Reflections on Lent, March 29, 2014
Easter is three weeks away. My life is so insanely busy (although the rain today has thwarted by plans to start digging up my garden) that I have lost track of this important goal. My blog posts are even way off topic, and kind of silly.
Tomorrow I am supposed to teach from the book of Proverbs, and the quarterly's theme is "Don't be a Slacker." That is fairly inappropriate for my class; my ladies work too hard rather than too little. So why have we gotten this way? Is part of our extreme work ethic a spiritual problem? Where does God fit into our work? Where does grace? a friend of mine used the term "merit mongering" the other day, and I can't help but think that somewhere in our frenzied work all the time culture there isn't a strain of "This will get me some kind of merit with God."
Why do we fall into the trap that our feeble, self-oriented actions have anything to do with gaining merit with God? why do we feel that if we are in church we are getting some brownie points? Why do I feel that getting this doctorate will advance the kingdom (I haven't seen it yet)?
Obedience is not racking up points and knocking ourselves out to get smiley face stickers from God. Obedience is fitting into his sovereign plan. Obedience is a trustful heart, an open heart, a willingness to pray and listen and speak of and to and for God. Obedience is as much resting as working. I am as obedient sitting sharing graceful words with others as I am rushing around, and boy, can I rush around. Although I think we misread the Mary and Martha story in Luke 9, there is more Martha in me than Mary.
There will never be a lack of things to do. This morning there was a fundraiser 5K at the college. I totally did not get up for it. They sure would have liked me there, but whose purpose would be served? I can give them the money. I would have looked like a team player, look at me, everyone, I want to be with the in-crowd.
Maybe the rain that is keeping me indoors and preventing my garden-digging is God's reminder to rest, enjoy my husband's companionship, and focus. I think that will be my lesson for tomorrow, and my Lenten reflection.
It is finished, and we don't have to keep finishing it.
Tomorrow I am supposed to teach from the book of Proverbs, and the quarterly's theme is "Don't be a Slacker." That is fairly inappropriate for my class; my ladies work too hard rather than too little. So why have we gotten this way? Is part of our extreme work ethic a spiritual problem? Where does God fit into our work? Where does grace? a friend of mine used the term "merit mongering" the other day, and I can't help but think that somewhere in our frenzied work all the time culture there isn't a strain of "This will get me some kind of merit with God."
Why do we fall into the trap that our feeble, self-oriented actions have anything to do with gaining merit with God? why do we feel that if we are in church we are getting some brownie points? Why do I feel that getting this doctorate will advance the kingdom (I haven't seen it yet)?
Obedience is not racking up points and knocking ourselves out to get smiley face stickers from God. Obedience is fitting into his sovereign plan. Obedience is a trustful heart, an open heart, a willingness to pray and listen and speak of and to and for God. Obedience is as much resting as working. I am as obedient sitting sharing graceful words with others as I am rushing around, and boy, can I rush around. Although I think we misread the Mary and Martha story in Luke 9, there is more Martha in me than Mary.
There will never be a lack of things to do. This morning there was a fundraiser 5K at the college. I totally did not get up for it. They sure would have liked me there, but whose purpose would be served? I can give them the money. I would have looked like a team player, look at me, everyone, I want to be with the in-crowd.
Maybe the rain that is keeping me indoors and preventing my garden-digging is God's reminder to rest, enjoy my husband's companionship, and focus. I think that will be my lesson for tomorrow, and my Lenten reflection.
It is finished, and we don't have to keep finishing it.
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