Woooo. Good stuff today as we tried to jump past our Ash Wednesday sermons and look at what the first Sunday of Lent has in store.
The first great insight came from Dr. J as he called us not to gloss over verse 2: "He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished." Not many of us can imagine what a forty day fast is like. To not eat or drink even from sun up to sun down for 40 straight days would do crazy things to our bodies, minds, and spirits. But even though we don't take on traditional 40 day fasts, Dr. J called us to think about the various other 40s that do happen; 40 hours, 40 days, even 40 years... Think about the first 40 days after someone loses a spouse; is that not a fast? The same goes for new parents; the first 40 days of not being without children. Or the first 40 hours, days, weeks, months, and years for a recovering addict. All are in one way or another a "fast" and a disruption of "life as usual" that leave us open to 1) life in God and 2) the temptation of evil. I thought this was a great insight into this passage; that is isn't all about the temptations, but it is about where Jesus is in his life that leaves him open to temptation.
The other great insight wasn't really for preaching, but for us as pastors; God didn't cut short the 40 days. He didn't jump in and rescue his son, but instead allowed the whole process to run its course. Isn't it tempting for us, as pastors, to try to circumvent the processes of life? We are all equipped with various means by which we can help someone through the disruptions that come with life changes, but we have to be so careful not to use them. Just "being with" and "being in" those moments is what we are called to do. We don't setup a new house for someone, but offer a cold beverage and a rested back. We don't live with our new parents and do their work, but we offer prayers, meals, and anything else they might need. And we can't take grief away from someone who has lost a loved one; we can only sit with, listen to and share stories, and assure them that with time the waves will get smaller and come with less frequency. This insight is something I need reminded of constantly.
Great stuff this week. Now back to Ash Wednesday.
2 comments:
Well, as usual, the HS works in ways I have trouble understanding. As I was reading your comments, but with Ash Wed. sermon upmost in my mind the paragraph that you believe is about pastoral care and not about preaching hit home. How often do we try to hurry through Lent - or to dwell on what we have given up - or how "good" we are to fast from something that means so much to us? There is something, I believe, for all of us in the idea that we dwell in uncomfortable, unpleasant, or dark times - that we use just those times to grow spiritually. Self reflection is not nearly so common or so necessary when we are humming along happy that everything is going well. If we don't take some time to reflect that we are dust - then what need would most of us have for a savior - especially one as forgiving as our triune God? As uncomfortable as it may be, Lent is the time when most of us are most open to the blinding light of God's love.
thanks CJ - it is always dangerous to say something "won't preach" cuz usually it will. You are spot on about cutting short these 40 days also. Thanks!
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