Lent 2011 - Day 7

Lent is a journey toward holiness; toward a more intimate interaction with the Divine; and as John Wesley would describe it, a practice in self-denial. (Which to him is the ultimate expression of the Christian faith.)

I don't disagree...and because of it am feeling a bit guilty.

For some reason it was important to stay up late to find out if Brad and Emily would end up together and why they have been so challenged in their relationship since it officially began. And since I didn't even begin to watch this "important" until after 10:00....

I'm tired this morning because of it and guilty.

John's sermon on "Redeeming Time, from sleep" is about just that, sleep; getting enough of it, and only enough, because too much is dangerous to body, mind and soul.

One of the things I love about John Wesley is his practicality. He saw the importance of living the faith and sought for himself and his parish (the whole world) the faithful daily practice thereof...even if it meant steering clear of the guilty pleasure of sleeping in.

It's not that simple pleasures are bad in themselves, like eating a couple of (boxes of) Girl Scout cookies or watching a (few) NCAA Basketball game during Lent, but that the simple pleasures can quickly become habits that waste valuable time that could be spent loving God more fully.

While it is true that most of us could spend more time with God daily, it is also true that we should not deny ourselves of all things pleasurable or worldly. We live as with a foot in the world and a foot in heaven, and therefore must carefully and mindfully travel that narrow road that leads from here to there; that each step should be carefully planned and taken.

It's a journey toward holiness (and wholeness) that requires self-denial, or more specifically, careful choices in what we do, how we spend our time, our sleep, our leisure. 

Yes, we can get whatever sleep we need. We can even watch March Madness while eating a box of Girl Scout Cookies, but only as long as we keep to our self-imposed Lenten disciplines and keep our love of God first and foremost in all our practices. Because that's what gives us the life we need anyway!

Peace ><>

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Lent 2011 - Day 2

John Wesley once said, "Prayer is the lifting up of the heart to God: All words of prayer, without this, are mere hypocrisy."*

In the season of Lent, one of the key practices we are to be about is prayer, but according to this, it's not the  words of prayer that are important, nor even the length of prayer, but the reason for our praying. It's the heart of the matter, literally. 

I don't know about you, but I needed to hear that. I, too, often get distracted in my own prayers and their purpose. I mean, I know why I pray, but the question is, "is it for the right reason?" When we lift up our prayers is it just our desires for God to work, or some kind of balm for our own soul that says we believe God might just hear us and maybe answer?

Or is it as it should be, to lay bare my heart to God?

This Lenten Season my task is simple, to dig deep in to my own soul and reveal whatever I find to a God who is longing for it, and ready to salve whatever pain it costs. Because the goal of Lent is to prepare ourselves to fully embrace the resurrection, which means we need to fully embrace God who fully embraces us....no matter what.

So, dig deep and open up!

Peace ><>

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*Day 1 of 40 Days of Wesley: Sermon #26 Upon the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Discourse 6.

Day 2 of 40 Days of Wesley: Sermon #48 Self-Denial

A Journey...Lent Included

I know it's the beginning of Lent. I look forward to this every year because of it's potential impact on the life of the church, but mostly because of it's impact on me! Like most Christian holidays for me it is a re-centering on what is important about my task and calling. It's a time to peel back another layer and discover more of God and deepen my relationship with Christ.

But this year, it's also the beginning of another journey on which I recently embarked.

On Sunday, March 20th, I'll say good bye to a church I've served for nearly 9 years, and an area where I've lived for almost 13. It will be a difficult farewell because I'm leaving some dear friends and the many disciples that I've nurtured. It's also hard to leave the familiar, the comfortable, the predictable, the groove...

... that may have turned into a rut!

My new journey will take me to Newburgh, Indiana, just east of Evansville right on the banks of the Ohio River. At least that's where the old church used to sit, on a bluff over looking the water, when 200 years ago this week a Methodist Circuit Rider started a new church. I begin sharing in this rich tradition on April 1st as I begin at Newburgh United Methodist Church as its new Lead Pastor.

So this year for my Lenten Journey I will be reading a John Wesley sermon each day and work at doing the very thing Lent is really for, falling more in love with God every day.

I hope you'll join me.

Peace ><>
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