Lent - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent Day #20 | Repentance

Repentance is not something to get better at over time. It is a pivot point in our lives.

This is a word far too often used by those who have not fully understood its meaning (or even experienced its reality). The underlying reality of this word has escaped many of us because we have thought of it in degrees rather than as a simple, completed whole. What does this mean? It means we think we have more time to “get it right,” when the truth of the matter would frighten us. Repentance is not something to get better at over time. It is a pivot point in our lives.

John 8:11 - Image of woman

The original intent of repentance has been described a change of mind. We are not talking about a curious thought crossing through our minds or something to just sit and mull over. When we encounter the truth of the Gospel of Jesus we have a choice to make. We can turn around or we can keep moving forward. Repentance is turning away from anything and everything not in line with God’s word and will. This is what God is expecting and calling us to. We must turn from sin, not with the indifference of an distasteful odor, but with the intentionality and seriousness of a death inducing threat.

jesus-writing-in-the-dirt

Maybe this is the problem. We have lost our fear of sin and thereby lost our fear of God. As I write this I am moved by my tendency to minimize my sin because I know how marvelous God’s grace is. This may be what Paul meant when he said the following in Romans 6.

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

What I have come to see is that repentance is not a one time choice. It is a constant act. One requiring the heart and mind to work toward holiness. What we have to see is that the only reason we do this is due to the work of the Holy Spirit of God as he moves us to such an act of obedience. As we move to closer Easter we must seek as clear an understanding as we can of what it means to be a citizen of God’s kingdom. My prayer is that you will join me on this journey.

Lent Day #18 | Recreation

I have occasionally described myself as one of the most productive lazy people I know. It’s not that I am truly lazy, I am just not going to work harder than I need to. I am going to work smarter so I can move on to the next task. One of the characteristics I have noticed as I have gotten older is that I do not have a difficult time putting things down. What I mean is, when its time to work, I work. When it is time to stop, I stop. When it’s time to play, I play.

I have been a dad for over seven years. During this time I have realized how valuable time is. It is the ultimate non-renewable resources. Because of this I must do a better job of managing myself so I do not miss important moments in my children’s lives. I am still working on this. Thankfully I have a wife who is courageous enough to tell me when I am absent-minded about the time I have with my daughters.

In the scheme of things, what I will remember are those times when we were together, spending time enjoying each others company. This is what recreation should be. We should strive to re-create our hearts and minds with those moments that will have a lasting impact on the quality of our lives. A balance in the quantity and quality of our time with those who put something back into our lives is the goal. We can not forget what really matter. We can not ignore our responsibility to put something back into the relationship banks of those we love.

God has given us the ability and the capacity to enjoy recreation. Do not miss another opportunity!

Lent Day #17 | Rhythm

If there is one word that does not describe me, it would be rhythm. I can walk and chew gum. I can a great variety of activities that require coordination, but I can’t dance or keep the beat of a song. This reality makes for a frustrated guitarist! But, I pick along as best as I can (pun intended!).

One of the lessons that I have learned in the course of my faith journey is that faith has an ebb and flow. There are highs and there lows. The most constant reality is change. How we handle the changes that will come determines the richness of our experiences. It is quite fortunate for us all, that wisdom and age (normally, but not always) grow together. Lent has become one of the harmonies of my life. It is a reminder of the passage of time, but also the possibility for growth.

As in all things, superstition and abuse can take something useful and distort it and even destroy it. I, however, want to see this season of preparation and contemplation for what it is–an opportunity to turn my affections toward God. This does not mean that sin has ceased to creep at the door. Rather, my awareness of sin and its effects is heightened and brought into stark relief against the sacrifice of Christ on Easter. Every year, this time comes and we have another change to take steps toward deeper faithfulness and obedience.

The power of the Christian calendar is in its intentionally drawing our attention to God’s work in the world through the church. Can this calendar become a crutch or even a hindrance? Yes, it can. The task is working toward a balance and a consistency in our faith walk. Rhythm. Finding it and remaining faithful to it is one of the keys to a life lived with God.

The famed G. K. Chesterton found a unique way to describing our problem and our predicament. It has always captured my imagination and I share it with you in the hope that it captures yours.

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” (emphasis added)

Third Sunday in Lent | “He’s My King”

Is He Your King?

This is the full version of the popular sermonette by S. M. Lockridge

Lent Day #16 | Simplicity

We live in a world that is full of new and exciting things. The speed at which information is created is increasing at break-neck speeds. There was a time when it was possible to know everything about a specific area of knowledge. In today’s world, disciplines are so specialized it is amazing we can say we know anything at all.

What is amazing to me is this, in Jesus we find simplicity as the unifying reality of existence. Jesus did not need the newest and best toys to be happy. Companionship and enjoying the everyday experiences of life were sufficient. God has a way of taking the ordinary artifacts of life and transforming them into something extraordinary. A rock, a stick, a net. It simply did not matter what it was, it became something significant and meaningful in Jesus’ hands.

As I continue to walk in faith I hope to find a way of living more simply. Is there something I must let go of? Is there someone I must engage and rebuild a relationship with? Is there something I must do, that I have left undone?

These and many more questions I ask myself as I get older. As the days in my life pass. I pray I make the most of each one.

Lent Day #15 | Silence

Silence. It is a quality that is uncomfortable to be in. Many of us have never been in a space where complete silence has been achieved. I think if we were ever put in a situation where were would have to be completely silent we would not know what to do.

I came across an interesting article about an anechoic chamber, supposedly the quietest place in the world. I think what stood out as I read the article was how complete silence can affect our perception of what is happening. In the chamber all sound is deadened, but as your ears adjust you being to hear the sound of your heart and lungs; of your blood as it travels through your veins and arteries. I have never experienced this, but I wonder what that would be like.

anechoic chamber

Silence can be unsettling. I have had opportunities to get in a quiet place a few times in my life. It was not easy. It took some time to focus my mind, but in the end I found myself turning my attention toward God. I think what I found most interesting during these times of silence is how difficult it was to gather my thoughts and focus my attention. It was as if in the silence there was nothing serving as a boundary and I was the one creating the boundary of my conscious thoughts.

I would encourage you to take some time and seek God in silence. You may find it is more difficult that you would have anticipated.

Lent Day #14 | Reset

One of the principles my dad taught me about communication is that words have meaning. Therefore, it is important to know the meaning of words.

One of the principles my dad taught me about communication is that words have meaning. Therefore, it is important to know the meaning of words. This principle has been a major part of my development as a person, because I have placed a significant value on words and using them. Over the course of my life and ministry I have seen how misused or even misunderstood words create confusion and hurt.

reset button As we continue our journey through this Lent season, I am reminded of this simple word: RESET. If we break down this word we find that it is a compound of the prefix “re-” and the word “set”. Whenever this prefix is used we are saying that some action will be done again. Examples like repeat, remind, return, relive, etc., come to mind. There was an action and then a repetition follows. When we look at “reset” we are saying that we are taking something back to its set, or original position.

What I have learned in life is it does not come with a reset button. There is no way of undoing what has been done. We are left with one of two choices. We can learn and grow, or we can continue to make the same mistakes. The only guarantee in life is the untiring march of time. We will never begin more time and we don’t know when our time will be up. All we can do is keep moving.

So, why even talk about resetting? Because what can be reset is our mind. The way we think about our lives and circumstances can be altered. The process of resetting our perspective is difficult, but I would argue worth the effort. We can go back to what God had in mind when he created humanity. We were created to have fellowship with God. Our communion with God can be reset when we place our trust in Christ. Putting our confidence in Jesus’ sacrifice is the only means available to us for a hope-filled existence. At that moment, we are back to what God had in mind from the beginning. This return is needed if we are going to see God’s plan the way God planned it. In this season of Lent, take some time and reset your thinking to be more inline with God’s.

Lent Day #13 | Surrender

For the Christian, surrender is initiated when the beauty and majesty of God leaves no doubt within their heart and mind that to be ruled by God is better than to rule oneself.

Within the Christian world, the idea of surrender has a peculiar twist distinguishing it from its more common definition. When the word “surrender” is used there is usually the idea of conflict between two opposing factions. In the end, one of those groups recognizes their demise and chooses to cease fighting and turn themselves over to their opponents. The central concept is that conflict brings about the surrender.

Within the Christian worldview, surrender is not brought about by conflict (although this is not an entirely improbable possibility). For the Christian, surrender is initiated when the beauty and majesty of God leaves no doubt within their heart and mind that to be ruled by God is better than to rule oneself. The mystery here is in seeing that the motivation emanates from God’s character rather than his power.

hands outstretched

When I look at Jesus’ example I see a life surrendered to God, not because God would conquer, but rather because he was allowing himself to be conquered, which is preferable. To put it another way, we are talking about the difference between an enemy and a lover. When one soul gives itself to another, love and passion are what are exchanged. This is the image of the marriage chamber. God’s love for us is intimate and passionate. He does not merely want to crush us, he wants us to be wooed and enthralled with his majesty and utter beauty.

It can be uncomfortable for us to think of God in this way, but that is exactly the image we are given in the bible. Jesus has returned to his Father’s house to prepare a place for us. Too often, this “us” is understood in the plural. However, Jesus is described as the bridegroom. He will return for his bride, singular. We who believe have become a part of the one bride who Jesus died to redeem and purify. Therefore, the language of the scriptures is that of lovers and marriage.

As we continue our journey towards Easter morning remember that God’s love for you is not academic. It is real, personal and unquenchable. Jesus loves us and he is not indifferent to our circumstances. Why would we not want to give ourselves to him.

Lent Day #12 | Think about these things

When we come to Christ, repent of our sins, and trust in Him for our redemption we are righting the error of the human condition. That error is the delusion that peace and joy and truth will be found within us.

Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise,
THINK about these things. — Philippians 4:8

I find the admonition to think about “these” things to be an interesting one. The reason may be that the call to engage our minds in the deepening of our faith is unique in the world of religious expression. Meditation, another way of describing what Paul says here, is common in many different religions around the world. What makes the Christian understanding of meditation unique is in what we are called to meditate on. The focus of our meditation is external to our being. We are not encouraged to look inward to find something there. Rather, we are pointed to an external source to find clarity.

The process of transformation within the Christian faith is found in our displacing our ego as the central object of focus, and replacing it with something greater than ourselves. When we come to Christ, repent of our sins, and trust in Him for our redemption we are righting the error of the human condition. That error is the delusion that peace and joy and truth will be found within us. Our limitations makes this effort fruitless, and yet, there are many who would orient their lives around this flawed principle.

The power of the Gospel is who it sheds divine illumination on our problem. We are broken spirits. Our identity is the summation of our achievements or giftedness. Who we are can only be discovered when the architect of our being realigns perception, bringing it into proper alignment with his character. What this means is that without Jesus clarifying who he is–the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)–we are lost in our search of who we are.

There is a quote attributed to C. S. Lewis that I find appropriate here. The reason I find it so compelling is in the way Lewis clearly and succinctly states why Jesus is so important to our spiritual growth.

C. S. Lewis Quote

When we move out of the way so that God can rule and reign in our lives we will be in proper relationship with God. I believe these are the things that we should be thinking on. I hope that you do.

Lent Day #11 | Study

Studying is not supposed to be a chore. As a matter of fact, I think study should be a blessing and an opportunity to grow wider and deeper.

I hope the word “study” did not conjure up terrible childhood memories. If I am honest, there are memories I cherish and then there are memories I would rather never bring back to mind. However, studying is not supposed to be a chore. As a matter of fact, I think study should be a blessing and an opportunity to grow wider and deeper.

Student
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