I would like to fast next Wednesday when Lent begins.  Do you have suggestions for how to do this?

Thanks,

Susi Robinson

Susi,

Sure … I can simply share what I do (and others, with many variations!).

During Lent each year (Ash Wed through Good Friday), I fast one 24 hour period each week. Usually, this is lunch Thursday to lunch Friday. During this 24 hours I consume only liquids (don’t want to get dehydrated). I also modify this plan due to cold, flu or other sickness, if necessary. ( I think God wants us to be physically healthy.) For me personally, this plan is slightly “cheating” since I have long ago fallen into the habit of not eating anything solid at breakfast (I know, I know, most important meal of the day … but that is another discussion!)

The “head” work of this is still important because I do get quite hungry (or I convince myself that I am hungry) each time I fast. 

And, the hunger seems to get harder week by week toward Holy Week!

This, of course, is the point …

1. Solidarity with those in this world who are hungry every day, but not by choice.
2. Allowing my momentary hunger to remind me that food/sustenance are precious gifts from God and never to be taken for granted.
3. Remembering through my momentary hunger that God is the source of ALL good gifts.  Our hunger is a mark of our true dependence upon God.
4. Letting my physical hunger remind me to “hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
5. Allowing my fasting to serve as a sign of my desire to bring all aspects of my life under the sovereignty of God … disciple is the root of discipline!
6. Letting my fast remind me that we are not supposed to get whatever we want whenever we want it in life … most of us have more than enough anyway and can easily do without.

Now, I try to avoid slipping into works righteousness with this.  In other words, If I mess up and break my intended fast early or skip a week, I do not beat myself up over it.

Rather, I simply try to do better the next week and get back on track.  Grace still abounds, even when  we are in training as disciples of Jesus Christ!

Those are my basics.  Hope this is helpful.  Modify according to your inclination and routine.

Peace and keep a Holy Lent!

Tom Latimer

Each year on Ash Wednesday we are encouraged to make regular prayer, Scripture reading, self-examination, and fasting part of our Lenten experience.  During this season lasting from Ash Wednesday through Good Friday, we are encouraged to “give up” or “let go” something we highly value that may be getting in the way of our relationship with Christ.  We are also encouraged to “take on” practices that might deepen our relationship with Christ.  Both of these apply to FASTING.  And, in light of questions from church members lately, as well as my own personal practice, I share a few thoughts on fasting during Lent.

First, be clear that any food or activity you give up for Lent is done to glorify God, better appreciate the thing you do without, and re-establish God’s control and sovereignty in your life.  For example, chocolate or red meat or fried foods are very popular.  Giving these up for a season can be healthier for both our bodies and our spirits.  Anything we do out of love for Christ can only deepen our relationship with him.

Second, do not take on any spiritual discipline for Lent that is harmful to you or another.  For example, I try to fast lunch and dinner one day a week during Lent.  I do take plenty of liquids from breakfast to breakfast, which keeps me well-hydrated.  If I catch a cold or a “bug” during Lent, I alter my fasting to give my body the rest and nourishment it needs to heal.  God made me this way; I believe He understands!

Third, don’t get hung up on technicalities!  Stay in touch with the spirit behind your Lenten discipline as noted above.  Christ does not desire his children to split hairs like the Pharisees were known to do!  For example, some say the Sundays of Lent are days to take a break from “doing without,” since we do not count Sundays among the 40 days of the season. Others say to maintain your Lenten discipline for the entire season (since it does not last that long, anyhow).   This is a matter of personal interpretation!

The point is that we keep focused upon the reason for our fast, giving thanks to Christ in all things.  To God be the glory!

So, keep a faithful and hopeful Lent, consider the cross of Christ, and remember that we follow a Risen Lord!

This is particularly true for understanding many of the stories and episodes of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), especially the creation accounts in Genesis 1-3.

If we insist on bringing a modern, scientific perspective to our reading of Genesis 1, we will become hopelessly mired in trying to reconcile archeology, paleontology and anthropology with the story of God creating the heavens and earth in 7 days!  Further, we will have a difficult time understanding the earth as the center of the universe with a dome or firmament above us that holds back the waters (rain and snow) and across which the sun, moon and stars travel every 24 hours!  These are all issues concerned with how we exist and how the universe works.  These are the issues of scientific inquiry and observation, NOT the issues of the biblical writers.

Rather, the writers of Scripture were very much concerned with why we exist and why the universe works the way it does.  And, they posited God at the heart of these questions.

So, we find the relationship between God and God’s creatures and the relationship between the first man and woman to be the primary concern of the creation story.  Why did God create everything?  Why did God create humans?  What circumstances or responses enabled the relationship of God and humans to go well?  What made that relationship go not so well?

These same questions can guide our reading of other parts of the Bible also.

Instead of struggling to learn the details of the real Job or Ruth or Jonah as persons who existed in a particular time or space, the writers of those stories want us to understand how the deeper meaning instructs the relationship between God and God’s people. For example, why does Job (and we) find the arguments of his friends so unsatisfactory in the face of the suffering he has experienced?  Or, why should it matter to Israel that their greatest king David should have a non-Jewish great-grandmother?  Or, what should Israel learn through God’s insistence that Jonah preach to the foreigners (enemies!) of Nineveh?

Easier for us, perhaps, is applying this principle to Jesus’ parables!  We should not become mired in trying to identify the real Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son or Lost Sheep.  Rather, what do these and Jesus’ other teachings tell us about God and our relationship with God.

Finally, as we read Paul’s letters and other New Testament writers, we always top well to ask, “Why did the writer write these thoughts to these people at this particular time?”  Setting, audience and context are crucial for our fullest understanding.

So, these are some thoughts that guide and enrich my study of the Bible. What helps you?

Tom, Here goes for my first question – it’s about Romans 9:22. I know sometimes different translations can lead to confusion, so just so you know I’m reading the NAB, but the sentiments are similar in the NIV & King James.

 

I am having trouble with the phrase “vessels of wrath made for destruction.” It seems to imply that some humans are created only for the purposes of evil/sin, and furthermore sacrificially created for the benefit of believers. I am not sure how else to interpret that since the preceding paragraphs are talking about God creating humans as He wishes. Obviously this would be counter to the beliefs that anyone can answer God’s call for salvation and the Gospel should be preached to the entire world.

Jim, I see you have zeroed in on one of the more problematic texts in Paul’s letters. Some context is helpful. In Romans 9-11, Paul offers a loosely constructed train of thought concerning the relationship and fate of the Jewish people (Paul’s own heritage), in light of what God has revealed and done in Jesus Christ. So, the reader must take care to guard against forgetting the unique (even singular) nature of this issue in Paul’s mind. (God’s relationship with the covenant people is not like that of everyone else!)

So, when Paul argues in 9:16-21 that God can do whatever God chooses with His creation (humans), he is affirming the majesty, wisdom and glory of God over against that of human creatures. In other words, our job is not to hold God accountable, but to be held accountable by God. This notion thus leads to Paul’s statement in 9:22-23.

If we go further and seek to understand 9:22 beside 9:24, then it seems to me that the “objects of wrath made for destruction” refer to ALL of us frail, sinful, mortal humans who are prone to disobey our Creator and live in bodies that wear out and die. Granted that the 2nd half of 9:23 gives us pause because it sounds like pre-destination. But Paul is known for such maddeningly casual references to what could otherwise become full-blown tenets of theology. (I would argue we do not have enough to build a case with just this 1/2 of 9:23!)

So, the main caution is to take care not to apply something Paul says in this discussion about the “Jewish problem” too broadly.

I think we get much better guidance from Paul’s discussion about human nature, sin and salvation from Romans 5-7.

And, if push comes to shove, I hang my hat on Romans 8:31-39.  When Paul says “nothing” can separate us from the love of God in Christ, I choose to believe him!     

Tom

Actually, that conversation got me to thinking about truth and faith!  Especially in this election season with so many claims being made by candidates running for office, how can we know something to be true and right and honest?  Is factual accuracy the same as truthfulness?

As we turn to Jesus and his way of telling the truth, we get some important guidance!  Why does it never occur to us to ask questions of Jesus such as “Who was the Good Samaritan?  Did he live in a particular village in Israel during Jesus’ time?  Did he have a name, a family, a personal history that we need to know about?  How can we trust that this supposedly good Samaritan is reliable and genuine?”

As good as these questions may be for some situations (like checking claims by politicians!), they are not relevant for other situations.  We trust the Good Samaritan in Jesus’ story because we choose to trust Jesus.  In fact, we claim that one can have no better source than Jesus!

Even if claims made by or about Jesus do not seem credulous to us (what a stretch to think that one person’s death on a Roman cross could be redemptive for everyone who ever lived!), we trust them because we choose to trust the source – God or those like the Apostle Paul who speak on God’s behalf.

We make choices everyday about who and what to trust.  When it comes to stewardship and church life, we might ask our reasons for trusting in what God is doing in and through the Church!  So, in this fall season (and especially as we all try to weather the continuing economic crisis), we are encouraged to ask ourselves some timeless questions:

Why do I come to church?  Do I come to church to find out what God can do for me, or do I come to church to see what I can do for God?  What inspires and motivates me to be involved in church life with my prayers, my presence, my gifts and my service?  What is worship?  What inspires me to draw closer to God and be the person God wants me to be (the image of Christ)?  Do I trust that the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ is worth my time, prayer, energy and money?

Our answers to these questions will shape our giving and our serving!  What do YOU say?

Peace, Tom

First, bear in mind that Paul was a man of his day.  Educated, worldly and well-traveled persons (and they were virtually all men) in Paul’s day believed without question that the sun, moon and stars travelled across a dome or firmament high up in the sky.  Behind this dome were unlimited waters that, when let loose, produced the rain or snow that fell to the earth.  Behind or above this dome also dwelt heavenly beings and God who was responsible for thunder, lightening, storms, etc.  Persons in Paul’s day had no knowledge of germs or viruses.  Diseases were considered a result of human sin.  The harnessing of electrical power or internal combustion engines was many centuries in the future.  The greatest power on earth was the Roman Empire which provided supplies of food and water for the great cities of that day, safe and passable lanes of sea and land travel, law and order, common currency and protection from less civilized groups in the outer regions of the known world.  Slavery was a common and accepted practice. Young women were given few options other than marriage, motherhood and running a household.  Poverty, disease, infant mortality and short life spans were common conditions.

When we read Paul’s advice to young churches as he tries to encourage them, guide them and answer their questions, we should not be shocked to realize that Paul’s answers reflect his culture and time in history.  Through a thorough, careful reading of his letters, we can distinguish that of his thought shaped by his first century Mediterranean setting and that of his thought that is unique and inspired concerning his convictions about Jesus of Nazareth.

That Paul could read and write was a credit to his training as a Jewish lawyer (Pharisee) and his Hebrew heritage.  That Paul could function, think and travel as a Roman was a credit to his father who had won or bought Roman citizenship and passed this advantage on to his son.

He brings both sets of influences to bear in his reflection upon the meaning of Jesus Christ; such that he can reflect upon his own Jewish heritage and people in Romans 9-11 and reflect upon advice for daily living in the Greco-Roman world in Romans 12-14.  Nearly everyone finds both something that rankles or vexes the mind and something that lifts the spirit in Paul’s writing!

Paul’s personality has been described as zealous, stubborn, impatient and opinionated.  His mind was supple and quick – sometimes his thoughts move so fast that his scribe must break into an ongoing paragraph to inject a new thought or tangent!  The energy and passion Paul brought to persecuting followers of Jesus prior to his conversion experience he continued to bring to his new role as a chief advocate for the Way afterward.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is written to persons he had not met and to a church he did not found.  Paul is writing to persuade the Roman believers to support him in mission that he might carry the Gospel further into Europe, perhaps to Spain.  In Romans chapters 1-7 we have the closest thing to a systematic statement of Paul’s basic theology. So, to better understand Romans 8, first read chapters 1-7 to get a sense of Paul’s thought and struggle with the human condition (sin) as well as his growing hope in the transforming power of God in Jesus the Christ.

As you read and reflect on Romans 8, what thoughts give you the most inspiration?  Which thoughts give you the most consternation?

Each month, as I am getting a better grasp on all the ministries, projects and programs we have on our plate, I am impressed by the way so many step out in faith to serve our Lord.  Of course, offering our financial support to the church is one major leap of faith for us, but so is building a Habitat house, serving as a youth counselor or Sunday school teacher, showing hospitality to those we host through Room in the Inn, checking on a fellow church member who is sick or hurt, praying for peace in the world, deciding to be a better steward of creation with the car you drive or how you use energy at home, inviting a friend to come to church, talking with someone new about your faith and what God means in your life or any of an endless list of responses to God’s love expressed in Jesus Christ.

All of these can be de-railed by fear – fear that we will not have enough, fear that we might look stupid, fear that we might not do it right, fear that we might make a mistake, fear that someone will misunderstand us or question our motives.  Have you encountered these fears?  Have you seen the destructive power of these fears when they are allowed to rule the day or set the tone for our lives and attitudes?

So have I.  Fear can seem so strong! That’s why God is always reminding us that God and God’s purposes are stronger still.  We do not have to be afraid.  God has made a covenant (a promise) with us through Christ that cannot be worn down, worn off, stopped or broken by any power on earth! God never deserts us, no matter what!  Our part of this covenant is to keep coming back, keep trusting, keep serving, keep giving … even when we are sore afraid!  The Baby in the manger is born to show us that perfect love casts out fear.

So, with all the wonderful opportunities before us to step out in faith and service, I urge us to cast aside fear and embrace the good work God is already doing in us and through us!  Remember, no battle was ever won and no great deed was ever accomplished by stepping backward.  We are the Body of Christ! And the Christ Child is also a Risen Savior who leads us forward.

Peace, Tom

But I wonder if we might not have more going on here? The ancients in the northern hemisphere often celebrated mid-winter celebrations to hope, encourage, cajole or pray the earth and sky back to life!  The cycles of climate, nature and sun led folks to fear that creation was dying.  They sought reassurance that spring warmth and growth would come again.  They needed hope!

Perhaps the Advent and Christmas seasons are fueled by this primordial need for hope in the human spirit?  Perhaps we would need to “create” a season for renewal and promise and birth and new life, even if we were not given one by the holy stories in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

That being said, a closer look at these stories reveals something wild and untamed and unexpected breaking forth into human fears and hopes and worries and joys.

Though I have read them countless times, I am drawn to Luke 1 and the stories of Mary and Elizabeth every year in this season.  When we hear these stories of Mary’s visitation by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38) and Mary’s beautiful song of praise and devotion (Luke 1:46-55),  we jump quickly to angel choirs, shepherds in the fields and a tiny baby in a feed trough.  But, a power is at work here that goes beyond lullabies and “cattle lowing.”

When Mary questions Gabriel’s news by asking “How can this be, for I am a virgin?”, the angel does not paint a beatific scene of a cherubic infant bathed in holy light.  Rather, “he will be called the Son of the Most High … of his kingdom there will be no end … he will be called Son of God.  For nothing will be impossible with God.”   Then, Gabriel waits.

There, between verse 37 and verse 38, it all hangs in the balance!   Frederick Buechner writes in Peculiar Treasures that the archangel trembled beneath his wings to think that the whole future of creation hung now on the answer of a girl.

Indeed!  Mary’s answer adds to the good news that abounds in this story.  “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with my according to your word.”

Could this be our clue for Christmas?  Could our fears and worries and sorrows and anxieties find their resolution in the model response of this teenage girl?

Let it be, Lord.