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Archive for the ‘Lent’ Category

What Is Lawful?

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , on March 16, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Mark 3:4-5
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

It struck me this morning Mark reports that Jesus was angry. These glimpses at His emotional life are important and are telling. For me, his angry was fueled by the narrowness of the Pharisees. They had an agenda and no matter what happened around them or before them, they only knew one thing, Jesus was “breaking” a law that was foundational to their beliefs. I think the 21st century church shows signs of the same narrowness at times. Many have taken political and moral stands on various controversies from abortion to homosexuality to music and art or even the environment and made these the litmus tests for identifying a “real” Christian…. a “Bible-believing” Christian. Would Jesus be angry with us? In this story, there is no joy for the healed man? He was insignificant in the face of the law. Let us remember the person today… the sacred soul made and loved by God.

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Justice, Mercy & Faithfulness

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , on March 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 23:23b
…But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness….

What an interesting combination of words. Here is justice, which has many definitions, but most frequently, I believe we think of it as “the administration of deserved punishment” or “rightfulness and fairness.” However, the power of mercy is to do the opposite, to forgive the deserved punishment with tolerance and compassion. And lastly, faithfulness (or adherence to truth, steadiness, and a standard) is like an umbrella over them both.

There are many paradoxes in the Bible and it is only with a wide-open mind and heart can be incorporate them into our walk. It is because there is justice that there can be mercy. And praise be to God, He is faithful in extending both.

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I Will Be Healed

Posted in Lent, tagged , , on March 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Mark 5:27-28
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

She pursued her healing. She reached outside the “box” of normal behavior for a woman and she touched the healer, the teacher, the prophet, the Lord. She believed her actions would make a difference. She believed He would have mercy upon her. Her only mistake was in believing that he wouldn’t notice. He sees our pursuit. He hears our prayers. He knows the heart.

Today, my body is feeling “iffy” with nausea and other unpleasantness. And so, I reach out to my healing God… I reach into the kingdom of God to touch His Spirit. Reach…. reach…. reach…

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Servant Leader

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , on March 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 20:26-28
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Choosing to serve is a daily decision. But it also requires that we think outside the box. Serving is not just getting someone a cup of coffee or making breakfast or giving them a ride. It’s prayer … whether they know you are praying or not. It’s giving them the benefit of the doubt. It’s letting them fail and disappoint you. It’s understanding that they make mistakes … just like you do. It’s stepping back, just a little, really looking, and seeing that this one… is the sacred other, made by God.

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Will the Crowd Persuade?

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , on March 5, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 27:20
“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.”

My prayer, “Lord, don’t let the crowd sway me!” It so hard to go against the crowd. Generally, I confess, when the crowd is going one way (in conversation), if it’s uncomfortable, I will choose silence. It could be worse, I think. But then, I ponder those of us who were silent on the day Pilate brought Jesus out to be judged by the crowd, we might as well have cried out, “Crucify Him.” We did no better in our silence. Well, to stand, then, has some merit. But to speak would be better.

But… how do I stand, speak against the crowd, and still be humble? I don’t know. I really don’t know how to do that.

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Seek Confirmation

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , on March 4, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Luke 1:42, 45
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!… Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!

And all I can think about is that Mary, despite all that she had heard and seen and felt (in her own body), she still ran to her cousin, Elizabeth seeking wisdom, seeking confirmation. And there was no waiting for it. All was true just as she imagined it was. All was confirmed in a moment by Elizabeth’s proclamation before Mary could say one word.

And once Mary heard it, she received her confirmation … and she accepted it. From that day forth, I don’t believe she waivered about her role in birth of an man anointed by God, a king, the Messiah.

How often do we ask for confirmation and despite the giving, we ask again. That’s not persistence, that’s a chink in our faith. Forgive me, Father. I believe. Help me in my unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

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Build Faith

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , on March 3, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 17:19-20
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it [the demon] out?”
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus gave the disciples everything they needed to drive out the demons, to heal the sick, to proclaim the gospel. Jesus gives us everything we need to do the same. There is only one thing lacking: our faith. Each person must determine in his/her own heart, mind & spirit, what is blocking the building of faith? Are we looking for a sign or a miracle before our faith can be exercised? Or doesn’t that fly in the face of faith? Mustard seed faith requires a leap… a leap beyond logic, 3 dimensions, and expectations. Mustard seed faith has abandon. Mustard seed faith requires total surrender. “Lift up your heads, O you gates [of the heart]; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” Ps 24:7.

Found this today in my mailbox, a quote by Jean Pierre de Caussade.

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