silenced.

Previously, I have written about women and silence. I believe God has given me words to say and to write. I have gifts in the performing arts and in public speaking. I have experienced blessings in my roles as teacher and prophet. I have been blessed and I am humbled by the touches of God. I cannot go back.

I place my inability to follow these words of Paul at the feet of God. If I sin, then it is God who will judge and no other.

I will not play the power game nor will I try to justify my choice. I will not pretend these scriptures do not exist nor will I try to manipulate what they say.

True power is from the Holy Spirit who is no more gender specific than God is. If we, both men and women, used the gifts of the Holy Spirit, then dominance would be a non-issue.

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Lifting the Veil

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

A veil can work two ways. It can protect what is within from outside eyes, but it can also hinder seeing clearly. Which veil do I still wear?

II Corinthians 3:15-16
Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

I can attest that I experienced a literal dropping of a mental veil when I read the New Testament through for the first time back in 1979 and as a result, acknowledged that Christ was real and had accomplished that mysterious feat of covering my sins with His blood sacrifice and reestablishing a way between me and God. One day the whole thing was gobbledy-gook and the next day, I saw truth in the words. The dropping of that veil was an enlightenment.

But I wonder now, if I haven’t raised a different kind of veil. Much like the Middle Eastern hijab or burqah, am I still hiding behind a veil of the heart? Am I concealing myself from people around me? When I consider the glory within and how I have shuttered it, isn’t that just another description of the veil?

For glory to pass through, the veil must be down. For love to pass back and forth, the veil must be down. This is about transparency and authenticity. This is about trust.

Over the years, I have struggled again and again with disappointment. It’s been a powerful clip-on for the veils in my life. To keep out disappointment, I push away dreams and hopes. To keep out fallible people, I raise standards. To shield myself from the judgment of others, I send out my own arrows of judgment (the best defense being a strong offense).

It is not the way.

Give me courage this day to drop the veil and to reveal myself and with me, the glory that is Christ Jesus. I believe Jesus was comfortable in every setting and with every kind of person because he was open, he was veil-less, he was accessible.

This is my passion for today.

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Signs and Miracles

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Signs and wonders don’t just happen haphazardly. They are a huge responsibility: heady stuff to experience a miracle (either on the receiving end or the giving end). Can you imagine being the conduit for one? Or have we grown cavalier about it?

Romans 15:19
[Even as my preaching has been accompanied] with the power of signs and wonders, [and all of it] by the power of the Holy Spirit. [The result is] that starting from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel [faithfully executing, accomplishing, carrying out to the full the good news] of Christ (the Messiah) in its entirety. [Amplified]

Fortunately, Paul understood and was intimately acquainted with the source of power. He knew and trusted the Holy Spirit to do what was needed for the sake of another every time. Every sign, every wonder, and every miracle was a focused expression of God. Paul was just the hands and feet to bring that miracle to the right moment in time.

I have often wondered what it would be like to be used in the healing ministry. Initially, it sounds fantastic, to lay hands or pray for someone and then witness that person’s healing or recovery. But a trap is in not respecting the full source of the power. Except for Jesus, a healer is nothing but a vessel that has learned to pour out pristine force. But how does one keep the pour untainted? How do I avoid tampering with the flow, adding my own hopes, desires, and interpretations? How do I keep myself from holding back a small trickle for myself? How do I avoid pride and uber-confidence?

In my earlier years, I would lay hands quickly, ready to give that miracle-working stuff a chance to operate. Looking back, I see it was too much about me and not enough about the other. I am not so quick today. I sense a greater responsibility in praying for another. There must be faithfulness to the moment and connection to the source. I must be transparent and authentic. I must be clear.

Prayer is serious business. Let me not be casual about it again Lord. Every prayer is an opportunity for signs and wonders. Every prayer can be direct contact with the greatest power of the universe.

And with that in mind, I think about Paul when he commands us to “pray without ceasing” [I Thessalonians 5:17]. Accordingly, we must have the ability to be in continual contact with the Source, not just saying a lot of prayers out loud or repeating affirmations, but a genuine unity of spirit, connection, mindfulness, and awareness.

That’s the first miracle . . . and it happens within.

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Overflowing Hope

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , on April 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Hope is already powerful in itself. There is a sustaining energy to hope that is unlike any other belief. With hope, anything and everything is possible. Now, imagine hope flowing over a glass like a carbonated drink. It’s exhilarating, really.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus came into the world and revealed himself to a poor and hurting world, he was a beacon of hope. In our culture, unless people are fighting serious illness or sudden loss of livelihood, we don’t have as much appreciation for the power of hope. We have replaced the potency of hope with desire. But hope is much more dynamic than mere desire.

Hope is so strong it can live and grow in the worst circumstances. Hope needs no proof, no logic, no reasons. Hope needs no group and no training.

Hope begins with two simple words: I believe. And hope expands with two more: I trust.

I believe in a sovereign and loving God. I believe circumstances can change. I believe anything is possible. I believe in miracles.

Today, I want to re-imagine myself with undaunted hope. That kind of hope would, indeed, produce peace and joy. Yes, I can imagine that, even for me.

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