Have you been keeping a holy Lent? You might ask, “What does that even mean?” Is your focus upon Christ even as the grocery stores fill up with rabbits, candy, chickens and baskets? Next we will likely see Reese’s peanut butter egg advertisements on television!
Christ Church Anglican notes: “The Season of Lent is a time of fasting, penance, prayer, and worship. Lent is all about disruptions. These disruptions, however, have a holy purpose. They are aids to help us prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Lent is not about earning our salvation or proving something to God or others. Instead, Lent is a season of heart renovation. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday. By the time we get to Easter, we are often drawn closer in our relationship with God, our faith encouraged, and the sins we have been wrestling with have been cast off.”
“Lent is a season of heart renovation.” Remember during the pandemic how people worked on their homes? Bought up the wood and other hardware store items and went to work on their dream project? How about renovations in your heart? Have you spent time during Lent asking the LORD to help renovate your heart?
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
All those references saying the same thing. This is the plan God has for heart renovation! How is the plan working in your personal heart?
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 8:10 ESV
He has written His laws into our minds. Are our minds quiet enough to hear those laws? Can you discern His voice among the sounds that bombard your brain? Do you seek out quiet to listen for His voice? Can you read the laws written into your mind or is your mind covered with the graffiti of the world?
He has written His laws on our hearts? What about that? Is you heart like the walls of an old house, needing scrubbing or a new surface so the writing is clarified? Can you imagine your heart with the product called chalkboard paint? “Chalkboard paint is a specialized paint that creates a chalkboard like coating that can be utilized as a writing surface in the same manner as a traditional chalkboard or blackboard.” Wikipedia
Instead of a grocery list imagine the LORD writing His laws and messages to you there!
“I love you with an everlasting love.”
“In all you do and say, do it as unto Me.”
“Seek my face.”
“In returning and rest you are saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.”
“I will be with you always.”
“Love Me with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, all your strength.”
“My grace is sufficient for you.”
“In everything give thanks.”
“I have given you everything needed for a life of godliness.”
Can you imagine running into the room each day to see if something new had been written on your walls? You can do that now. Truly you can do that right now by choosing to be with Him and yielding you heart to Him.
So how is your heart renovation going during Lent 2023? It is never too late to begin. God is patient and kind. He is not willing that any should perish.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 RSV
I urge you to examine your heart. Ask Him if there are renovations to be done? Pray for His help in getting those underway and completed. Completed for this season. For you see, there is always more we can do to become like Jesus before we enter into our eternal reward. If God had told me everything I needed to change and asked for that all at once I would not have survived the request.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The quote below is from a novel I read recently. The wisdom of the LORD seems to show up in so many places!
The battle’s in here.’ Sunni tapped a finger against Jonah’s temple as he pushed himself upright on the bench. ‘Pain’s just your body’s way of telling you something’s wrong. It’s how you deal with it that matters.’ It was just hard to believe that when it hurt so much.
The Lost by Simon Beckett
The novelist knows that our biggest battle is between our ears. Whether it is bodily pain or the facts of life. Struggling with physical pain can be especially difficult. We can get lost in the facts and rumors and dismal dashing of hopes. What does the New Testament say about that?
… for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NRSV
We have the power to take every one of our thoughts captive to obey Christ. Are we using that power to His glory and for our well-being? Yes, it is a big job, but we are given what we need to accomplish it.
In my experience if I am willing to use the weapons given me to take every thought captive to obey Christ the experience can be like falling dominoes (or that series that Dan likes so much where one action causes other actions., Gabe somebody?)
Nope, I found it!
Wikipedia says: “Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (July 4, 1883 – December 7, 1970), known best as Rube Goldberg, was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor.
Goldberg is best known for his popular cartoons depicting complicated gadgets performing simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. The cartoons led to the expression “Rube Goldberg machines” to describe similar gadgets and processes.”
I take a negative or disquieting thought into the Light of Christ. Jesus, the Spirit of Truth, shines His light upon the thought. It can no longer hold darkness of untruth. That makes a whole sequence of things predicated upon that thought to come to the Light of Christ and be made captive unto Him. My thoughts change as each is taken captive. Maybe oversimplification, but I hope you get the idea.
Here is a Rube Goldberg video to illustrate how things can pass.
So what thought holds you captive? Are you willing to take it captive through the weapons of warfare you have been given? Do you want to see the sequence it controls fall to the LORD?
St. Francis de Sales said: “Be patient with everyone but especially yourself. Start all over again every day.”
I came across this quote and was instantly touched. I know little about Catholic saints. I do know the Benedictines also say, “Always we begin again.” The Buddhists encourage beginners mind: Beginner’s mind is a Buddhist practice that encourages approaching activities with an open mind, allowing you to more fully enjoy and appreciate the present moment.”
I fail so often, especially in my goals as a Type 2 diabetic. Yet here is an old saint encouraging me to try again as this is how life is. So today I will try to limit my carbohydrate portions. I will ask the LORD to help me. I will yield to His instructions. I will again offer myself to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in His sight which is my spiritual worship. Romans 12:1-2 paraphrased.
And what about you? Was yesterday lousy? This is a time to start all over again. Was yesterday terrific? You must still face this day as a fresh beginning or you might set yourself up for disappointment!
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
And I am so grateful for those compassions that are NEW every morning. I am not consumed by my failures. Grace and compassion for each new day. LORD, help me honor You by my behaviors and eating habits. May all glory be Yours LORD Christ.
Many months ago I set the alarm on my watch to ring every afternoon at 3:20. I use the reminder to help me stop and praise the LORD. Sometimes I am reminded to go listen to the John Eldredge Pause for the Resilient study. Though not necessarily worded in prayer form they are things I am grateful for!
Here are a few recent results.
1. Reminded me to listen to Resilient Pause for the evening of whatever date the calendar reads. Always draws me closer to God.
2. Rejoice as Bob and I take a ride in the sunshine enjoying the old houses and getting along sweetly. Many people my age are widows. I am still with Bob.
3. Thank God for the strength to brush the beagle (who sheds and sheds) and also clean up the leaves from the front door area after the wind storms we’ve been having.
4. Sitting listening to music and so pleased to be sewing Swedish embroidery for towel edging. Prayed a blessing over the edging for whoever I gift it to.
5. Walking at Hocking Hills with Bob.
6. Sleeping through the alarm very tired after a walk at Hocking Hills 🙂
7. Holding twin baby girls – alternating with Bob.
How would an afternoon timer turn your attention to God? What would you find yourself grateful for at the time? I chose a time that I knew I might be oblivious to God with me. What time are you immersed in the world and needing a reminder to turn your heart and mind to Him? Maybe you could hum a Christian song when it rings and turn your heart to Him that way?
If your watch has an alarm on it you might want to try this for one week and draw yourself out of this world and towards the next!
“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”
Matthew 26:26
Washington National Cathedral
You can take this prayer and fill in anything you want to pray instead of ‘who brings forth bread from the earth.’ I do not worry about changing this Scripture, but I take this as a launching pad for prayer. What better way to interrupt your distraction by things of the world than “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe … who draws my attention to Yourself?”
Above is our youngest Grandgirl leaping to stop a ball! Ellie, plays on a team whose initials crack me up! NKJV! New King James Version? Nope, Northern Kentucky Junior Volleyball. Recently they played a tournament at the Indianapolis, Indiana. My daughter kept us posted of the standings as the play went on Saturday and then into Sunday.
It was the 2023 Central Zone season. “Not only one of the most competitive junior leagues in the Midwest, but also in the Nation!” Our daughter, Emily, told us there were 900+ teams overall. Ellie’s division had 36 teams. They were in the club division which is the lowest.” Did not matter to us! We are so proud of her! She has been at this for many years.
The team played really well Saturday though Ellie’s first set her play was not her best. Coach moved her to the other side and she did great from then on. Sunday they won a set and then another set. And then another set and they were “golden” playing for the gold in their division.
And they WON! They won the Gold!! First time ever in her club volleyball years that her team has melded and won!!
NKJV – gotta love it!
We read her stats from Emily as the Bengals lost to Kansas City. And life, goes on.
We must empty ourselves of all that fills us, so that we may be filled with what we are empty of.
Augustine
Our small group is studying John Eldredge’s book Resilient. There is a free app he has released through the app stores. It is called the One Minute Pause. A little misleading as there are daily devotions for 30 days, morning and evening. The devotions last about 10-15 minutes. WELL worth your time! Please download it and try this out. Even if you cannot do each morning and evening, work through what you can accomplish and then have another round with the times you missed!
The above quote came from his devotional one day. I must be reminded again and again to let God fill me with what I am missing. I get filled up with health concerns, worries about the welfare of others, snow and ice, what to write in this blog, how to conduct myself when in the presence of ones who have wounded me, etc., etc., etc.
Empty myself of all that fills me, let God fill me what what I am empty of … sounds so simple. It is not simple but a discipline that brings me a deeper, richer life. Writing the blog entries for this week I have been distracted by many things. Many times I have not had scripture to go along with what I have written about. I have not failed, just not like I usually want to get things done.
Next week might not be much different as I return to the dermatologist for more cutting away. Yuck. Those events make it hard for me to focus, especially when they occur during the time I have committed to writing! I am learning I can write at other times, not that I never knew that. The designation of a writing time has been important for my own self-discipline. Trying my best not to violate that time has been an on-going effort that has born fruit. Hopefully fruit that lasts and fruit that nourishes you!
Eldredge says we are created for union with God. We must learn benevolent detachment. I am learning that benevolent detachment is seeing the things in my mind and realizing that many of them are like the squirrels out my window who are jumping through the snow. They are here and then they are gone. At times I let those squirrels build nests in my brain. What really belongs in their place?
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)
First and foremost, continuously, His kingdom, His righteousness. Romans 12:1-2 tells me that in view of God’s mercy I am to present myself a living sacrifice. I am not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, BUT transformed, by the renewing of my mind. Then I will be able to test and approve God’s perfect, good, pleasing will.
Here I am LORD, a living sacrifice to You. Holy Spirit renew my mind within me. Jesus show me the Father’s good, perfect and pleasing will. Holy Trinity give me courage and power to fulfill that will.
I have a bag-less vacuum cleaner. It has a sponge filter as well as two other types of filter. When the vacuum picks up dirt we are supposed to empty that dirt. There is a lock on the bottom of the canister that opens and the dirt drops out. If hair and other debris gets tangled at the top, it too has a lock that opens so the dirt can be removed. For me the morning and /or evening time of meditation and benevolent attachment is similar to emptying that canister.
benevolent detachmentempty debris that fills my soul
Come then, Father, and renew me, transform me by renewing my mind, fill me with what I am missing.
Joan Chittister, O.S.B. is a Roman Catholic Benedictine nun of some renown for her writing and publishing. Wikipedia says, “Her books deal with monasticism, justice and equality especially for women in church and society, interfaith topics, peace and others. She has won 16 Catholic Press Association awards for her books and numerous other awards for her work, including 12 honorary degrees from US universities. Chittister has authored over 50 books and over 700 articles in numerous journals and magazines.”
I have read a few of her books and subscribe to her weekly Monasteries of the Heart email with ideas for deepening your walk. The quote below caught my attention this week.
To be a contemplative we must remember to begin again, day after day, to turn dailiness into time with God.
Illuminated Life, Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light by Joan Chittister
Joan posted this with a photo of laundry hanging on the line in sunshine. HA!! After searching and searching I found it on the site 🙂
Dailiness be it filling medication boxes, filling the dog bowl, taking the medication, eat a meal, clean up, make coffee for the morning, wash the clothes, dry the clothes, fold the clothes, store the clothes, get the grocery list ready, buy the groceries, store the groceries….. most of our lives are filled with repetitive tasks.
I took this photo years ago of a workman in Ireland. He reminds me when I find my work arduous that this is part of life. It applies to dailiness, too. Can you imagine how very long it is taking him to build these stone walls?
The life of a retiree can be trying. I think the business of younger life covered the monotony of routine tasks. Laundry, garbage, sweeping the carpet, seasonally the auto carpets, on it goes. Without the breaks of going to work or meetings the routine can become mundane and then boring, depressing and even seem futile. Some of us experienced this feeling during the pandemic. April 17, 202 I posted about this. https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/2575
Can you do what Joan suggested? Can you use the next feeling of dailiness for an opportunity to turn yourself towards time with God? Are you willing to give it a try? Turn dailiness into time with God. When bored with the dailiness of chores, can you turn THAT into time with God! Most of those chores become mindless. Choose to make that into mindfulness and a time to commune with the Trinity.
I have been practicing this for almost a week. When that ho-hum feeling tries to overtake me, I turn towards my King. He is always there, waiting for my attention. You might be surprised how this practice rewards you. Let me know in the comments section how it turns out!
The Navigators send a daily devotional. They are featuring Jerry Bridges work HolinessDay by Day. I am sharing this because my words for 2023 are Living Sacrifice.
“Commit your way to the Lord.” Psalm 37:5
When Paul turned his attention from his masterful exposition of the Gospel in Romans chapters 1-11 to practical issues of Christian living, the first thing he did was call for commitment: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1, NIV).
As we look at Paul’s call to commitment, we can see one obvious difference between the commitment of the devoted athlete and the commitment Paul called for. The athlete’s commitment is to himself or herself or perhaps to the team. The commitment Paul urged upon us is to God. Commit yourself to God. Offer your body to him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him.
When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a holy lifestyle or a set of moral values. The people of my parent’s generation were generally honest, chaste, sober, and thrifty. They were committed to those values, but they were not necessarily committed to God. Many of them were outstanding moralists and even church people, but they were not committed to God. They were committed to their values, not to God.
As believers we need to be careful that we don’t make a similar mistake. We can be committed to a set of Christian values or to a lifestyle of discipleship without being committed to God himself. But Paul said to offer yourselves to God, and in doing that commit yourselves to the pursuit of holiness in order to please him.
Navigators Devotional Holiness Day by Day January 22, 2023
What and who are you committed to? When I hear the term holiness I remember my mom talking about “holy rollers” who were purported to jump pews, handle snakes and all manner of unusual things.
Then I also think of visiting God’s Bible School where my maternal Grandmother used to teach and being amazed that when I toured the school in 1979 the women were not allowed to braid their hair, wear a ponytail, had to wear long skirts, etc. This looked to me to be what Jerry Bridges described above. Only God reads hearts, so the sincerity of those actions is only known to Him. My question is are we committed to God or restrictive legalism and rule keeping? Bridges reiterates ‘they were not committed to God.”
When offering yourself as ‘a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God’ I would hope that your commitment to God would be solid. For to be a living sacrifice, you must give up your will and embrace the will of the Trinity. You may be asked to do things outside the realm of your comfort zone, or even the stated rules of your church. Have you watched the series The Chosen? The disciples were often asked to do things outside of their Jewish upbringing. Some of them said Jesus was “turning things upside down” with His teachings.
When the Bengals NFL team began to change over the last 24 months, some looked to see if Joe Burrow would want to be elevated to superstar status like many of his NFL predecessors. He is often compared to other famous quarterbacks because of his skill. Most of the interviews I have seen and the comments I have read point to how common and down to earth he remains.
The team also works to stay down to earth. They have the commitment of devoted athletes. Yes, they train hard, play hard, and are committed to each other as a team, but they also seems to make an effort to stay down to earth as men. Whether they are giving to Demar Hamlin’s charity, praying for his healing after the collapse on the field, or serving children who are ill or in need, these guys seem to be the real deal. I was particularly impressed after their win over Buffalo when many of them dropped down on the field and made Snow Angels! The best shot was from overhead, but this is all I have been able to find online so far.
Are you as committed to God as you are to local or national sports teams? Is yours a seeking to keep legalistic rules or being obedient to what the Trinity asks you personally? (Here is humor, I typed trainity instead of Trinity. Well, how about it? Are you willing to be in training with the Trinity?)
May you pursue holiness always. Hebrews 12:14 reads:
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
I told you about “Going to Jail,” and perhaps about some wounding I had by the public words of another? I had to repeatedly confess my ill feelings towards her. While recovering from the public wounding, I was reminded there is wisdom in praying blessings that you want for yourself over those who have harmed you.
After I confessed my sins in the situation, I prayed blessings over her as often as she came to mind. Eventually she came to mind less and less often.
I had withdrawn from the group this occurred in. I stated I would return when I was ready, though perhaps less often than in the past.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
2 Peter 1:3-4
Years ago I first heard Kirk Franklin when he produced the song called “Stomp.” Recently someone sent me a link to this music. This song certainly ties both themes all together! Praying blessings upon others and jail ministry. Having just written about “Going to Jail” it touched my heart in a special place. I hope you will take the time to listen to it, even though it might not be your style. As you watch the video I think it will be difficult at times for you to tell the prisoners from the visitors. I even spotted a guard this time!
Will you take up the challenge to pray like this for others who have offended or tried to shame you? Can you imagine the faith these prisoners must have to make themselves this vulnerable in a place reputed for violence? They are singing and praying this for their guards, too! Do you have this sort of trust in God?
When the dermatologist burns off one wart thingy and cuts out two places with razor type instruments, you are not pleased when they call with the report and say, “She’d like you to come back. We just had a surgery cancellation. Can you make it on this date?” I was barely awake from an afternoon rest as I agreed to show up then. I think she said basal cell on one site.
Basal cell carcinoma is quite common. The number of reported cases in the U.S. has steadily increased.
An estimated 3.6 million Americans are diagnosed with BCC each year.
More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are BCCs.
The diagnosis and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers, including BCC and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), increased up to 77 percent between 1994 and 2014.
The dermatologist scrapes or shaves off the BCC using a curette (a sharp instrument with a ring-shaped tip), then uses heat or a chemical agent to destroy remaining cancer cells, stop the bleeding and seal off the wound. The physician may repeat the procedure a few times during the same session until no cancer cells remain. Typically, the procedure leaves a round, whitish scar resembling a cigarette burn at the surgery site.
When it’s used
Curettage and electrodesiccation can be effective for most small BCC lesions. In these instances, the procedure has cure rates close to 95 percent.
Oh joy, (sarcasm). The child that was terrified of doctors after being hospitalized with a broken thigh at age 3 gets to go back and let the doctor shave on her to make certain she got all the margins. It is hard, even at age 72, to be brave.
“3.6 million people diagnosed every year.” That is a fine statistic when it is OTHER people.
“Electrodessication” sounds like an obstetrician whose practice I left after he told me they were going to dissect me for my second C-section to remove the baby. Made me feel like frog in high school science.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 CSB
I will go. I likely will eat an ice cream cone afterwards even though it will be morning. God will be with me and likely Bob, too. My part will be to cooperate and FEAR NOT. That is not stated as a suggestion. Every translation I read on Bible Gateway shows the wording in a similar fashion from do not be afraid, do not be dismayed, do not be anxious, do not be overwhelmed, no need to fear, don’t be frightened, terrified or dismayed. Frankly, just don’t go there, Molly. God will strengthen us, help us and hold us with His righteous right hand. Loving God and knowing this verse, makes it harder to be a scaredy cat.
I have friends who have many places on their skin with this diagnosis. This experience will give me more compassion for them. One is having surgery on his back January 19 of this year. One had part of his ear cut off and skin graft done to heal and cover the place. One has had several places on his arms removed. Fret not, (as we are told three times in Psalm 37), fret not Molly Lin and others seeing a dermatologist, it leads only to trouble.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 