Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Resolution: Walk in the Light ... in this very moment!

I've read a lot of resolutions lately. Well, after all it is the new year, the time for resolutions. But, maybe the time for resolutions is not only for the beginning of a new year ... but for this very moment, for this very present moment, for this now? If you have read any of my postings about living in the present, making a choice for today, taking a step toward faith ... toward kindness or grace or loving ... now ... then, you know what is behind this thinking about resolutions being for this very present moment. But, in case you haven't or have forgotten ... like I have ... then here's what I'm thinking ... again ...

In today's lectionary we read about Eve taking and eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The LORD God commanded that Adam and Eve not eat from this tree, or they shall die. Two things struck me as I read this narrative: 1. Why wouldn't Eve trust the serpent? She had never known mistrust. She didn't know about deception or lying ... which is what the crafty serpent did. And, 2. It says "she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate." Hmmm. Was he with her when she was talking with the serpent? Hmmm. "She gave some to her husband" ... which means he had to have been with her and he had to take it from her and then eat it. He trusted her. Of course, he did. And, she trusted him. Are light bulbs going on in your head? Both of them seemed to have forgotten what God said, listened to the serpent's temptation, and then they both made a decision to take and eat. And, darkness came into the garden.

Isn't that what we do? I do! I know what God has said ... I read it everyday! Then, I walk along in my day, not aware of the temptations of the serpent who slithers across my path wanting to trip me up. Unlike Adam and Eve, I know about mistrust and lies and deception. I know better but, like Adam and Eve ... I listen to that voice and I forget God's voice ... His words of life to me. The serpent tempts me to forget God; he tempts me to walk into darkness.

BUT ... here is the Good News! "...we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it ... namely Jesus ..." Hebrews 2 
We know Jesus! He is our salvation! 
Everything is in subjection to Him. Everything! Even that slithering snake! There is nothing outside His control. All around us may look dark ... full of despair or disillusionment or discouragement or disdain or discontentment. You know the darkness that is around you. That is what the serpent wants us to see. That is what the serpent wants us to take and eat. He is a liar! 
All around us is the Light of Christ ... His grace and favor, His love for us and joy over us, His faithfulness to care for us and provide for us. In Him there is no darkness! In Him is Light ... and His Light is our life! 

It's time to make a resolution beginning in this very present moment and every moment onward ... to choose to take and eat of Christ's life, to choose to walk toward His Light. On occasion will we turn toward the darkness, take a step in that direction? Yes. We will. But, that it what repentance is about. Turn away from it. Make a resolution to choose to walk toward Christ ... to walk in the Light of Christ even when darkness is all around us.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Our Plan - God's Plan

I moved to a new address on December 22. It wasn't my plan to do this, but it was God's plan. Moving to a new address and working in a ceramic studio/store was not where I planned to be or what I planned to be doing a year after leaving my last place of ministry. I thought I would be happily shepherding a parish family by now. But, God wanted me here because at 11:30pm on New Year's Eve I needed to drive my new housemate to the Emergency Room. Fourteen hours later she had surgery to remove an undetected tumor that appears to be cancerous. I know that none of this was her plan and I know it wasn't God's plan, but what was God's plan was that I be here for her. This whole sequence of events ... on top of the sequence of events of this past year ... has awakened me to a new understanding of "walking by faith and not by sight".

In our daily living everything around us may look as though it's falling apart, working against us, going in the wrong direction, raising troubles on every side. That's what it looks like; it looks dark. But, as believers in Jesus Christ we walk by faith and not by sight. We walk in the Light. Does that mean that at times we won't tremble or fear? I don't think so. But, it does mean that we choose and take steps of faith that will not let fear and darkness have its way with us. With our sight fixed on God who is faithful and good we say, "We are troubled on every side, yet not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." - 2 Cor 4.8-9 This kind of walking looks to God in prayer, seeks others to pray with, searches the Scriptures ... in order to see and know how God is working for our good. This kind of walking is what brings the Light into our darkness and into the darkness of this world. This kind of walking brings hope.

Recently, when I was feeling particularly discouraged a good friend of mine sent me V. Raymond Edman's book, The Disciplines of Life. This book has renewed me, challenged me, strengthened me, and encouraged me ... to walk this life of faith. I know it will for you too. I believe it is out of print so if you can find a copy, buy it! It is solid meat of Truth that we need to hear in order to live this life of faith ... to walk by the Light of Christ.