What Jesus Has Done!

       One of the early impulses toddlers share is the need to be independent.  Before some are even speaking in full sentences, parents are confronted with the "me do's".   Children quickly (in retrospect) want to get places on their own, learn to walk and talk, and then do for themselves.  As parents quickly learn, this can lead to spilled milk, embarrassing situations, and frustration on the part of both parent and child when they try and try but can't manage on their own.  I remember specially being frustrated as a mom when they refused any help.  Then it was hard to be creative enough to find a way to enable them to succeed without them knowing I was helping.  From infant to adult, growth can be summed up as the process of learning to do for ourselves.
        But the desire to do something and the ability don't always match up.  Just because children want to do something doesn't mean they should.  Sometimes it's not safe like cooking on the stove or lighting matches, sometimes it is not practical, but sometimes we just don't want to be embarrassed.
       I remember showing up for my daughter's parent-teacher conference when she was in second or third grade.  The first thing the teacher did was ask if I had been out of town recently.  I had been while working the current disaster; I asked why she wanted to know.  Was there a problem?  She said she figured my daughter had been dressing herself with her dad in charge.  When my daughter came bounding into the room, I realized what the teacher was talking about.  She was wearing orange tights, pink boots, a bright blue flippy skirt (way too short but a favorite), a purple shirt, and an out-grown sweater with kitties on it!
       We all want to do things for ourselves by ourselves.  Independence is a sign of strength that we all cling to very stubbornly.  One of the hardest things to cope with as we grow older is losing the ability to do things for ourselves and learning to ask for and accept assistance.
       Perhaps that is why grace is so hard for us to accept.  "Me do!" is an attitude that is all too common when it comes to faith.  We want to decide to follow Jesus and to have faith.  Not only that but we like the idea of being held accountable so that it matters that people have to try hard to live according to God's law; that way we get to work for our own salvation and judge those people that we deem sinful.  Somehow it feels better if we have earned it.
       But this week, all of our efforts come face-to-face with the bloody, painful death of Jesus on the cross.  Jesus gave up everything to take on human form even to the point of suffering and death.  This is what God has done for us.  Jesus sacrificed himself to redeem the world and for us to insist on doing it ourselves is to make light of his death.  Jesus has saved us and only through God's grace are we forgiven and given the gift of faith.
       Now that doesn't mean that our lives are unaffected.  Because we belong to God, because we have been forgiven, we are to lead lives that reflect the life of Jesus.  Paul says we are to "live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called" (Ephesians 4:1).   This is shown in our love and service for others, helping those in need, in the patience, humility, and gentleness that we share with all of God's children.
       As we come to Good Friday, take time to ponder the cross and the gift of Jesus contained on that cross.  Thank God that in response to our "Me do!" attitude, Jesus has already done it because anything and everything we could do would be a failure.  Out of love for you, Jesus has already paid the price, named, and claimed you as God's own.  Read Ephesians 2:4-9.

Watch Where You are Going

       My husband fell this morning.  Oh, he's fine, just a little sore and his ego is bruised a bit.  It's the sort of thing that happens when Spring begins to creep around and we let our winter guard down.   He was getting out to grab a quick cup of coffee at the gas station and he saw the water puddle and stepped out.  Only it was frozen water and before he could do anything about it, he was face down on the ice.  He said he got up thinking he's never been so glad to have a round belly.  It saved him from hitting his face!

       It's only been a couple of weeks that Spring has begun to creep around but it is amazing how quickly we forget our "winter legs".  We are so glad to see the streets and sidewalks instead of the thick coating of winter ice and snow that we forget the careful winter shuffle; the art of looking carefully for each small step.  When it's warmer, you walk a little faster, take bigger steps, and are more confident on bare surfaces. 

       What happened to my husband is that he forgot to be careful.  Spring may be here on the calendar but groundhog or not, ice happens.  In fact, this time of year almost requires more caution because the ice can creep up on you when you are not looking.  It is still freezing at night which is a blessing because it slows down the thawing process and the flooding but what melts under the sun turns back into ice by morning. Especially in the morning, what looks wet is probably ice.

      We do well to focus on what is in front of us and the tasks that are at hand.  Psalm 131 puts it this way: "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and marvelous for me.  But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother." (Psalm 131:1-2)

       Multi-tasking has been sold to us as the way we need to work in order to be efficient.  As one cooking-show personality puts it, we shouldn't clutter up our kitchens with things that are only good for doing one thing (uni-tasking).  This is the justification used for everything from cutting personnel by consolidating job positions to putting in chain stores that take over what would have been the customers of several separate local small businesses.  From what I have observed at conferences and meetings, some people seem to delight in demonstrating that they are so busy and good at multi-tasking that they cannot just do one thing at one time but are also texting, talking, and/or emailing.  Now God has given each of us many different gifts; I just don't think it works well to try and use them all at the same time.

       The task ahead of us beginning this next Sunday is Holy Week which follows the model of  the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry.   Easter is nearly here but we only reach Easter by first going to the cross.  Just as we need to be careful and keep watching for ice at bit longer, we also need to be careful and keep watch on our faith that we do not lose sight of the cross because Easter means nothing without the cross.  The point of the whole salvation story is that Jesus gave himself out of love to save the world just as we are also called to give of ourselves out of love.  Take time out to reflect on these last days of Lent and on the gift of Jesus Christ.  Read Philippians 2:4-11

Rising Waters Cannot Cover God's Love

        I was watching the first Harry Potter movie and was struck first by how young the children look in their first roles.  Harry Potter just celebrates his eleventh birthday at the beginning of the movie but even though the book and the movie were intended for young readers around that age, there are some strong assumptions made that the young audience will get what is happening to Harry.  His life is not fair.  He lives in a cupboard under the stairs and his adoptive parents treat him like a servant rather than as part of the family.  He is not going to go to a good school like his cousin.  He wears cast off clothing.  The family doesn't celebrate his birthday and he hasn't gotten Christmas presents.
        It is a common theme in some very popular children's stories, this feeling that one doesn't belong and is different from their family, alone, put upon, and treated poorly.  It's a common theme because it reflects a common feeling among pre-teens.  Children equate fairness and justice with being treated the same and with things being equal.  And that evenness also can get translated into love; if someone gets more things, it may be perceived that they are loved more.  This explains in part why so many children perceive they are treated differently or worse than someone else because it's impossible to treat everyone the same all the time.  It's not even desirable.
         And yet as I said, it is a common perception that adults have as well.  It is a human need to be rewarded for doing well.  But  it is dangerous when we apply that logic to our relationship to God. It not only distorts our perception of God's love (if things are good, God loves me) but it also leads to judgment on our part ("they" deserve what happened) and can lead us to doubt God's steadfast love and mercy.  Like Job, we can be lead to think that if something bad happens to us that God doesn't love us anymore.
        Nothing could be further from the truth.  Over and over, we are assured that God's love and mercy are everlasting.  God does not abandon us to disaster, illness, or grief but is with us especially when times are hard and things go wrong.  Even in the midst of rising waters and rising anxiety, God is present here with us; our refuge, our strength, and our help.  Read Psalm 46:1-7.

Return to God's Love

       The first time I ever drove into a roundabout, I was glad I was alone and had no backseat drivers.  Designed to take the place of an intersection, it is a circle where all cars drive in the same direction.  You go around the circle at a slow speed until you get to the street you want and then you leave.  In theory, they take less time and are less dangerous because there is no cross-over traffic.   They are also supposed to take care of pesky situations that can happen in Minnesota where everyone waits for the other person to go first - which has actually happened to me!

       A cartoon in Monday's paper caught my eye and gave me a giggle.  A large and loud monk is proclaiming to Hagar (erstwhile Viking), "Repent! Repent!"  Hagar asks his companion, "What is that all about?"  He answers, "I think he wants you to paint something again".  (Yes, you can groan.)

      Repentance is a central theme in the season of Lent.  Like most prophets, John the baptist proclaims our need of repentance and forgiveness.  In Advent, before Christmas, we focus on preparing for the coming of Jesus.  Lent again calls us to repent because we need forgiveness; we need to live in our faith.   We need the forgiveness and good news that Jesus has to offer.  (Mark 1:15)  Deep down, we know our need if we are honest with ourselves.  What we are unsure of is the meaning of repentance and how to live that out.
       For too long and for too many people, repentance has become confused with feeling sorry for what we have or haven't done as if our repentance can be measured by how bad we feel.  Biblically, nothing could be further from the truth; biblical repentance means to turn a new direction, to live in a new way, to return to God if you have wandered away.  Repentance is about what you do from then on, not how bad you feel.  
       It is like this: you are working side-by-side with me in close quarters.  Every time I finish one part of the task, I move over to do the next thing.  As I turn, I step, hard, on your toes.  Immediately, I stop and apologize.  I am very sincerely sorry.  I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't want to hurt you, and I feel very bad about having done that.  I apologize, you accept, and we begin working together again.
        It goes fine until I get to the next step in the process when I again turn and stand hard on your toes (you don't have anywhere else to put your feet).  Again I am sorry, I apologize, and now I feel so bad I am almost in tears.  I plead for your forgiveness and you give it.  We continue on.  By the third time I trod on your toes and crush them, I guarantee you will not care how sincerely I feel bad, my tears will not fix the problem.  All you want is for me to quit stepping on your toes.  So, instead of feeling bad, I rearrange the tasks and turn a new way so that I don't step on your toes again.  That is repentance.
        Self-blame, self-hate, feeling worthless; God does not want any of those things from us.  In face Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves!  
       What God asks of us is to do our best to live out our lives as Jesus would; in love for God and each other, especially those in need.  Yes, we will keep messing up and need God's forgiveness; to turn a new way and return to God.  Thank God, God is the God of second chances, who is always there to welcome us back.  Our repentance doesn't save us, Jesus did that.  Living in our faith is both our thanks and the very food that strengthens the faith we have been given.  Read Luke 13:1-9

Sleepytime Prayer

        We've all had nights like this: you lay there exhausted but no matter how hard you try, you cannot fall asleep.  It can happen when I first go to bed or if I awaken in the middle of the night, it seems like it is almost impossible to go back to sleep.   Sometimes it is a particular fear or worry that bothers me but more often I just can't turn my mind off; there are so many things to think through, worry about, or try to remember.
        If only worry changed things.  At least it would accomplish something then besides making the next day long and miserable.  If only all that tossing and turning somehow counted as aerobics!  But in the end, they don't change a thing unless it adds up to more gray hairs and deepening the worry lines.  Often at the base of our worries are our fears about things we cannot change or control and the dark and quiet of the night seems to magnify them.
       Once when she was little, summer thunderstorms kept rumbling through the night.  My daughter would be woken up by the thunder and lightning and come into the bedroom and wake me up.  She wanted to sleep in our room.  I would say no and put her to bed in her room but when a new round of storms would come through, she would wake up and come in again.
       After several times of trying to get her sleep in her own bed, I gave up.  I was too tired to keep it up, so I let her crawl into bed with me.  "It's better here", she said as she snuggled in with her big stuffed rabbit.
        When I asked why, she answered that the thunder wasn't as loud in our bed.  With that, she fell fast asleep.   And so did I!  Thunder is softer when it is shared.
       One of the motifs that runs through the book of Luke is the phrase, "Do not be afraid".   God understands that like children in a storm, we need to be reassured more than once that we are not alone and that God is with us.
       We live in worrying times and we share worries about the economic storms that have ensnared us all.  People who worried about having enough for tomorrow now worry about having enough for today and it feels as if we have no say in the matter and no control over the situation.  There is more than enough worry to go around.  But Jesus challenges us.  "And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?"  (Luke 12:25)  He tells us that God values us so much that God even knows the hairs on our head.  God cares for us, for you.
       What is required of us is to put our trust in God.  When we put our hearts and thoughts into God's care, we find that the world's thunder quiets down and we will find rest in God.  That is what God wants for us more than anything.  We do not have to convince God that we deserve salvation, it is God's own gift of love through Jesus the savior.   When worries keep you awake in the middle of the night, pray.  With the regular use and practice of prayer, your mind will relax and follow your heart to God.  Trust in the promise.  Read Luke 12:32-34.