Messy and Welcomed

It's Christmas! My favorite time of the year.

In keeping with the tradition of many, I had the privilege of going to a Christmas Eve service last night at my church. It was beautiful. I was honored to be a reader, getting to tell the Christmas Story, the true Christmas Story. We sang. We lit candles. We took a few moments to quiet our hearts before the One who gave up everything to become one of us. We celebrated communion.

It was beautiful.

It was also...messy.

One speaker (myself) stumbled so poorly over one of her lines she had to stop, pause, gather her thoughts, and start the sentence over.

During one of the more difficult congregational songs "Star of Wonder," the praise team didn't quite match itself or the congregation...that silly refrain, "OhhOhh" into "Star of Wonder, star of light" was a doozie for us last night.

One musician began playing a special number as the pastor was getting up to preach the sermon. He tried calling out to her, but she was unable to hear as the monitor was blasting into her face. She played beautiful music, but it stopped mid-measure, and she sat down awkwardly.

One pastor actually lost his grip on the communion tray and some of the crackers, (the body of Jesus!) fell to the ground.

One child was slightly burned with the wax from the candles we lit at the end of the service.

(At least) one family struggled as the mother tried to quietly (so as not to disturb others) explain to her children what was going on; i.e. the communion - should they take it? The candles, could they with their fidgety hands hold it? The songs, the sermon, etc. I'm sure most parents have been there; that frustrating and embarrassing, "my children aren't behaving" fear, when really...how could they know if this is their first "sacred" service? And, even if they do know better, and are willfully misbehaving, there is something so precious, so beautiful, so profound to me in the invitation - Jesus wouldn't turn them away or look over at the mother condescendingly. He would say, "Welcome the little children unto me." Not just the well-behaved ones, I am sure. They are welcome. They are wanted. They...don't have to have it all together to come.

And, (praise Jesus!) neither do we.

As I pause to reflect on this service, with all its planned schedule and intentional focus...and all of its "messiness"...my heart resonates with the true, profound, significant ways our service last night reflects the beauty of the story we celebrate today.

Sure, it's complicated. But, that is part of what makes it so stunning.

Jesus, after all, came in the least likely way possible. It's one of the things that, for me, makes the story so profound. If it was made up, would someone really write the narrative that way? Teenage girl gets "knocked up" by God, and then her fiance has a dream so he changes his mind and decides not to divorce her. They are forced to travel quite a long distance away for a census, only to find there is "no room" for them, so they give birth to the Son of God in a dirty, lonely stable. The animals are the only "witnesses" to the birth of this Jesus. The angels visit shepherds of course, to sing of the glorious news; but shepherds were the least likely news-anchors of the day. As far as we know the powerful of the day didn't get a warning, the wealthy didn't get an announcement, the prominent slept through the whole ordeal. If you were writing a story, is that how you would tell the greatest one ever told?

Jesus. Yeshua. The LORD saves.

Immanuel. God is with us! Our God...is here!

The Christ. The ONE on whom God's favor rests, who will deliver us, has come to set his children free.

He came!

And we could have missed it.

And then I think of the people He spent his life with. At least, his last three, significant, ministry-focused years. He draws fishermen into his inner circle, and eats with anyone (and I mean anybody), sharing meals with the shame-filled of society. He questions the religious status-quo, and calls his people to a new understanding of the intentions of God on earth. The powerful, prestigious, and prominent feel slighted. And that, among other things, is one significant reason Jesus got himself killed.

His life was a clear witness that "having it all together" is not the way into heaven (silly Pharisees). Having the right answers and being the religious elite was not the way to please God (sorry, Scribes). Being born of the right lineage didn't seem to matter to Jesus either (Oops! Jews, it looks like Gentiles and Samaritans and other "lesser" people will actually have a place at his table also!) Apparently, cultural privilege and honor was not anything particularly in your favor, for the common man, the outcast and "sinner," are the ones on whom Jesus' compassion was placed.

Jesus lived a messy life! At least, it seems that to me. He touched lepers! He ate with poor people (who probably had worse hygiene than we in the 21st century can imagine!) He had friends who were prostitutes. A single, not-married man giving space to "loose" women, but not utilizing their..."resumes" the way anyone else would. He, Himself, was homeless and single - two stigmas which follow us today into shame and feeling as though we don't belong. Culturally speaking, Jesus didn't "have it all together" either.

Jesus didn't have it all together, in any way we would think a Messiah should.

And that...gives me hope.

But, then, after I've considered the quiet way he came and the "messy" way he lived out this God-With-Us perfect life, I think about His people through the ages. Have we ever done things "right?"

We've tried. But...

"Christianity," or at the very least Christians who claimed to be Christ's followers, can be charged with astronomical failings. Consider the crusades. Slavery. Child rape at the hands priests, pastors, and parents. Hitler and the Nazi regime claimed Jesus and Christianity as the..."foundation." Think of our social-economic disparity in this country; some of the most conservative "Christians" stand for an even larger economic disparity between wealth and poverty, when Jesus himself said "Give to all who ask; and do not turn away someone in need." (Paraphrased, Matt 5:42).

These are disgusting misrepresentations of Christ's heart. Have we ever gotten it right?

I'm going to say: Nope. I don't think we have. And, I know, these things listed have grieved God's heart. They are abominable. They are not Kingdom of God perspectives made incarnate in love as Jesus wanted.

And yet...

Let me take just a brief moment to clarify: eggregious sin that harms people is NOT of God, in any way shape or form. But, God's people have done some of the worst, and in His name none-the-less. We, as a group, need to be forgiven. We also need to find ourselves NOT casting stones, for we have done the work of recognizing we are certainly NOT without sin of our own. We cannot sit on seats of judgment, or criticize or condemn folks whose ideology doesn't match our own, for we haven't honored the heartbeat of Jesus, either.

Please forgive me, this isn't meant to be a "rage against the machine" sermon, or my own political-ideology platform. Please forgive me for stepping on toes. Please forgive me for making us...uncomfortable. But, when we look at Christianity through the ages, when we consider the imperfect way we have loved, forgiven, served...can we really say we've honored Christ's commandments to us?

No. We have not.

It's messy, folks.

And, all I'm saying is...somehow I think there is still hope.

Jesus could have come differently; he chose a manger in a stable. Jesus could have lived differently; he chose to partner with the questionable. Jesus, the very Son of God, apparently is OK with works-in-process, trying-to-figure-it-out, #shortsighted people who don't have it all together...as long as we are true seekers.

Like the Magi. Humbly we come.

Jesus is NOT OK with His name being used to abuse, but He IS OK with people who don't have it all together seeking Him.

Scripture tells us stories that infer Jesus never turned away an honest, humble seeker. He's not OK with damage done, but He is OK with...questions, doubt, insecurities, missed-cues, and dropped communion wafers.

We've "dropped" it before; He still loves. We've missed our cues; He still forgives. We've turned right when He was leading left; He still says "Come, follow me."

Messy isn't rejected in the Kingdom of God. And this morning, I am so thankful for that. 

Some Thoughts on Lent

It's that time again. Ash Wednesday...the beginning of Lent. Or, as some of my college friends might say, "death to chocolate."

It always seems to surprise me how quickly Lent approaches on the calendar. Doesn't it seem to you as though we just finished Christmas? I mean, I know Valentine's Day is tomorrow, for goodness sake. So, for anyone who is remotely paying attention it shouldn't be a "surprise."

Yet for me, somehow, it is. Every year.

This year was no exception. Part of me is just NOT READY to undertake the sacrifice. Or maybe, like every year, a big part of me JUST DOESN'T WANT TO.

I feel as though I have just stopped hearing "It's the most wonderful time of the year" everywhere I go.

Come to think of it...I suppose that's appropriate. After all, I'm sure, very few look to the season of Lent as a "wonderful time."

A season of stretching? Sure.
A time for reflection and remembering? Of course.
A set-aside few days to honor God's plea to his people in Joel 2: return to me with all your heart! Yes.
A few weeks of sacrifice as we journey with Jesus toward the cross ...Most certainly.
A 40 day journey of humbling ourselves before a Holy God? Absolutely.

A wonderful time of the year?

Actually... maybe.

Personally, I'm no masochist. Yet, there is something alluring to my deep self about a season of time to say "no" just for the sake of saying "no." I'll admit, sometimes for me it is more like a tantrum-esque NOOOOO!...but, maybe that's part of the point?

In the Gospel of Matthew we have a beautiful passage of stunning allure and gripping intensity. Jesus basically says, if you want to be my disciples you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24-26). Those words of Jesus offer an invitation to all who would seek to be a true believer.

Now, please don't misunderstand me; I am NOT saying that you must observe Lent to be saved. What I AM saying is that Jesus made it clear to his disciples that those who would seek to be His true disciple must be about the things He was about, and must take into account His perspective, and must be willing to follow Him - remembering that He led the way to redemption...through death.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Following Jesus is an invitation to death. To lay down your life. To honor and forgive others even when (or better said, especially when?) they don't deserve it. To choose to be about something bigger and larger than your own personal comfort and agenda.

No my friends, Lent is not a mandate in scripture. But, it is an invitation to a few weeks of a deeper, more intentional journey with the One who took your place, loves you deeper than you can imagine, and saw fit to create you in the first place.


DENY, DEATH, DISCOMFORT...

This may seem like a tangent, but bear with me for a moment. As a youth pastor for several years one of the questions I often encountered regarding faith was "why are things sometimes so difficult for me?" It's an honest question, and one I know matters deeply to God. The issue is significant, and I am absolutely convinced Yahweh wants to resolve that issue in the depths of our deep, true selves.

And yet...

He still allows some really junky stuff in life. And, sometimes I wonder if God allows some of those things because we have built up facades of perfection, self-sufficiency, pride, and a self-centric view of the world. Now, I am absolutely NOT saying that God brings disaster to punish our lives because we don't "measure up." I'm not intending to imply anything remotely close to that.

But, I am suggesting that a holy God most certainly cannot be pleased with a self-centric worldview that sees everything through the lens of "me, mine, my, and I."

ESPECIALLY one who Himself modeled the EXACT OPPOSITE!

Remember, He came not to be served but to serve (Matt 20:28). And, though He was God, he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but...took the form of a servant and became obedient to death...on a cross (paraphrase of Philippians 2:6-8).

Isn't it appropriate we would find some time, AT LEAST annually, to realign with His heart, His mind, His way of doing things? To humble ourselves before Him and say, "Not my wisdom, but Thine. Not my way, but Thine. Not my will, but Thine."

One of the invitations of Lent is to choose, willingly, to fast from something (or multiple somethings if you'd prefer, it's really a personal choice). It's a time of saying no, of laying down, of turning aside, of fasting. Now, here's the deal: fasting can be difficult, painful, and it certainly is not pleasant or fun. Frankly it's not comfortable to remove something you like from your life. But, believe me when I say, willfully choosing to do so can also be amazingly meaningful.

Consider for a moment the act of willingly saying NO to something (even if there is pain, discomfort, or withdrawal symptoms). That small action has the power to break that thing's power and hold over you. It has the power to humble you (you might realize how entrenched you were with that thing). It has the power to encourage you (you are not defined by this thing, and you are loved even in its absence). And, it has the power to reshape your life in a new and dynamic way.

It's actually an awesome invitation, if you think about it.

You don't think you're addicted to your cell phone? Can you go a day with it off? How about an afternoon? An hour? Maybe finding a way to say NO to something electronic in your life would help clarify how much of yourself you spend with that thing, how reliant you are upon it, and how distracted you can become by it. The same gauntlet could be issued for your television set, your Netflix account, your IPAD, IPOD, XBOX and /or DVD player. The thing doesn't matter as much as your willingness to choose to say no.

Some fast from food items like sweets, meat, fast food, or caffeine. (All are fasts I've tried throughout various years - talk about painful withdrawals!). Others fast from one meal a day, or one day a week throughout Lent. I knew of a friend in college who fasted from chips and salsa. I rarely eat chips and salsa, so for me that wouldn't really be giving anything special up. But, that's the point. This is a personal choice. It is private. It is something between you and God. Others don't even have to know.

In fact, it might be better if they don't!

Consider Jesus warning from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:16-21 (NASB).
"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The point is to choose to say no to something to create space in your life. It's really not that complicated. And, I'm not really sure it matters what the thing is. Maybe you can fast from gossip, or chewing gum, or playing mini-golf (if that's something you enjoy). Again, the thing or action you fast from doesn't matter as much as your willingness to say no to that something in your life.

I'll bet (if you take this invitation seriously) you'll find it tough at times, and that feelings of frustration and/or anger will come to the surface, and that you'll be tempted to give up on your fast before Easter. Personally speaking, for me, without exception, every year whatever item or action I "give up" for Lent becomes a huge temptation for me in those days.

Fasting is a tough business.

It is also a gracious space.

Choosing to say no, and allowing something you like and enjoy to rest dormant for a few days is not the end of the world. In fact, you might even find new life, hope, and purpose in its absence.

But don't just take my word for it.

Try saying no to something, just for the sake of saying no to that thing. It doesn't mean you can never watch TV again, listen to your favorite band or play that video game you love. It is just an invitation to willingly push something non-essential out of your life, for a time, so that it is no longer at the forefront of your life, in order to make space and take a rest from the thing or the activity. You may find it has less power than you think; or, you may find it painfully obvious the thing had consumed more of you than you were aware.

Either way, it is in the "saying no" that we are stripped of things which can be distractions and potentially addictions, so that we can say, "YES."


TAKE UP...OPEN HANDS, OPEN HEART

Lent is not just about fasting.

It is also about engaging.  Engaging the world, being intentional to serve and give and grow and learn...and be humbled by the reality that the world, and God's plan for it, is in fact NOT all about you.

Yes, you matter. But, not more than your neighbor who is hungry, your friend who is in need, or your enemy who you are called to love and forgive. They matter too. Just as much as you do.

And so, another thing to consider throughout Lent is what is something you can "add" or "take up" or be intentional about doing that would please God? How can you partner with God to see His kingdom come, here on earth, today, in your neighborhood, with the resources you have at your disposal?

What can you do to be intentionally about reconciliation? Is there a personal relationship you need to mend? Someone you need to forgive, or someone you need to ask forgiveness from? Is there an injustice you can help make right? Or, a way to give to someone, anonymously, just for the sake of blessing them?

Is there a rhythm of life you need to address? For instance, maybe you are so busy and life is too hectic, so you really don't spend any intentional time reading Scripture, praying, reflecting, journaling, or listening anymore. Might you consider adding something to your days throughout Lent that could help you be more intentional and stay more focused, be "plugged in" and attentive to what God is doing in and around your life?

Some ideas might include 15 minutes of silence each noon hour. Read through the Bible. (There are only a few days in Lent, so this one would take a significant time commitment). Or, maybe just sit with the Gospel accounts of Jesus's last few days before his crucifixion. Pray through the Lord's Prayer each morning and every night before bed. Read writings from Church Father's or classic Christian literature...stretch your Kindle space to include those who have gone before whose perspective has proven trustworthy (like C.S. Lewis, Andrew Murray, St. Teresa of Avila, or the Didache - a collection of the earliest Christian writings; you can find copies on the internet).

Some other ideas might include: taking a nightly walk throughout your neighborhood and ask God what He sees you might be missing. (Be willing to move into action!). Journal and reflect upon your life in Christ, as Him to show you needed areas of reconciliation. Recycle, pick up neighborhood trash, or join a community effort.

Do something that is not "about you." Do it joyfully, BECAUSE it is not about you. Be creative, generous, and give abundantly. Stretch yourself, walk by faith, and see what happens.

These things are just suggestions.It's really, truly, not about what you do. It IS about doing what you do, whatever it is, for the glory of God...with a humility that says, "God, I am sorry... I am sorry I don't live this way always." Or, "I am sorry I've been ignoring your presence in my life." Or, "I am sorry I have been part of the problem, help me to be a part of the solution!"

In addition to a fast, this is also the meaning and invitation of Lent. To do something new, try something different, give yourself to a practice outside your comfort zone, and see what God does! Making time and space for Him is never an empty and void task.


DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

Lent starts today. It's something many of us in Protestant circles are skeptical of and can be confused by. It seems a "foreign" ritual, because it's not "ours." But, it's such a beautiful, rich, depening-of-faith thing, I wanted to help explain it.

At it's roots, the entire season of Lent - each day from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week to Easter is about remembering. Keeping Jesus central. Partnering with Jesus in His journey toward the cross. Seeking Jesus' heart and asking Him to make it your own. If that makes you uncomfortable, good! It should. These are no superficial, comfortable tasks.

The road to the cross was harsh. It cost Jesus His very life. It made no sense (at the time), and changed everything. But, that's the beauty of it.

Because Christ walked that road, we have "communion of saints, forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting" as the Apostle's creed affirms. That's a beautiful thing. It's something to celebrate. And we will, on Easter, when we acknowledge the cross and the grave do not have the final word.

But before we arrive there, we must journey there.
We must follow the path of our Savior.
Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Follow Jesus.

That is the invitation, as I understand it, for Lent.

Walk a closer walk with Jesus.
Set aside some of the excesses in your life.
Refocus refocus on Jesus the Christ.
Realign your heart and mind with his.
Renew your commitment to love, serve, obey and follow Him.
Remember, He's leading you down a road He Himself has already chosen, walked, and conquered.

And in your journey, may our Gracious Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26).