Category: faith

Tradition’s Impact

Today’s Bible study covered Mark 7:1-23. I look forward to getting with my friend to study on a weekly basis. We have translated Philippians and the Sermon on the Mount, and are currently working our way through the gospel of Mark. Her background is Greek language studies, not Koine Greek. I have studied Koine and as a pastor come at study from a more exegetical framework. This difference has meshed amazingly well and led to some rich discussions. Often we come away with more questions than answers, but we’re both getting better at being okay with that.

So we decided that in this passage Jesus was pretty ticked off with the Pharisees. He probably did his fair share of finger wagging. This definitely wasn’t a “writing in the sand” moment. He spoke harshly and with oozing sarcasm when addressing their annulling/voiding the word of God in favor of their own traditions. We found ourselves speaking as passionately as Jesus as we discussed our translations.

We noticed in verse 18, Jesus again refers to the dullness of the disciples (see also Mk. 6:52). For the longest time I just thought that the disciples were just not getting the God side of Jesus as the God-Man. His miracles and authoritative preaching seemed to mystify them. What I began to see as a result of studying this passage is some of the reasons why they were so hopelessly confused. Jesus challenged everything they believed.

This passage focuses on the encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees and Scribes related to cleanliness and uncleanliness. At first glance it may seem that the main issue was that of hygienic versus ceremonial cleanliness, but digging deeper reveals so much more. The traditions of the elders were so restrictive regarding purity issues that it would have been very difficult to consider eating socially on a casual basis. Everything Jesus did flew in the face of this.

As I considered this I saw in a new why some of the ones invited to the King’s banquet might have been reluctant to accept that invitation (see Matt. 22:1-14). I understand that thinking flies in the face of traditional interpretation, but when I consider the extremes of the purity traditions, it just began to make more sense to me. So with that mindset, I start to understand how Jesus just was an enormous irritation. They had worked all their lives to uphold these traditions and Jesus threw it back in their faces when he chose to dine with all manner of unclean and unacceptable kinds of people. And both sides were adamant in their stance and irritation with other on this.

I think this also explains the confusion for the disciples. If in fact they were looking for a Messiah who would rid them of theiroppression, they thought he would be attacking the Romans not their own religious leaders. Instead Jesus was telling them to keep on paying the taxes, while they needed to throw off the traditions of the elders which had invalidated God’s word. The Kingdom that was at hand was the Kingdom of God and it flew in the face of everything they were basing their lives and hope upon.

This matter of eating and ceremonial cleanliness cut across the fabric of their faith and practice. They didn’t get it while Jesus was with them. No, the problem continues to be addressed in the developing church: see Peter’s encounters in Acts 10 and Paul’s many words about food being a stumbling block.

So I’m wondering if we get it yet? I don’t think so. I’ve been a part of several different denominational groups, each holding to its own set of traditions. I’ll never forget the scolding I received for using the wrong communion cloth on the altar early on in ministry, or the time I questioned the point of the Hanging of the Greens at Christmas. The effectiveness of my ministry in one church was severely hampered because I moved the pews in the sanctuary by angling them by a mere few inches so the congregation would focus their attention on the cross instead of staring blanking straight ahead. More than one time I was told that “we always do it that way” and it was therefore assumed it would be done that way until Jesus comes–and maybe even on into heaven.

Please don’t hear me saying that traditions are bad. I can’t because I don’t believe that Jesus held that position. What frustrated and even angered Jesus was when the traditions superseded God’s intentions and hindered the people’s ability to move more deeply into relationship with God. Take the Sabbath, for example. Jesus stated that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. God’s intention was that Sabbath should be seen and experienced as gift not a hardship. It should be something that improves one’s relationship with God, not something that becomes the scorecard for adherence and practice.

I believe that one of the most meaningful passages of scripture is found in Revelation 3:19: Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you (The Message). Jesus was willing to break bread with Simon the Pharisee, Zaccheus, Matthew, and at least 5000 on a hillside, where I’m pretty sure there wasn’t’ near enough water to satisfy the traditional rituals for cleanliness. He didn’t let it stop him then, and I don’t think he would today.

　

　

　

　

　

Job 37:14

In a few weeks I will participating in a parachurch weekend (similar to Walk to Emmaus).  It is such a blessing to serve on the team.  Sometimes I wonder who receives more team or participants.  But I don’t worry too much, I just soak it all in. 

Our theme for the upcoming weekend is Job 37:14.  I have been working on something that I want to offer for palanka.  I thought I’d share it here because the truth applies to wherever we are in our journey and whoever is right there with us.

Stop! It’s a word that I find myself often using with my grandson. Stop talking. Stop cutting. Stop. Stop. Stop. And the most frustrating thing about that is that if he would stop when I told him to, it would save him—and me—so much grief, or clean up, or apology. But even at just 6yrs of age, he thinks he knows more than me. To say that he’s willful barely touches the depths of his strong character. But what good is that kind of strength if there’s no willingness to trust one who is older, wiser, and more experienced?

Do you ever wonder if God ever feels that way with us?

 

Consider. Think about it. Marvel at it. Ponder it. Reflect on it. Look deeply. See what’s there. Take it apart. Touch it. Taste it. Ask questions about it. Desire to know it inside and out, upside and down. Imagine the infiniteness.

 

Do you think God ever wishes we would consider Him that way?

 

“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`

 

The wonders of God.

The miracles of God.

The amazing things in creation.

The mind-boggling things we have no explanations for.

The delicate and fragile.

The strong and enduring.

Powerful natural moments bringing beauty and disaster.

Tragic accidents that result in devestating loss and incredible unity.

Feats of athleticism and artistic creativity.

Simple and complex.

Unfathomable and unexplanable.

Beginnings and endings.

Love. Joy. Peace. Grace.

Wonder-full gifts from wonder-full Father.

 

And here’s the most incredible thing of all. Since the beginning of time he has been working in the lives of thousands of people to prepare this weekend just for you. You are here by His design. You were meant to be here right now, with these people, in this place. And they were meant to be here with you. There will be no other perfect time for God to give you the gifts of grace like this moment.

 

Stop and consider that!

Lent Old Testament Intolerance?

So many times, so many years, I declare at the beginning of the year that I am going to follow a read through the Bible in a year program.  One year I purchased the “One Year Bible” to help me accomplish this task.  I failed miserably each time–until this year!

This year I decided to try something and it has worked.  I have been tearing out the pages for each month out of the binding so that I am able to tuck one month’s readings in my purse.  It’s always with me.  I typically have time to read the daily portion when I first get to work in the morning, but if something comes up, or it’s one of the days of the week when I’m not working, then I always have it with me.  What I’ve attempted, and seemed to have accomplished, is to remove the excuse that has sabotaged my efforts in the past. 

And I’m happy to say: I’m still reading and have only had to play “catch up” a couple times.  The other thing I am quite happy to say is that I am totally enjoying it.  I look forward to it.  Well, until this week anyway.

This week has been different.  Up until now, I have really gotten excited about the journey of God’s people and seeing things in the Old Testament story that point me to things in the New Testament.  It’s been neat to make those kind of connections.  But this week I became troubled by all the God-endorsed and God-directed (ordered) killing that was done as the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land.  It felt hostile and intolerant.  It made me uncomfortable.  Surely God didn’t want to have that kind of rep.  Surely God didn’t want to come across that way to people who are just considering following him.  Could he?

I am a completely sold out to the idea that what we have contained in the Bible is there on purpose and for a reason.  I don’t always see or understand what that reason is–and this is just such a case.  It has left me with a great big, “Why?”

As I pondered this for a while, my discomfort continued to grow.  Tolerance.  It’s a good thing, right?  Here’s how dictionary.com defines tolerance:
1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one’s own; freedom from bigotry.
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one’s own.
3. interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one’s own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.

I sat with that for a bit and let it percolate, if you will.  Fair.  That’s good.  Objective.  I’m okay with that.  Permissive.  Hmm. We’ve entered into queasy territory here.  Maybe that’s where God has trouble, too.  Being permissive feels like letting someone get away with something–and not something good.  Perhaps that’s how I’m to make the link to this portion of history for God’s people.  As uncomfortable as it makes me, I have to come to the place where I understand that there are things that God doesn’t permit, that He just won’t tolerate.  I have to step out of my “politically correct” bubble that doesn’t just make allowances for differences, but obliterates any distinctions between right and wrong.  Doing that means that I have to try to understand the heart and mind of God, consider His perspective.  Tall task.

Part of the challenge in this is that I have grown up in a culture that has advocated for tolerance and acceptance.  After all, I want to be accepted so I should be accepting.  I was trained to believe that there is too much rigidity in thinking that is only “black and white”.  Ecologically we may be going green, but spiritually we’ve been heading towards many shades of gray for a very long time.  Menninger’s message from a few decades past only rings truer today: What ever became of sin?”

What I wish I could come away with from all this pondering  is a clearer understanding of how live less tolerantly (in the negative sense) while remaining relevant to a world that refuses to be any other way.  I’m not there yet.  I did however see the wisdom in a quote that may offer a little guidance at this point:
“In essentials unity.  In non-essentials liberty.  In all things charity.” (Rupertus Meldenius)

 

Balaam’s Ass

Text: Numbers 22

Just about every time that I’ve heard this story, the emphasis has been that if God can use a donkey to get his message across then certainly He can use “me” (the me being whoever was telling the story). But as I read the story today,I saw something very different. The focus seemed to shift from the cowering mule to the persistant angel.

Have you ever wondered what it takes for God to get through to us?  How many signals do we ignore? Or maybe a better question is why? What this account shows me, and so much of my life testifies to, is that God works in many ways, by many means, to get His message, His plan, across to me. The how of my missing may be more directly related to why. He is the hound of heaven, but I have become very good at tuning out the barking dog.

So I took some time to reflect on why I’ve been ignoring the barking dog.

I’m comfortable with the way things are.

I’m afraid.

I’m listening to something else.

I assume, or hope, the dog is barking for someone else.

I’ve come to accept the barking as just a part of life. Everybody has barking dogs, thy’re eveywhere, so what you going to do?

I am thankful as I have journey through this Lenten season that God has barked, spoken so clearly to me.  I started out the year thinking that I was going to focus on prayer.  While I have to a certain degree, it has been because my fear has driven me to it.  Having opportunity to teach a Suday School class where we discussed a book about pinpoint praying helped that focus as well. 

God hasn’t used a donkey to get through to me, unless you are considering my own metaphorical stubbornness.  He has however gotten my attention through some unusual things.  I heard him whisper that I had been worrying too much as I stepped on the scales every morning and saw the frustrating results of my emotional eating.  He answered my prayer about writing with a scholarship to  the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and then to me that it is time to stop dreaming and start doing.  For so long I have been praying about a particular issue that my husband has been struggling with for years and this past week during spiritual enrichment services the Spirit broke through.  And I felt God’s smile envelop me and assure me that he has heard my heart’s cry and not to worry because he’s been working in ways I cannot see because he loves my husband more than me.  I let him know that I’m okay with that.

I wish I could stay right here in this spiritual place, feeling encouraged and provided for.  I’d happily just pitch my tent and sit.  I hear him so well here.  But that thinking didn’t work for the disciples when they wanted to stay on the mountain.  So  I guess I’ll travel on, but I’m going to be listening harder.  No donkey’s going to have to get my message from God.

Lenten Learning Curve

The Lenten Learning Curve (and for some reason, I want to keep typing Leaning instead of Learning…hmmmmm) has felt like a roller coaster this year.  So many ups and downs, I have just barely been able to hold on.  But I don’t want to go through Lent, or any part of life, with my squeezed tightly shut and my hands white knuckling the lap bar.  There is no joy in that, only prayers for the end of the experience.

I have never considered myself adventuresome or courageous and I have been befuddled when others tell me how much they appreciate those qualities in me.  For example, they marvel at how “comfortable” I am with getting up before a crowd and sharing my heart.  I crave those opportunities.  I feel fully me when I’m preaching or teaching.  I can’t imagine not doing that. 

That being said, there has been a vicisious battle with fear this season of Lent.  I have wrestled a deeply subconscious battle up to where I could identify it and why it had such a strangle hold on me.  I have been confronted with my reticence and reluctance to move forward towards publication in my writing.   I have had to deal with relational issues resulting in painful confrontations.  Part of me would love to press rewind and pick a different path, but I know that the lessons would just come from a different direction and who knows how severe the learning would be then?

So while the lessons have not been easy, they have proved to be immensely beneficial, life-giving, and even freeing.  And while I’m not ready to throw my arms in the air and scream wahoo, I’m at least willing to admit that I’m thankful for the lessons learned.

Yesterday I faced the largest of those lessons.  I went and registered for the last time.  The deputy who worked on my paperwork was nearly as excited for me as I was.  A couple times he mentioned that he didn’t get to do this (finish someone’s paperwork) very often…um, never.  He asked if I was going to have a party.  Several people have offered to throw one for me.  Not only is the dark cloud lifted, but the fear that somehow it never would happen is gone too!  And the still small voice in the back of my heart whispers, “Will you trust Me now?”

In an endeavor to be more trusting, I took a couple steps.  I applied for a scholarship to the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.  And I got it!  My reaction when I opened the email was such a mix of laughter and tears.  Then I decided that I would apply to different publishing companies to be a reviewer of books on my blog.  And I was accepted by one company.  I can barely describe how encouraged and excited I am. 

So I’m learning and leaning.  Trusting more.  Maybe I haven’t gotten to a full-fledged “Yes!”, but I’m at a very decent, “Okay!” with God.  It’s not perfect but it’s progress.  And that’s good for me.  Not bad for a recovering perfectionist.  Not bad at all.

 

We’re Still in Lent….I’m still journeying

Have been thinking a lot about fear these past few days. Have been feeling it, too. Not liking it very much conceptually or emotionally.

I broke down and tried to tell a friend about it. We were having our weekly Bible study (currently we’re translating and studying the Gospel of Mark). Before we dive into the text, we spend some time catching up and sharing what’s been happening in our lives. She asked me if I had been doing any writing and I had to confess that I had been too frozen by fear to be creative at all. She didn’t get it. I don’t blame her, neither do I.

I am facing a day in the very near future when I will bring to a close a very shame-filled part of my life. March 26th should be a time of celebration, but I am afraid that some kind of hiccup in the system is going to happen and instead of an end I will just experience a never-ending dark hanging over my life. My fear isn’t completely unfounded for in the middle of this “sentence” there was legislation that temporarily snatched away the hope of an end. It was a very dark time for me. I found that living without hope of end of pain, emotional in my case, is difficult to say the least.

My friend went on to ask me how my faith was impacting this fear. Her question implied that if I had faith then I wouldn’t have fear. I wish it were that simple. Perhaps the problem is that for me, it’s not just about fear–it’s really about control. Who’s really in control of my life and can I trust the one who is in control to do a better job of managing my life than I can? What if He takes me to a place that is overwhelmingly difficult? Why can’t I have some of the ease that others get?

Thinking this way took me on a journey through scriptures that should bring me comfort and contentment. There is the verse that is often quoted from Jeremiah, that God has plans for, plans that involve hope and a future, is generally taken out of context. If you read the entire chapter, you find that God has put his people in a very dangerous exile and told them to get comfortable. Job, asks a question that echoes what these folks must have been feeling and fearing: shall we take the good and not the bad? Life must have looked better to the one to whom the Psalmist wrote Psalm 37. He or she seemed to be in a difficult place and when they looked around them people who were living rough and faithless lives seemed to be prospering. It didn’t seem fair.

Ok. Everything written up to this point is from yesterday and before. What a difference a day makes. Or at least, what a difference a sermon can make. I had one of those moments this morning when I was almost positive that my pastor had been reading my emails, blogs, or mind this week. His message was straight from God’s heart to mine. (And I told him so, too.)

The title of the message was “Victory and Deliverence.” He used Acts 12:1-11 as his text. It was one of his more powerful and spirited sermons. Or maybe it just seemed that way, since it felt like he was sharing it just with me. I was most affected by the first half, the part about victory. He shared that he had a thought, one that didn’t come from his many books and it impacted his preparation. “Victory doesn‘t require winning.” He spoke about trusting God and not being concerned about the outcome. The pump was primed for me during the offertory, of all things. The pianist played a beautiful arrangement of “Because He Lives.” As I listened to the music, I was totally captured by the phrase: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone.” Looking at the pieces individually may not have the same impact for you, but it just about knocked me over.

Pastor didn’t know about my nagging fear. He knows March 26 is coming for me, but he had no idea how I had been struggling. The pianist has no clue about my fear or the importance of March 26 for me. Yet both she and the pastor, in obedience to God shared exactly what I needed to hear to get me through this trying time.

Tuesday, the 27th, may not be any different than the day before. Some emergency law may go into effect that in effect snatches away my intensely anticipated and longed for freedom, but I know I’ll be okay.

To seal the deal for me, one of the major points in this morning’s Sunday School lesson (which the co-teacher taught today, not me) was that we need to have a “so be it” attitude (think Mary speaking to the angel about being God’s handmaden, or Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene) in our relationship with God, especially as it pertains to our prayer life.

I no more know what the 26th or 27th will hold any more than I know what’s going to happen in the next minute, hour, or day. What I do know is that I know who’s I am. I know that whatever the plan is, wherever the path leads, I can trust the maker of path and plan to have what’s best for me–even when I can’t see it or don’t understand. I have already been delivered from the worst and am a victor through Christ. And really, what more do I need? I can’t think of anything.

Funny. I don’t feel afraid anymore. And the only thing that’s changed is me.

Lent Day Seventeen: Staying Connected

I miss being on Facebook. Long story about why I’m not, but for now let’s just leave it at: it wasn’t my choice. When I stop to really think about it, what I miss the most is some of the connections and reconnections that I made. It was good to catch up with old friends from high school and keep tabs with family separated by distance. I don’t however miss the wasted hours of gaming that I got sucked into.

When I was “unfriended” by the major site for sociality it wasn’t long until this little extrovert wandered over to Twitter and got connected. Interestingly though, the connections I made were much more intentional. I chose to follow people who expressed like ideas, but also those who could stretch my thinking, who could encourage me, teach me. I only follow one family member and a handful of personal friends or acquaintances. There just aren’t a lot of people that I know who know me there.

Now Pinterest, that’s a completely different story. I know people there and I am having a blast finding new ideas and letting my creative little girl who has been buried deep within out to play! New recipes. Crafty ideas. That place makes me smile!

I’m imagining that you’re wondering what on earth that has to with God or Lent. I’m glad I’ve made you wonder. (insert small smile here) Wait for it…This morning on Twitter I read the tweet of a highly esteemed Christian pastor-leader-preacher-writer that said, “God created Twitter. How can we serve His purpose?” (Ray Ortland) This simple tweet really caught my attention. What I failed to notice originally was that there was a URL attached that directed me to a blog interview with Pastor Ortland where he discussed his thoughts on how we can use the vast array of social media to share God’s message. I’m glad I just went back and read it. You can find it here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/serving-up-tweets-an-interview-with-ray-ortlund-on-social-media

A couple years ago, when I still was on FB, a pastor friend of mine decided that for Lent he would give up his presence on FB. For him it had become a time waster and he decided to use that time instead for going deep into the Word and his relationship with God. He encouraged others to consider the same kind of action. While I understood his intentions, I wasn’t inclined to follow his lead because I was very conscious of using my media connections as an opportunity to discuss my faith journey.

He was also taking this position because of some very negative experiences he had on FB. I was thankful that I hadn’t had much of that happen for me, but I saw others doing battle with this. Some of the misunderstandings were toxic and painful and I could easily imagine not wanting that to be a part of your daily experience. But on the other hand, do we always run away from confrontation, or do we learn how to confront in a Godly manner?

So what do we do with this? How do we survive in this viral community without being of that community? Is that what Jesus prayed for us (see John 17)? I choose to land in the thinking of Paul in Colossians: “Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone (4:5-6, NLT)”

Maybe Pastor Ortland was right. Maybe God did create Twitter. Let us use it wisely and to His glory.

Day Sixteen: Boredom’s Cure

(Sorry for the lapse.  Computer and then internet issues have sought to sabotage my commitment to daily writing.  Thank you for hanging in there with me.)

Being bored has never been a good thing. When I was a kid, if I told my mom I was bored, she would gladly find me something to do…and it was never pleasant. Remembering this, I did what all mothers do: I passed the same trick along to my children, foster children, and grandchildren. The mere threat of my finding something for them to do generally cured any malaise.

So what about me? How as an adult do I do battle with boredom? I began by considering the antonyms for boredom, as suggested by dictionary.com: amuse; thrill, enrapture. Hmmm. The last few days I’ve been amusing myself with my new Nook Tablet. I have enjoyed learning its intricacies and capabilities. That has been good. Thrill? Not big into thrills. I wasn’t blessed with an abundance of curiosity or daring. I’m not even sure I’ve thought of thrill in a positive light for a very long time. Lately all I can think of is saying that I’m not thrilled about something or other, usually about feeling like I have no choices. My time doesn’t seem to belong to me. I don’t have any pocket money to blow. What would I do if my time were my own? Would it be thrilling to make a few choices? To say no when everyone expects me to say yes? Hmmm.

Enraptured. Now there’s something to think about. I just dashed over to dictionary.com again to check whether I really knew what the word meant. To me it’s an all encompassing kind of word. It’s a feeling of being lost in something. It’s an experience engaging all my senses.

One of the actual definitions is: to delight beyond measure. And therein, as my mother would say, lies the rub. I’m not feeling much joy these days. I can’t tell you why or when joy took a hiatus, but I’m definitely missing it.

So I turned to the scriptures to find my cure. First stop, Psalms. Now I realized I was feeling like David in Psalm 13. He was one depressed dude. But in the end he returns to the source of his faith. Later he reminds himself in Psalm 37 not to worry about how good the other guy has it but trust in God who will give him the delight of his heart. Finally I landed in Psalm 51, where David writes: Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. I had trouble finding the verse. I put in several different combinations and each one included: the joy of my salvation. Now that little difference may not jump out at you, but it spoke volumes to me.

Do you wear glasses? I do. I started wearing glasses when I was 40. I’ve always had trouble with my eyes (4 corrective eye muscle surgeries before I was 9), so I was familiar with the ocular device where the doctor asks you to consider which lens is clearer, “This one or this one? This one or this one? This one or this one?” This part of the examination seems to take forever, and some of the differences are so minute that they’re practically indistinguishable.

That’s what I started thinking about as I considered the difference between “my salvation” and “your salvation.” How much difference can one word really make? For me, in this case, a huge difference. As I reflected, I realized that I was once again at that place where I want things the way I want them. I had been relying upon my wisdom, my strength, my salvation. Interesting side note: I just spelled that slavation–as if doing it my made me a slave to my self and didn’t provide what I needed most: salvation from the only one who can truly provide it, now and forever. No wonder I had lost my joy.

I wish I could say that I have determined three steps to reach my goal of restored joy. Wouldn’t that be nice? Right now, all I can muster is a determination to seek after God and his salvation through greater dependence on the word and more time in direct communication with him in prayer. And trust me, I’ll let you know where that gets me. Shalom.

Day Thirteen: Routine

Do you have certain things in your routine that you just have to do or you feel disjointed or incomplete? For some, they have to read the morning paper or watch the early news first thing in the morning. Some can’t get going without their first cup of coffee. Others have a bathroom routine that is scripted down to the minute. The same can be said for how they face the things of work or how they wind down in their day.

Right before my husband and I got married we saw a movie about an ice skater who went blind. It was called “Ice Castles.” As she practiced with her partner, over and over, to drill the performance into her body, he reminded her that she could do this. As they skated out on the ice at competition, he squeezed her hand and whispered the word, “Routine.” When Nelson and I were married that is what he had engraved on the inside of my wedding band.

Now, there are some who might see that as negative or sarcastic. I mean, really, who wants their relationship to become “routine”? People are always looking for fresh and new. Manufacturers understand that and are always seeking to make their product “new and improved.” Routine typically carries with it connotations of complacency and boredom. I don’t happen to see it that way.

Having a routine helps me feel grounded and safe. I like the predictability and security of knowing what is supposed to come next. Thankfully, though, I’m not completely locked into that. Some people absolutely loose it if you change their routine. In their minds, the whole day is shot if their routine is disrupted. Somewhere along the way I developed the ability to toss my routine and be adaptable and flexible. It’s helped me survive.

I believe that God wants to offer us this balance between predictability and adaptability. We can count on him. The Word tells us that he is the same “yesterday and forever” and that he will “never leave us or forsake us.” Because we know that we learn to trust him in the “no matter whats” of life. When we are hit with an unexpected curveball in our health, finances, career, or relationships that require we adapt, we can because there is a source of stability that will get us through the uncertainty back to what feels “routine.” And it may be, that we learn to create a new “routine”, new patterns and rituals based on the new growth we experience as a result of trust.

There’s an old hymn that reminds us: “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll. Fastened to the rock that cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.” As you move through your day and your daily routine, be thankful for what you can count on and open to the possibilities for growth and grace. Even an openness to new can become routine!

Lent Day Eleven: What happened to Nine?

Did you even miss it?  Day nine, that is.  My day just absolutely got away from me.  From get go to done, I felt like I was racing down a neverending hill, faster and faster, until I was crashing into my bed way later than my normal, sane bedtime. 

I don’t like days like that.  I like days that follow the plan, that leave me room for the things I want to get done, but also leave me room to breathe.  I used to thrive on days that seemed to go 90 mph–not so much anymore.  The best kind of days have space for breathing and thinking, for noticing and appreciating, for me and the people I care about.

The problem is: I can’t blame the day, even though that would be easier.  I’m the one who allowed things to move in and crowd out the things I enjoy and the things I wanted (needed) to get done.  I was the one who didn’t say no.  I was the one who attempted to squeeze one more thing in.  I was the one who allowed the urgent to steamroll right over the important.

I remember when I learned the difference.  It was many years ago, reading Charles Swindoll’s book “Strengthening Your Grip.” He had a whole chapter about learning to differentiate between the urgent and the important.  It was a lesson that hit me and has stuck all these thirty years later.  The problem is that I tend to realize much too late that I got myself into a situation that warrants my paying closer attention to what’s happening.  Sure, I can adjust, but isn’t it better to be proactive rather than always reactive?

Can you tell the difference between the urgent and the important?  Oh, I wouldn’t even pretend to believe that there won’t be those moments when my holding to the important won’t be interupted by the urgent.  The problem is when I sacrifice the important things, the truly valuable (especially as it relates to my spiritual life) on a continual basis to what “appears” to be urgent.  This happens for me, this giving into what only appears urgent, but truly isn’t, when what is really important is also difficult.  I can easily allow myself to be distracted to avoid the work of doing what is important.

Is the whole Lenten experience important to you? Or is it easier to get sidetracked by the pressing matters of the day?  How is your prayer experience?  Do you hold to regular quiet time with God?  You feel like you should, you want to, but as important as it is, you just can’t seem to keep that appointment with him–so many other things…too many other things.

One thing that I’ve realized, too slowly I’m afraid, is that God thinks that time is important, too.  And more importantly, He will help me keep those appointments.  He will give us the desire of our heart.  If we will trust that and live into that, I believe there will be far fewer missing day nines and much greater depth and breadth in our spiritual life and journey.  Go ahead, ask Him and see what He’ll do.