Was Ash Wednesday (or Lent) really about "giving" something up, or was it more about "taking" something up? As humans we tend to think of discipline or self denial as "giving up" rather than the discipline of "taking up." Jesus said that true denial of self was "taking up the cross and following..." Is it a traditional cop-out to just give up something we like, rather than taking up something that's way out of our comfort zone? Perhaps grace and faith is about filling our lives with more of HIM, which will naturally push the other stuff out anyhow.
I dunno -- It's just a thought.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
ONLY BUZZARDS ARE PRISONERS
Put a buzzard in a pen 6 X 8 feet that is entirely open at the top. In spite of its ability to fly, it will be a prisoner there for life. You see a buzzard always begins its flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 ft. Without space to run, it won't even attempt to fly. It will remain a prisoner in a small jail with an unused opening to the sky.
Right now, if you get off the plane in Haiti and look around at all the rubble, death and devastation, you could easily see what that buzzard sees -- no room to take flight. Not enough resources to lift you above the fray -- just destruction and a feeling of helplessness. "What can I possibly do to help these poor folks who have lost everything?" Suddenly you are confronted with one...no two...three....a dozen Haitian Christians -- people of deep Jesus-faith who, though they have lost every earthly possession (and even beloved family members), are still smiling and singing the praises of the ONE they serve.
I was blessed to spend a moment in time walking among these people of faith! One such group was led by a young pastor of a Wesleyan Church outside of Petit Goave, one of the hardest hit areas in the earth quake. He had a group of "scouts" from his church called Brigade de Eglise Wesleyenne (The Brigade of the Wesleyan Church). Every morning as hundreds of hurting people lined up to receive medical attention, this group of servants was there to lead in 30 minutes of praise and worship with scripture reading. Then this group, who all had suffered staggering losses themselves, rolled up their sleeves and carried the wounded, ran errands, helped in translation, and helped keep order in the crowds. They did this every day that we were there. No buzzards in that group!!!
THE KEY: THEY LOOK UP!
Because of that they WILL take flight!
Right now, if you get off the plane in Haiti and look around at all the rubble, death and devastation, you could easily see what that buzzard sees -- no room to take flight. Not enough resources to lift you above the fray -- just destruction and a feeling of helplessness. "What can I possibly do to help these poor folks who have lost everything?" Suddenly you are confronted with one...no two...three....a dozen Haitian Christians -- people of deep Jesus-faith who, though they have lost every earthly possession (and even beloved family members), are still smiling and singing the praises of the ONE they serve.
I was blessed to spend a moment in time walking among these people of faith! One such group was led by a young pastor of a Wesleyan Church outside of Petit Goave, one of the hardest hit areas in the earth quake. He had a group of "scouts" from his church called Brigade de Eglise Wesleyenne (The Brigade of the Wesleyan Church). Every morning as hundreds of hurting people lined up to receive medical attention, this group of servants was there to lead in 30 minutes of praise and worship with scripture reading. Then this group, who all had suffered staggering losses themselves, rolled up their sleeves and carried the wounded, ran errands, helped in translation, and helped keep order in the crowds. They did this every day that we were there. No buzzards in that group!!!
THE KEY: THEY LOOK UP!
Because of that they WILL take flight!
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