Lamenting Lent

Lent is the season beginning Ash Wednesday and lasting until Easter when many of us Christians give up something in order to illuminate Christ’s suffering and crucifixion.  I have to be honest and say that I do not recall a single season of Lent that I successfully abstained from my sacrificial token.

I decided this year was going to be different!  My first thought was to give up sarcasm, yea right.  I work with middle school students day in and day out; I wouldn’t last long with out tool.  What’s next on the list, tipple?  Did I mention I work with middle school aged kiddos……so it  is on to the next sacrificial offering.  Decadent desserts, that’s it!  No, my lovely wife has us both basking on the dreary dietary South Beach.  Drats!  I’ve got it now, I can abstain from Facebook.  Who am I kidding, how would I keep up with all my close friends; you know the ones I haven’t seen in 30+ years.  Community is biblical, right?

So here I am in the first leg of Lent with no offering.  Maybe I should take something up for Lent rather than giving it up.  Any ideas?

I guess I will just rely on grace, RT.

Oppressed Oppressor

I have been thinking a lot about history lately; our history as humans, as well as my own history.  Now, I just can not believe that I am a result of  evolution….a  goo-man if you will, Iwould rather believe that I am a created man.  So this ‘our’ history I speak of is the story of divine creation, the fall, oppression through captivity, redemption from captivity only to become the oppressors, back into captivity and oppression….you get the picture.  

My thoughts are occupied with the question into which category I fall into: the oppressed or the oppressor.  And that I suppose depends on your perspective.  Most of the oppression I feel is financial in nature and it is a consequence of my own actions.  In a way I have oppressed myself by not following the instruction manual I was given.  No, I am not talking about a  Dave Ramsey book ( although I think he may have referred to the manual while writing his books).

You don’t have to search to hard to find God’s counsel on banking and it would appear He just doesn’t understand our modern financial institutions.  He would have lenders not charge interest!?!  Exodus 22:25   Can you imagine that?  Doesn’t that raise your ire with the evil banks and mortgage companies?  Wait a minute, what is my part in this…do I have any accountability here?  If I truly believe that interest charging lenders are in opposition of God, what was I thinking when I borrowed money from them?  Whether you believe greed or need was the driving force,  I am now dancing with the devil…working two, sometimes three jobs just to feed the beast I helped to create.

Don’t get me wrong here, it is not the work that bothers me….it is knowing what I could be doing different had I followed the instruction manual.  I would have more time to give to service and more resources to share.  The worst part…..the part that haunts me…..is that I know I broke my Father’s heart.

Regretfully, RT

Righteous Indignation…Really?

Have you ever heard or used the term “righteous indignation” to rationalize seemingly harsh and/or bizarre behaviors?  From the Crusades and  Jihads to social ethics and ethnic cleansings….the righteous and their indignation have been there.  Only problem is righteousness is often interchanged with self-righteousness and that can be lethal.

Righteousness rings of something being pure and morally correct, but by whose morals and standards?  Indignation brings to mind an emotion invoked by a perceived injustice, a feeling.  Feelings are subject to change and influenced by perspective.  Which brings me back to that question of what is the moral standard that is the basis of our righteous feelings? 

Romans 3:10 states:  ”As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one”.   Doesn’t leave much wiggle room does it?  How can one have righteous indignation, if we are incapable of being righteous?  Romans 3:22 goes on to say:  “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”   Now I believe and have faith in Christ, albeit not enough…my self-righteousness gets in the way.

Feeling my way, RT

Blessing Blunder

There is something I don’t quite understand…..be kind now….I know what you are thinking; there is a lot he doesn’t seem to understand.  However, this one has been bothering me for awhile now.  I have been hearing prayers by numerous people including some pastors in which they begin by saying, “Lord we bless you”.  Now my theology is not that deep, but is that even possible?

As I understand the word blessing in biblical terms it is a ‘favor or gift bestowed by God.’   I know for a fact that I have been blessed by God on countless occasions.  I further believe God has blessed me through the actions of others and hopefully He has been able to use me to bring His blessing to others from time to time.  But to say that we have the capacity to bless God….really?

Maybe our actions can be pleasing to God on occasion, but a blessing…I don’t think that  is possible.  Blessing are divine and we are not.  I might be arguing semantics, but shouldn’t we be singing praises to Him for the blessing He has bestowed upon us?

And if we want to bless someone, why don’t we put ourselves out there in a position where God can use us as a blessing to someone else?  You know what I mean?

May God bless you and praise be unto Him, RT.