Day by Day

Keeping Watch, Actively

 

“Then he said to them, I am deeply grieved even to death, remain here, and stay awake with me. Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, so could you not stay awake with me one hour? Again he came and found them sleeping for their eyes were heavy.”  Matthew 26: 38, 40-41, 43.

 

Advent is recognized during the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It is often marked by a period of fasting and penitence. Advent historically marked the anticipation of the birth of Christ prophesized by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60: 1-3).

 

The advent season calls us into deep introspection and preparation for the coming of God’s greatest gift to us in Jesus Christ; but this season of expectation, anticipation, and preparation feels different this year.

 

As I reflect on God’s act to reveal divine love and grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching, suffering, death and resurrection, the phrase, “could you not stay awake with me one hour,” seems more relevant than in years past.

 

This year it is easier for me to relate to the sense of urgency that Jesus felt, when he turned to the disciples for support during his time of great need.

 

Difficult times were rapidly approaching for Jesus, and he needed to shift his attention in order to stay focused on God’s promises instead of on his impending act of suffering.  

 

As we continue to face difficult times in our nation, and in our world, waiting takes on a new meaning. We must guard against the temptation to become “heavy eyed” and turn away in hopes that when we awaken things will be better. Our call to discipleship requires us to wait actively through these difficult times and to stay focused on God’s promises of an abundant future.   

 

It is so difficult to stay awake when we feel helpless and overwhelmed with the problems of health reform, joblessness, declining church membership, divisive issues within our denomination, and decreasing budget lines.  We have our own problems. We are preoccupied with concerns within our households and within our closest circle of friends.

 

How comforting it would be to just close our eyes and give in to all of the stimuli around us that seem to be pointing us away from the true meaning of Christmas and toward the blinding lights of too much and too many.

 

My Advent prayer for us is that we will stay awake this year and remember all of the people who long for deliverance from the evils of this present age. May our active waiting remind them and us that God hears and responds to the cries of those who mourn. As we pray for others may the light of Christ still come into the world as it reflects upon the activity of our hearts and hands.

 

Staying awake might mean buying less for ourselves and sharing more with others this year.

 

Staying awake might mean remembering that the look of homelessness, hopelessness and hunger has been broadened.

 

Staying awake might mean sharing the good news of the advent message; a message of hope, joy, expectation, preparation and longing.

 

Staying awake might mean hosting a family fast instead of a traditional holiday meal.

 

If we are not careful, we could, like the early disciples, sleep through this most important season; a season that gives us the opportunity to bring focus to the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.

 

This year when there are so many uncertainties, so much fear and pain, let us actively wait for the coming of Christmas by putting the concerns of others above our own; and strive to model what the “Word made flesh dwelling among us” means in a practical and relevant way.

 

Let this Advent season be different! As we anticipate and eagerly await the unknown hour of Christ’s second coming, may we be “awakened” people who actively wait. Let us wait by helping those closest to us and those around us focus on God’s everlasting promises of hope and grace.

 

 

Holy Week from the other side of the pulpit

For the first time in 8 years, I am not in the pulpit on Resurrection Sunday.  Holy week is a very demanding time for all preachers of the gospel.  I am so accustomed to planning Maundy Thursday services, participating in the seven last word ecumenical services, and trying to think of a new and inspiring way to preach about the resurrection. 

 

This year could have been very depressing for me, but I realized that for the first time in 8 years I could be on the receiving end of this high and holy week.  Instead of lamenting, I began to look around for new way to celebrate. What I have found is a banquet of spiritual delicacies to feast upon. 

 

On Wednesday, I will attend a 6:00 a.m. prayer vigil for our nation and world. On Friday evening I will attend a theatrical production reenacting the resurrection, On Thursday afternoon I will accompany a friend to an hour of power ecumenical worship service, on Thursday evening I will attend a Maundy Thursday service at the Central Presbyterian church, 

 

For the main course, I have joined a local community resurrection choir that will minister during a Good Friday afternoon service and during three services on Easter Sunday. I have also been inspired to fast this entire week and replace my meals with prayer and Bible reflection. 

 

I am almost certain that next year, I will be back in the pulpit during this sacred week, but this year, I have no regrets. I am truly enjoying Holy Week from the other side of the pulpit.  May your Holy Week experience also be  unpredictable and life giving.    

 

Spiritual Mentoring

Who are you discipling?  Leaders are called to pass on to others the experiences that they have gained as a result of being in a disciplined relationship with God.  Leaders are followed by someone.  Which of those someones have you identified as the one or several that you will spend extra time praying with, sharing your faith story with and affirming. We should all be working our selves out of of our church positions anyway. True spiritual leaders must never become too busy handling church business that we fail to bear spiritual fruit. John chapter 15 vs. 5  declares, " I am the vine you are the branches.  Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit. Because apart from me you can do nothing." 

How deeply are you abiding in the spirit of Jesus Christ?  Maybe that's the question to be asked.  This spiritual journey has not been designed to be one of self centeredness.  It is a steady flow of giving and receiving and giving. Spiritual mentoring also has many rewards for us leaders.  It keeps us focused on the things that matter most.  It gives us the extra momentum that we need to make the right decisions as we are aware that others are depending on us to do so.  Spiritual mentoring helps us to be more accountable to our committment to God and to the ministries that we are called to.  Seek God's guidance for someone to mentor you will become a better leader as you give what you have received away. 

By Faith

Faith is our strongest virtue.  Without it is impossible to please God. In this world where we strive for so many things, the most important thing that we can attain is more faith.  When we pray, we often approach God with a laundry list of things that we desire. Rarely does more faith make the list. As we are reminded in Hebrews 11:33-36, it was by faith that the biblical saints were able to conquer kingdoms, administer justice, obtain promises, shut the mouths of lions, quench raging fires, escape the sword, and endure harsh sufferings and imprisonment."  

 Today we continue to prescribe more pills, have more affairs, buy more material possessions,  and dream of owning something bigger and better.  We continue to fight about our political differences, and our ethical compass continues to spiral downward.

Faith is a fight worth fighting for.  We don't need to have very much of it in order to make a very big impact on our spiritual lives and the lives of those who look to us for leadership.  According to Romans 10: 17, faith comes by hearing and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. With such a pervasive lack of faith among us, let us wonder what we are hlistening to day by day.  

Be Still And Know

 

 

This is the one that we have been taught to prepare for all of our lives. This is why we have rushed to the store in a mad detour for years to get eggs, milk, bread and a few other essentials. Still, no amount of last minute shopping could have prepared us for a storm of this magnitude.

 

Three and a half feet of snow can cripple Baltimore; a city that panics at the sight of flurries.  All the supermarket shelves are empty.  It’s Wednesday and church closings for Sunday are flashing across the bottom of the television screen.

 

Our new mayor of one week has ordered everyone off of the streets except emergency vehicles. A few brave souls keep shoveling out their cars and sidewalks trying to stay ahead of the snow.  The National Guard is making sure that anxious babies will have a warm Hummer to be born in, while traveling to greet exhausted hospital staff.

 

It is in times like these that we are reminded that we are not in control. Once again we have to depend on each other, reach out to help one another, and consider the needs of our neighbors. 

 

After playing in the snow, walking the dog, watching T.V., reading that good book, eating too much and cleaning out the forbidden closet; let us be still and draw closer to God. 

 

What a wonderful opportunity this historic snowstorm gives us to do what we say we never have the time to do. I hope that many will take advantage of this opportunity to read the Bible, fast and pray. These spiritual practices will strengthen us and give us  courage during challenging times like these.

 

What if it were to snow at this rate everyday for the rest of the week?  What if we were in Haiti instead of in Baltimore?  It is possible to have peace in the midst of the storm, if we would only be still and know that God is in control.  

  

 

 

 

Forced Neighboring

Why must it always require a catastrophic event like the earthquake in Haiti to bring the world together?  The last time I witnessed this type of international humanitarian efforts was when thousands of people lost their lives in Indonesia. Once again people from all over the world have laid down their predjudices, their religious disagreements, and their politics in order to help save the lives of people who are in desperate need. 

During the Indonesian Tsunami and during this devastating earthquake, our universal sense of humanity is prevailing. Is peace only possible when so much pain is present?  Do thousands of lives have to be sacrificed before we are able to see one another as neighbors?  Why was Haiti allowed to be the poorest nation in the hemisphere for so long?  Why weren't their financial debts forgiven long ago? 

If I recall correctly, it was the catastrophic hurricane Katrina which occured  in the poorest city in these United States that brought us together as neighbors.  How many more people have to die before we will live our lives the way Jesus asked us to?  How many more catastrophies will there have to be before resources are equally distributed among the rich and the poor?  

 

Salvation is the reason for the season,

I tire easily of religious fads and popular religious catch words and phrases. I confess that I have even grown tired of hearing people say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”   The phrase was inspiring when I first heard it years ago, but now it is said without thought or reflection on what it really means.

 

I’m not saying that the statement is false; I just cringe when it is said by rote, on cue, and without thought.  I feel the same way about the religious catch phrase, “God is good all the time.”  Of course God is good all the time, but simply saying it does not qualify you as a disciple. You can’t just tip your hat to Jesus, you must bow.  

 

When we go a bit deeper into the meaning of this sacred season, we must not bypass the fact that God loved us so much that God designed a plan of salvation for us.  Jesus, God incarnate, is the manifestation of God’s determined love for us.

 

Yes, I am grateful for Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice; without which, we would have been totally and eternally disconnected from God.  The enemy tried to do to Jesus exactly what was done to Adam in the garden, but fortunately Jesus overcame the temptations of this world. For this, I will live my life in a state of eternal gratitude.

 

The reason for this season however, does not begin in a stable. It begins with the creation of humanity. It continues through the voices of the Old Testaments prophets, who were compelled to remind humanity of God’s desire to be in a right relationship. 

 

The reason for this season is salvation. Through Christ, we have been saved from being eternally disconnected from God.  We have been saved from hopelessness.  We have been saved from the finality of death. We have been saved to live abundantly; we have been saved to experience the freedom of God’s love and divine protection. We have been saved to love our neighbors and our enemies.  We have been saved to worship and glorify God through lives of surrender and service.

 

Salvation is the real reason for this season, but of course this phrase does not rhyme.    

 

 

Dying Well

More and more it becomes evident to all onlookers, that I am on a divine assignment with my family.  One week ago, I participated in a funeral for one of my closest relatives. 

Two months after I arrived in Baltimore, my aunt mentioned to me that she was having some difficulty breathing and she was going to try to get an appointment with her doctor.  I told her that I was available to take her if the doctor was able to see her the next day. My offer turned into Wednesday visits for 3 hour chemotherapy treatments.  Little did I know that those weekly visits would be our final experiences together. 

The drive to and from the doctors office only took 30 minutes, after her treatments however, we would stop at the pharmacy, find good soup, go to the bank and visit family members.  The 3 hour stay at the hospital became sacred time for me to study and get ahead on my work for the week.  

On Wednesday October 28th, she could hardly make it to my car. She told the doctor that she was feeling worse than she had ever felt.  The doctor ordered a CAT scan and pulled me to the side to tell me that he was not looking forward to the results.  I phoned her son and asked him to take her for the test the next day.  By Friday morning she was in hospice care and by Saturday she was on her way to eternity. 

On the Friday night before her death, as I was reading Romans 14:7-9 to her, she regained consciousness and reached out to me with a glorious smile and asked if I had been there with her for a long time.  As we embraced, I responded yes, and helped the nurse change her clothes. I told her that I loved her and she said, I love you too and closed her eyes again. As I reflected on our 2 month journey together, I thought about how my aunt cared for my grandparents and mother while I served on the national staff for 11 years.  

This was the woman who named me at my birth, she was the one who was most proud of my call to serve the church. As she learned of her aggressive disease, she never complained, she never asked why, she never mentioned any regrets.  She talked only about the love of God and God's amazing grace.  She trusted in God's promises of life eternal for those who believe in Jesus as Lord and she allowed her faith in God's Word, to overshadow any fear that she might have had. 

I thank God for her life and especially for the opportunity to have shared those final hours with her. When she awoke and reached for me, it was if she was passing something on to me.  Certainly I received the lesson of dying well.

 

The Servant Leader as Evangelist

Our call to spiritual leadership not only requires us to live a disciplined life of study, prayer, and service, but it also requires us to mentor others into discipleship. As we study and meditate on the Word of God, our aim is not simply to learn Bible facts, we study and meditate with the earnest desire to know the triune God of the Bible. 

As true disciples, we are drawn closer to Christ.  We learn to emulate his lifestyle and we grow in wisdom, faith, discernment and love.  The heart of Jesus becomes one with our hearts and there will develop within us a natural desire to share our experiences of growth and transformation.  The fruits of the spirit become a part of our new nature and we will have a new found compassion for those who are bound, broken and dispossessed. 

The journey toward spiritual maturity continues throughout our lives and our attitude about leadership shifts from being a job or a task, to a privilege and a blessed opportunity to mentor as well as serve.  

A Brief Reflection on Matthew 8-12

When Jesus called the disciples to follow him, he informed them that there would be a great cost associated with the invitation. They were not guaranteed the comforts of a home to rest in, nor were they promised time to care for their families. With him, theirs would be a journey of absolute self-sacrifice.

For a season, Jesus would teach them and equip them as he preached and performed miracles of healing and casting out the evil that held people captive. Before long they were given the authority to engage in the same kind of life giving ministry.

Like the early disciples, we are called to follow Jesus and learn about his mission and his ministry. Through the power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are also to become actively engaged in ministries that provide healing and restoration to those who have been broken, betrayed, discouraged and disconnected from God. We are called to preach, teach, heal, proclaim and exhibit the kingdom of God in the world.

Jesus has entrusted us with the authority to participate in the transformation of peoples lives. So often as Presbyterians, we sit back watching and complaining about the work that people of other denominations are doing in the name of Jesus. We have excelled at learning about what Jesus did, but we stop short of putting what we have learned into action. The call to follow Jesus is costly. It is still a journey of absolute self-sacrifice.

Called To Follow

It is our nature to do or own thing, to lean to our own understanding, to search for our destiny, to chart our own course in life and stick to our plan with steadfastness and determination.

We strive to be sharp, relevant, the best and the brightest so that we can become people of success and influence. We are taught from the time that we are children to be leaders and never followers.

A relationship with Jesus Christ on the other hand, calls us to be his followers before we can be effective leaders.A relationship with Jesus Christ calls us to redirect our attention from our own selfish ambitions toward a life that seeks God’s guidance.

Henry Nouwen in the book, In The Name of Jesus, suggests that our vocational goals as followers of Christ must be to become irrelevant.

How do we unlearn what has become so deeply ingrained in us, when all of societies unavoidable messages are designed to reach us at our point of insecurity and vulnerability.

We all want to prove that we are good enough, smart enough, strong enough, and rich enough. We are willing to do almost anything to belong to exclusive groups.

Being a member of the body of Christ is an exclusive group with many rights and privileges.Being a member of the body of Christ invites us to be counter culture.As we pray daily for the strength to live as persons who are in the world but not of it, our relationship with God becomes more than twice a week visitation privileges

Through prayer and surrender, we begin to internalize the teachings and the “way” of Jesus. As we reflect upon the messages of the Bible, we become more and more aware of a better way for us to live.God’s plan for our lives relieves us from competition, selfishness, frenzy and fear.

God’s way invites us to let go of the snares that distract us from the rewards of true freedom and peace that we can know only through Christ.