“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 27, Friday

. . .be patient in suffering. . . (Romans 12:12b)

Endurance

Every morning part of the prayer routine that my wife and I go through includes these sentences: “We wonder how we will see Jesus today. Open our eyes.” One of the things that I find amazing is how I still go through each day with eyes slammed shut, even though I begin these days with that prayer. Jesus is active in the lives we bump up against each day, offering grace, help, guidance, protection, and love. And even if these things don’t seem to be present, Jesus still says that he is within in the least of his brothers and sisters. He is within the forgotten, the ignored, and even the obnoxious. “As you have done to them,” says Jesus, “so you have done to me.” (Matthew 25)

As I write this, I think of how I saw the face of Jesus in the desk clerk that suggested I not check in at that moment so that I might have an extra minute to drive to a store I wanted to go to before it closed. I think of the face of the clerk who was coming out to lock the doors of that store just as I was going in, but allowed me to quickly obtain the few things that I was really hoping to purchase. I think of the face of the other clerk who rang up the items, offering the grace of a warm smile. Jesus just isn’t that far away. And so I keep on praying, and praying, and praying that I see him more, and more, and more often. I do so not only because it is such a joy to witness Christ in daily life, but also, as the author reminds us today, it gives us patience in suffering.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 26, Thursday

. . .be patient in suffering. . . (Romans 12:12b)

Patience

I just spent an afternoon with two families going through grief over the death of a loved one. This grief was multiplied a bit because the people who died had been significant friends. With the smell of raw grief still in my nostrils, I read today’s passage.

Suffering was a big part of these death experiences. Those who died were no longer suffering, but certainly had undergone considerable suffering before their deaths. Now the family members were suffering through the significant pain that comes with grief. I saw lots of suffering, and then was told by the Apostle Paul, “be patient in suffering.”

I needed to read this from today’s passage: “Suffering comes to all of us. But so, too, the paschal mystery – the mystery of your suffering, death, and resurrection – comes into our lives. You suffer and are destroyed, handing your life over to the incomprehensible mystery of God. And resurrection comes. New life appears out of the end of the old.”

I know this to be true for the two people whose funerals I will be doing soon, but I also know this to be true for all those who will be grieving their loss. The death and resurrection of Christ gives us the power to be “patient in suffering.” I truly believe that nothing else can!
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 25, Wednesday

Rejoice in hope. . . (Romans 12:12)

Protest

On Monday we thought about the source of hope, whether it came from that which we have experienced or that which we have not. I concluded with the author that hope usually grows out of that which we have experienced. Today, I feel the author leading me to explore those experiences that give me hope.

Indeed, there are countless experiences, times when the grace of God breaks into the darkness of this world, creating new life and light. Today I am remembering one in particular. It occurred within one of my first parishes. Two members had a terrible misunderstanding that created lots of hard feelings. Both came regularly to worship, but avoided each other as much as possible. It was particularly painful in worship when we would share the peace. They shared the peace with everyone else, but never with each other. If their custom had been to sit far apart from one another, no one would have noticed, but they usually sat in the same row in opposite pews. Then, on the Maundy Thursday following the initial incident, they went out of their way to share the peace with each other. All those in the worship service who knew what was going on, (and in that small congregation, it was just about everyone), were stunned by the powerful display of Christ’s power to change lives by his grace. There were few dry eyes in that worship service.

Beautiful things like this happen all the time, and by God’s grace, we get to witness a few of them every now and then. The author writes, “Sometimes I see that world pushing into this one, promising that your infinite love will fill all that is.” Yes. These are the experiences that hope grows out of.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 24, Tuesday

Rejoice in hope. . . (Romans 12:12)

Smiles

As I was reading today’s reflections I couldn’t help but think about yesterday’s – those refugees in Sudan, singing with such conviction and hope in the face of certain death. Yes, there can be a difference between optimism and hope. I love how he states so clearly that the source, or the foundation, of our hope is Jesus Christ. This hope does not necessarily expect that the bad will go away. We will always journey through the valley of the shadow of death, (Psalm 23). But our hope is found in the rod and the staff of our Good Shepherd. Our hope is found in Christ. That doesn’t take away from our journey through the valley. It doesn’t take away the scary times when the shadow of death comes near. However, the rod and staff of our Good Shepherd assures us that this is not all there is to the journey. There will be green pastures and still waters. There will be the table that he spreads for us in the face of our enemies. There will house of the Lord that we shall live in, even as we dwell within it now. As always, our hope is in Christ, the one in whom we are baptized.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 23, Monday

Rejoice in hope. . . (Romans 12:12)

Hope

The author asks a fascinating question: Do we hope because of what we do not have or because of what we have? Exploring this question a bit further I ask: Do we hope because of what we have seen in the past or because we have never seen it? Do we hope because of previous experiences or because of a lack of those experiences? Does our hope spring from the well of that which has previously occurred in our lives, or from that which has never occurred?

I think the author makes a good case for stating that it is out of our previous experience, out of what we have see, out of those occurrences in the past that we draw our hope. If we have been touched by it before, then built upon that encounter we anticipate it occurring again. We hope for that which we have seen. This might sound a little contrary to what Paul says earlier in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 24: “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?” What we are saying today and what Paul is saying here in Romans is not in conflict. Yes, we do not hope for that which we see right now, however, our hope does grow out of what we have seen or experienced in the past.

So, do I hope for world peace? Yes, not because I’ve ever seen world peace, but I have seen Christ bringing peace to lives that have been in terrible conflict. I see Christ when the Peace is shared in worship. I’ve seen Christ bringing peace to troubled lives in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. I see Christ bring peace in the warmth of a hug. I have many and multiple experiences with Christ bringing peace. I know what this peace is capable of, and so out of that previous experience, I continue to hope for world peace. Can I hope for that which I have never experienced in any way, shape, or form? I don’t think so. Therefore, I give my most heartfelt thanks for the grace that empowers my hope.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 22, Saturday

. . .serve the Lord. (Romans 12:11c)

Here and Now

I really wondered how the author was going to connect the Bible passage for today with the theme of “Here and Now.” My wonder grew as he developed his thoughts around our need for more mindfulness in daily life. “What does this have to do with serving the Lord,” I wondered. For me, serving the Lord usually means running around, and taking care of a lot of details, and making sure that what needs to get done is getting done, all in the name of “serving the Lord.” And then it dawned on me at the end. How can we serve a Lord that we cannot see?

Working at one task while strategizing for the next? Yep, that can be me. Fretting about the past while checking my watch? Yep, got me there too. Being everywhere but nowhere, missing the present moment? Yep, that can be me as well. And the point is so clear: When we live such fragmented lives, we miss seeing what our Lord is doing right now in front of our noses. How can we serve a Lord that we cannot see?

Tomorrow in worship we will hear about Jesus healing a blind man and how the religious authorities had a flipping fit about it. These religious authorities devoted their lives to serving the Lord, but were so busy that they missed seeing him when he stood right there before them doing the Lord’s work. They were blind to what really mattered. The blind man, however, got to see what really mattered and his life was changed. He was able to serve a Lord that he saw.

“Look at what is right before you. I am present to guide and be served in every face and in each small task.” Lord, if it takes a little mud made out of some dirt and your spit rubbed into my eyes to get me to see you, then please bring it on. I want to see you so that I can truly serve you.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 21, Friday

. . .be ardent in spirit. . . (Romans 12:11b)

Joy in the Spirit

The author asks, “When do you have spontaneous moments of joy?” For me, a key word is “spontaneous” because these moments cannot be programmed or predicted. Every once in a while I have the privilege of really connecting with confirmation students. What I mean by “connecting” is that they not only become very interested in the Gospel that I have to share with them, but I can tell that what I am sharing with them is touching their souls. It doesn’t happen very often at all, maybe a couple times a semester at best, but it always makes up for the countless times of what can feel like beating my head against a wall. Knowing that God is using me to share the Gospel with these young people is priceless stuff, and when I know it is happening, when we connect, it fills me with great joy. Certainly that joy helps me to be ardent in spirit.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 20, Thursday

(We are half way done!)

. . .be ardent in spirit. . . (Romans 12:11b)

Aglow

The author made a passing reference to one of my favorite Bible passages. It is in Mark 10, where Jesus reprimands the disciples for trying to keep the children away from him. He says in verse 14, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” For me, there are few places that proclaim the Gospel – the good news of God’s love for humanity and salvation through Christ – as clearly as do these few words. Jesus says that the kingdom of God belongs to children; people who are thoroughly incapable of earning such a blessing in any way; people who cannot follow the rules; people who will get it wrong more often than they will get it right. To these, says Jesus the kingdom of God belongs! Well, if it can belong to people such as these, is there any hope that it might belong to people such as us as well? Uhhh, yeah!

In light of this, I quote a sentence from our reading: “I want my eyes to shine as eagerly as theirs.” Yes! And I love how the author went from that thought to recognizing how God does indeed create that same shine within his own eyes. He recognizes how the Spirit creates passion within his own spirit, and that passion makes his eyes shine. I think we all make similar journeys in one form or another. When are we “as alive as children?” What a wonderful list to make because it underscores the blessedness of life and the Gospel.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 19, Wednesday

. . .be ardent in spirit. . . (Romans 12:11b)

Breathing Space

I will never forget the Annual Meeting of January, 2008. The Friday night and Saturday before the meeting there was a Confirmation overnight retreat. That Saturday we discovered water was leaking through ceiling into the sanctuary in multiple places. We had to cover as much as we could in plastic. The decision was made to hold worship that Sunday in the parish hall and the Annual meeting would be held there as well. Moving the place of worship always creates a challenging level of details that need to be attended to. In addition to this being Annual Meeting Sunday with worship being held in a different place, our Bishop was visiting. Thank goodness he was preaching, but he also needed to be welcomed and hosted and, as pastor as well as long-time friend, the primary responsibility for that fell on my shoulders. He was also having a conversation/coffee time before the worship service began, which, of course, meant more details to be attended to. One detail was that the meeting needed to be held in a different location because of the water problem. Was there going to be enough room? In addition to all this, I had some significant worries about an aspect of the Annual meeting. And, of course, our bishop was going to be present for that meeting, something I’d never experienced before. Breathless? You bet!

Here’s the part that nailed me right between the eyes, and connected me to today’s reading. As the bishop and I were putting on our albs in my office before worship, he said to me, “Keith. Smile!” Ouch! Yeah, I probably wasn’t doing very much smiling that morning. I was busy trying to save the world in all the ways that I find myself doing too easily and too often. And trying to save the world will always take one’s breath away because the world is just too big. He could have just as easily said, “Keith. Breath!” I know I wasn’t breathing very deeply at all that morning.

Slowing the steps. Deep breathing. Letting energy return. Allowing joy to well up. These are the things that bring the smile back. And I love how the author put it in the prayer he shared as today’s reading: “I think you like that smile.” Yeah. I think God LOVES that smile.

The direction the author took his reflections in light of today Bible passage was somewhat surprising to me. I would not easily connect slow and deep breathing, along with allowing a smile to return as being ardent in spirit. Prior to this reading I would have connected a lot of business and breathless running around for the sake of God and God’s kingdom as being ardent in spirit, but all that running around doesn’t usually put a smile on my face, a smile that God loves. Attending to breathing in the Spirit, of taking in slow, quiet and deep breaths, being ardent about that is certainly something that feeds our spirit by connecting us with God’s Spirit. Ardently attending to the smile that comes with deeply breathing in the sweet air of freedom in Christ is just what the spirit is hungry for.
Pastor Keith

“Marks of the Christian” Lenten Journey – Day 18, Tuesday

Do not lag in zeal. . . (Romans 12:11a)

Desire

I’m still caught up in the thoughts I had yesterday regarding my typical pattern of lagging in zeal. Lent can be a typical time of experiencing lag in zeal.

I felt a need to look up the definition of zeal. I was disappointed to see that the definitions contained all the zippiness that I anticipated. This is what I sometimes dread about zeal.

Definition:
Ardor: a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause); “they were imbued with a revolutionary ardor”; “he felt a kind of religious zeal”
Excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end; “he had an absolute zeal for litigation”
Readiness: prompt willingness; “readiness to continue discussions”; “they showed no eagerness to spread the gospel”; “they disliked his zeal in demonstrating his superiority”; “he tried to explain his forwardness in battle”

Lord, too often I lag in zeal.

And yet it was comforting in today’s reading to be reminded of the Lord working within each of us. Where I may not always have the energy or zeal to reach out to God, I do have the God of limitless zeal within me, and that, as always, is where our energy comes from. More listening and less talking, like we do when we pray the Scriptures, might be of great help when it comes to not lagging in zeal.
Pastor Keith