The peace of the cross....

A recent conversation with a friend reminded me of how easy it is to misunderstand the lives of others - to diminish their tribulations in favor of the pain we are feeling, to overlook their wounds while licking our own, to be blind to the barriers that hold them back from feeling the full grace and power of God's love in their life.  But each person is broken in some way; it is part of the human condition.  Affliction is inescapable.

Seasonal thoughts....

Everyone knows the life changing nature of the big events in life.  Birth, death, marriage, graduation, starting a new job, buying a new house - all present a fresh beginning, even as they hold an ending of some kind.  It is clear and obvious to everyone that the change has occurred, and it is expected that there will be a shift in your personal universe when they happen.

Redemptor Savior

Acts of redemption are all around us, happening continuously in a routine part of life.  When there is something we want, we redeem that item for the cash in our bank account.  When we make a mistake, especially one which inflicts pain on others, we want to redeem ourselves in their eyes.  We engage in acts of redemption on a daily, perhaps even hourly, basis, without ever considering the larger impact of what it is and what it means for our lives.

Redemption is a basic linchpin of the Christian faith.  In fact, it is such a fundamental part of our faith, we often toss the word around carelessly, thoughtlessly, without a deeper consideration for what it means, or how it comes about.  That Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from Satan's power is such a basic part of what we believe, it is easy to take for granted what he truly gave us.

En garde...

"Life is hard, and then you die."

For me, this statement sums up human existence and spells out my expectations for what life will throw my way.  I am a realist.  I don't expect life to be easy.  In fact, when things come too smoothly I tend to be suspicious of them, wondering when the shoe will drop.

I think most people probably accept the truth of that catch phrase, even if they wouldn't state it quite that baldly.  Life is an ongoing struggle from birth to death, even when things are relatively good.  We never know for certain what is ahead, no matter how carefully we plan or tightly we try to control things.  All families have hard times and difficult moments - it is simply a matter of time before it will be our turn.

Blessings for the blest....

Christians frequently reference the belief that God will provide for all our needs.  It is a constant refrain in our daily lives, and a deeply held belief by most Christians following the path Jesus has set for us. It is one of the most difficult aspects of faith for many people - casting off our cares and simply allowing God to  give us what we need each day. Israelites wandering in the wilderness had manna, sure. But for us? Now?  Today? Not so easy.

The gift of love...

I recently remarked to an acquaintance that divorce is a death, not only of a marriage, but of a way of life.  The pain and disruption that divorce causes is, in fact, the pain of death, and the process of recovery is the process of grief.  I find it curious that while we recognize every other passage through life with a ceremony of some kind, when a marriage ends, when a family is torn asunder, we say nothing.  Except for the court documents and the notice in the newspaper, it is barely acknowledged.

On Humility

In Job 24:22, we read,

"But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life."  (NIV)

This week, I have learned a lesson in humility that I didn't know I needed.  God, in his infinite power and wisdom, saw the weakness within me, and in a moment of time, impressed upon me how insignificant is the control which I wield over my own life and circumstance.

We are arrogant, we humans, thinking that we control our own destinies.  We make plans, we have itineraries, we notify people and warn them to make arrangements.  We set expectations for ourselves and others as if we are guaranteed tomorrow.  How quickly it can all change, even when we are (relatively) young and healthy, and when there is no reason to think that we will not be able to carry through on our expectations.

Sink the doubt....

Among the miracles that Jesus performed, the one that has always fascinated me the most is one that isn't even considered a miracle by most people.  In Matthew 14, the story is told of Jesus walking on the water, and Peter wanting to go to him.  It is a fascinating look at the crushing nature of self-doubt, and speaks loud and clear to me about where our faith should be focused.

The idea of walking on water is a visually powerful image of purity, goodness and light.  Because we are imperfect creatures, we constantly engage in self-sabotage.  Whenever we think, I would like to do X or Y, but I can't, we are predetermining our own failure before we even start.  How many opportunities have we missed in life, simply because we didn't dare to dream we could succeed?

Finding the needle's eye...

Over the last couple weeks, I have been going through everything I own, making decisions about what to keep, what to donate, what to sell at the biggest garage sale I've ever had, and what just needs to go into the trash.  It is an interesting experience to see your life reduced to piles of belongings which have meaning tied to them, but which, in and of themselves, are rarely considered.

I have found things I didn't know I owned shoved back in cupboards.  I have clothes that I wore 20 years ago and more, which have seen better days, and will likely never be worn again.  I have collected enough Tupperware that I could, as a friend put it, start my own dealership.  I am going through wedding gifts from almost 30 years ago, remembering the givers with fondness and affection.  I sort childhood toys and books, baptismal outfits and little boots, mementos created with loving care by adoring children who still believed Mommy could do anything.  How can I bear to part with any of these treasures?

Deliver us from evil....

During this Lenten season, my congregation has been taking a closer look at the Lord's Prayer. It is a comfortable prayer, one that most of us can say by rote without thinking about what the words really mean. We occasionally shake things up by going to the new fangled version, or switching back to the traditional words after a few weeks of the contemporary verbiage. Either way, too often the prayer itself is barely thought about as we recite the familiar words, thinking in the back of our minds about what to have for dinner or when church will be over.

The power of one Word....

"Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me," goes the childish chant.  Of course, we all know that could not be more wrong.  Words have the power to wound the inner place no weapon could ever reach, to poison the heart and soul so deeply that they cannot heal.  Words also have the power to uplift and encourage, nourishing the bits and pieces of our self-esteem that remain after life has shredded and scattered them on the ground before us.

Extravagant blessings....

Times are hard, and conspicuous consumption is officially frowned upon in polite society as ordinary people struggle to put food on the table and keep the roof over their family's head.  To call someone extravagant, especially now, would not generally be taken as a compliment.  In fact, I think most people would be a little offended if someone referred to them that way.  Merriam-Webster provides us with four different meanings for the word extravagant, mostly to do with money or price, and mostly leading to the conclusion that extravagance is a negative thing.

But it's not all about money.  Extravagant can also mean exceeding the limits of reason or necessity, lacking in moderation, balance and restraint.  I have been thinking about that meaning this week, and I think that is the perfect description for God.  He has thrown caution to the wind with us, his creation in his own image.  He loves us thoroughly, with total abandon of reason.  No matter how often we turn away, screw up his plans, throw his grace back in his face, he continues to be there and to provide his immoderate and unrestrained benevolence for us.

God of second chances....

One of the most important lessons I taught my children was that you apologize less for the sake of the other person than for your own inner healing.  That goes double for offering up forgiveness.  By forgiving, you allow your heart to heal, and you are freed to make a different choice next time, unfettered by the mistakes of the past.

Adored, adorned or scorned?

This morning, I started my day with the news, as I do most days.  The first thing I saw was an article about the documentary, "Miss Representation," a movie, and a cause, dedicated to promoting awareness of how women are portrayed in and by the media.  It struck a nerve for me, and I immediately joined the cause.

It is not only a secular issue, it is a sacred one, as well.  Too often, religion and the Bible have been used as an excuse to denigrate the role of women in spiritual life.  They are reduced by those with an agenda to mere accessories for the important men around them, without recognizing the value and worth of half of God's precious human creation.

Feeding body is feeding the soul....

Eating has a unique place in the lives of most people.  We do it not only to nourish our bodies and keep them running, but also as a way to connect and socialize with others.  Whether it's a family dinner time, or a lunch out with a friend, food is one of the things that bring people together in shared experience.

It is a common bond among people everywhere, this need to sustain ourselves with food for the body and food for the soul.  In ancient times, some tribes had a custom that if a person ate with them, they were then under the protection of that tribe until they left.  Eating conferred not just psychological and sociological connections, but a safety benefit as well.

God's footpath...

Christians are asked one question more often than any other. "How could God let/allow/make that happen?"  It's a question that is difficult to answer, because we do not know what God has in mind.  We see only the trees.  God created not only the forest, but the whole universe.  It's not just a matter of scale.  It's an entirely different perspective altogether.

The short answer is, quite simply, I don't know.  It's not very satisfying, but it's the best I can do.

Sometimes I feel strongly that I've followed God's direction only to end up mired in quicksand, stuck, unable to get myself out.  At other times, I'm trapped in an earthquake, everything uncertain and shaking around me.  Occasionally, I find an oasis in the desert, and am unexpectedly refreshed.  Once in a great while, I end up exactly where I imagined.  Life's a skeet shoot.  My pieces usually land in the shallow swamp.

Refugee me....

According to Merriam Webster, sanctuary has two independent, yet related meanings.  For those who celebrate their faith in a church, the sanctuary is the most sacred part of the building.  The sanctuary is the place where The Word is read, the altar is front and center, and the pastor strives to inspire the congregants with words inspired by his or her thoughtful communion with God.

Most people treat their church sanctuary with respect and act appropriately within, in recognition that there is something special about that place.  But beyond that, they don't think much about the implications of what sanctuary really is.

T'is the season of Lent, a period of waiting and preparation for Easter, the holiest of Christian festivals.  We celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and his conquering of sin on our behalf with sunrise services, the Easter bunny distributing candy to all, and little girls in new hats, frilly pastel dresses and shiny white shoes.  But for the 40 days before the great celebration, we are instructed to reflect, to ponder and to apply the lessons of the life of Jesus, so that we can more closely follow in his footsteps and worship him.

One of the ways many Christians observe this period is by giving up something they value to honor and memorialize Christ's sacrifice for us.  It is intended as a noble action, a sharing of the pain Jesus experienced for us.

Shiny clouds...

Clouds are an interesting phenomenon.  They can obscure or they can enhance, they can be thick or thin, they can be threatening or bring blessed relief. No matter what they look like, they are a universal experience.

Although we tend to immediately think of the sky upon hearing the word cloud, there are many more types of clouds in the world.  We can have "clouds" of mosquitoes in the summer time.  We can have clouds of dust rising up from a gravel road on a dry day.  We refer to storm clouds brewing as a metaphor for trouble between two parties.

In the Bible, clouds are mentioned in another way.  In Hebrews 12:1 we read:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...." 

When we join with other believers, we form an impenetrable object, a cloud of righteousness, that can not be defeated.

You need to get the door....

A closed door, literally or figuratively, is shutting something out, or closing something in.  There is a barrier between us and the inside world we are trying to attain, or we are preserving our privacy from external forces behind a solid object that protects and shields what we have.

Generally, the closed door is a symbol for something inaccessible, and as such, we all can immediately relate to it.  The closed door is an easy metaphor for the past failure, the lost opportunity, the ended relationship.  An open door, on the other hand, symbolizes invitation, potential, a new beginning.  It is a peek into another world, one which may be just opening up to us, and it holds the offer of future possibilities.

For most, the closed door represents what cannot be accomplished.  The open door represents what may yet be experienced.

The gospel of grace

I opened my facebook recently to see this charming little story at the top of my wall, shared by W, a close friend of my cousin, with whom I have become FB friends. W has two small children, and their antics often amuse and entertain me, but this particular story really touched my heart, because it so exemplified what the grace of God is all about. W writes,

If I only had the nerve....

The Wizard of Oz is filled with characters who believe they lack the very qualities they most value in life.  While the Tin Man bemoans his lack of a heart, he continually thinks of others and acts on those feelings.  The lion bewails his cowardly impulses, but he none the less barges ahead and faces his fears to protect his friends.  The scarecrow feels he is inadequate because of his lack of brains, and yet he thinks things through and comes up with plans time after time in order to prevail over the evil that is chasing them.  And Dorothy herself finally realizes how important her own home and family are to her, so much so that even in the beautiful and now perfect Land of Oz she dreams of going home again to Kansas.

Wishing you a new year feast....

It is New Year's Day today, and all over the world, people are waking up in various stages of joy and regret.  New Year's Day is day of promise, of dreams as yet unfulfilled but also uncrushed.  On this day, we can hope for a new start for ourselves or others, we can plan a new strategy, we can use it to begin or end something that  will enhance our lives.  We can make resolutions with a whole 365 days ahead in which to make them happen.

It is, in short, a day of celebrating the possibilities, and looking ahead to the future.  I am on board.