Lenten Journey "Relapse"

2011-03-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made a commitment with the total and resolute intention of keeping it and then find yourself for inexplicable reasons breaking it? Such was my experience on March 10.

At our Ash Wednesday service on March 9, I made a commitment to give up a certain thing for Lent only to find myself breaking that commitment the very next day. In the Apostle Paul's words, "Wretched man that I am ... I know what I ought not to do, but I do it anyway. I know what I should do, but find myself not doing it." Then, to loosely paraphrase Paul, he says, "What is wrong with me? What am I going to do? Should I just run up the white flag and surrender -- give up?"

Is it just a matter of semantics, or is there a subtle difference between "surrender" and "giving up"? "Giving up," to me, means "I can't do it and I'm through trying; I just need to accept that is the way I will always be." Although "surrender" can mean that, it can also mean, "I am powerless to do it on my own, I need help to change."

One of my nemesis is making significant changes in my life such as giving up what I committed to on Ash Wednesday is putting too much stock in will power and self-discipline. Ingrained within me, and many of us, is the attitude that if I just have enough self-discipline, will power, character and integrity that I can "give anything up" -- I can change. Then, when I "relapse," as I did within 24 hours I am filled with shame -- "wretched man that I am!" What to do?

Rather than "giving up," I finally came to the point of "surrendering." Rather than feeling shame I have accepted God's grace and as God has forgiven me, I have forgiven myself. But, I have also done one more thing. I have surrendered to God and allowed God's power to empower me. For the last ten days I have admitted that I can't do it on my own; to change I need God. Props to all who have enough self-discipline and will power to change on their own. For the rest of us -- I would invite you to join with me in surrendering and welcome the power of God's grace to not only forgive you but to change you. That's what Paul did when he was faced with his struggle and claimed, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord," I can be victorious and live the life God calls me to live.

What do you think? Is there a difference between "surrendering" and "giving up"?

I welcome your thoughts and your own personal experiences with this issue.

My maiden voyage into the blogging world

2011-03-10T06:58:00.000-08:00

I am stepping out into new territory by making a commitment to post a weekly blog. Where did that word, "blog," come from anyway??? This blog will be an opportunity for me to share what is on my mind and stirring in my heart about a variety of issues -- mostly related to what it means to be a follower of Jesus -- to love God and others with all that we have and are. I invite you to respond to my thoughts and also welcome suggested topics for me to blog about. Now for this week ... "Boot Camp for Jesus"

I don't know why, but I am often surprised when reading a familiar scripture that something will jump out to me that I've never noticed before. Such was my experience Wednesday morning at our Men's Breakfast and Bible Study. We were looking at Matthew 4:1-11, the account of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by Satan. Verse 1 says, "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

What jumped out to me was that little preposition, "to." Why did the Spirit (this same Spirit that had just descended upon Jesus at his baptism) lead Jesus into the wilderness? That little word, "to," seems to indicate that it was for the express purpose to have Jesus tempted by the devil.

Could this 40 days of fasting in a desolate place that culminates with the devil's temptations be "Boot Camp for Jesus?" It takes place right after Jesus' baptism where God confirms that Jesus is, "My Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased," AND just before Jesus begins his public ministry. "Boot Camp" is the time for Jesus to get in shape and get ready to proclaim publicly, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst."

The temptations were very real and boiled down to Jesus deciding what kind of Messiah he was going to be -- the kind the people were wanting or the kind that God sent him to be. He said "No," to each of these temptations, but he would face these same temptations in many different ways over the next 3 years.

What do you think? What do you think about the concept that this 40 day period was "Boot Camp for Jesus?" Do you think these temptations were "real" for Jesus, i.e. was he really tempted to say, "Yes," to the devil? Was Jesus tempted in the same ways you and I are? What can we learn from Jesus about resisting temptation?

Blessings upon you as you begin your Lenten Journey -- may it be a time to reflect, meditate, confess, receive and give. May we return to God and reclaim our true nature as children of God, created in God's own image.

Pastor Mike's Blog

Lenten Journey "Relapse"

My maiden voyage into the blogging world