The Lenten Journey - Are You Ready To Take Up the Cross?
Ash Wednesday begins the six-week Lenten Season in the Christian Calendar. Lent is a journey which is characterized by sober reflection on the sacrifical path that our Lord and Savior walked...a difficult path that became a highway to victory, exultation and joy. For the Christian, Lent is a time of self-examination and questioning where we discover the "little sins" ...those things, habits, attitudes that we all too often rationalize and justify but which hinder and even obstruct our spiritual growth. It is a serious quest where the traditional disciplines of worship, meditation, fasting and abstinence and almsgiving are given more attention. Sadly however, for many Ash Wednesday is just another mid-week day without much significance or thought as to its spiritual significance and the Lenten journey will not be taken seriously, let alone personally undertaken. Why? Ignorance and blindness induced by apathy and indifference to the things of God and to our true sinful condition will cause many to dismiss the importance of spiritual nurturing while turning away to what they consider to be more immediate and pressing concerns within their private worlds.
It was David, the shepherd psalmist, who wrote, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your gracious Spirit, then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to you." David realized the state of his soul needed an overhaul and he needed God's help to do it. He knew that sin, even those little, annoying sins, separate us from God...the critical spirit, the coarse words, the negative attitudes, the pevishness, complaining and quarreling, the harboring of resentments, nursing slights whether real or perceived, the "little white" lies, exaggerations and coverups and incessant worrying as well as a long laundry list of other sins that knaw away at the life of the soul like termites in the foundation of a house. David knew that if he was ever to be at peace with himself and with God, and that if he was to experience deep-abiding joy and love and make a positive difference in the lives of those around him, he needed to acknowledge and repent of his sins. Only then would he be restored by God's gracious, loving, forgiving Spirit.
1 John 1:9 promises that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The first step is to have a face-to-face confrontation with God and ask Him to take the scales from our self-blindedness and see ourselves as God sees us--sinful and in need of salvation. Such a step is painful because we will not like what we see as God reveals our true condition. Is it any wonder why we don't hear the word "sin" used, even in our churches? We would rather play semantic games so as not to offend ourselves or others. We lightly excuse ourselves and down play our wrongdoings even when they hurt others. We believe ourselves to be the victims who need not confess having done anything wrong. It becomes a process of self-protection and self-preservation at all costs so we deny, excuse, point fingers of blame elsewhere to the point we are spiritually blind and insensitive.
Lent becomes meaningful only when we are determined to be disciplined in demonstrating that Jesus lives within and through us and that leaves no room for self-justification. His glory will be evident in our lives because we will bear the fruit of His Spirit as we exhibit love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control which Galatians 5:23 tells us "against such there is no law." It all begins with a change from within where we must be "renewed in the Spirit of your mind and that you put on the new person which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22,23) where we acknowledge our needyness before God just as David did. God wants us to reprogram our mind and spirit with the truth of His Word. In contrast, the world system around us zaps our spiritual energy and is ever seeking to distance us from God through its isolation, legislation and intimidation tactics. The world would have us follow its course of values through peer pressure as it promises freedom, pleasure and earthly wealth while educating us to discard what it considers old-fashioned, unrealistic views. That path leads to disappointment, disease and destruction because it misleads, manipulates and covers up the truth about ourselves and our sinful nature. People resist change because it usually means giving up, turning from or altering a comfortable, self-indulgent environment. Addictions bloosom in this atmosphere. Too many Christians lack power because they don't want to change and grow. They've bought into the worldly mentality that you have to be tolerant of everything which inevidably makes you stand for nothing and you fall for anything. Such individuals follow the world's siren songs which tell them to "do your own thing," "you can have it all," "don't follow antiquated rules of morality," "be yourself" and the like.
If we truly want to experience the nearness of God and the strength of His Spirit, then we must recognize first and foremost that we are sinners who are poor and needy and that He alone is our help and deliverer (Ps. 70:5) from our sinful condition. "He came to his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his Name." (John 1:11, 12) He will not delay but will immediately come to us making His presence known while accompanying us on the journey. But beware, the way of the cross is painful--excruciatingly painful. It means sacrifice. This is the part many want to circumvent but there are no shortcuts to spiritual growth. On the way to the Resurrection and new life, we still have to deal with pain and death in all its ugly, gory and bitter harshness. It is not a journey for the squimish or faint of heart because Jesus said that "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes n the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38) Such a journey calls for tough choices and tough action when it comes to living for Jesus Christ. It means sacrifice. "Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning." Are you ready to take up and carry the cross on that narrow road that leads to Easter joy? You don't have to bring much, just yourself and a desire to serve Christ. He will take care of everything else. Are you ready to explore the mystery of God's amazing love on this Lenten Journey, a love that took Him to the cross on Calvary's mount?
-Mary, Web Editor
Health Kits for Haiti - Another Way of Helping
United Methodist Commission On Relief’s two relief supply warehouses are asking United Methodists to provide health kits that can be sent to earthquake-devastated Haiti.
“For people who are feeling powerless in being able to help those in Haiti, providing health kits is a tangible way they can make an immediate difference,” said Kathy Kraiza, director of UMCOR’s relief supplies. She estimates that hundreds of thousands of kits will be needed in the days and months ahead.
The kits, valued at about $12 per kit, contain everything from towels and washcloths to sterile bandages and bar soap. They will be distributed to those who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the recent disaster.
For individuals or groups that want to contribute basic necessities, UMCOR requests that the following NEW items be placed in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
- 1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”. No kitchen towels.
- 1 washcloth
- 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
- 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
- 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
- 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)
- 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
- $1.00 to purchase toothpaste
(NOTE: Toothpaste is purchased in bulk to be added to health kits to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)
Because the emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations and strict rules govern product entry into international countries, UMCOR requires that the kits contain only the requested items – nothing more.
Each packed box cannot exceed 66 pounds.
Sager Brown Depot provides the following shipping tips for the health kits.
- Complete two packing lists – one for your records and one to be put on the shipping box.
- Paste the shipping label/packing list on the outside of each box sent. The shipping list helps the depot to quickly process kits.
- Processing and shipping costs: Please enclose an envelope containing at least $1.00 for each kit you send. This donation enables kits to be sent without delay to Haiti.
You can send assembled relief supply kits to either relief depot – UMCOR coordinates supply shipments from both locations.
UMCOR Sager Brown Depot
P.O. Box 850, 131 Sager Brown Road
Baldwin, LA 70514-0850
For help contact, 1-800-814-8765
UMCOR West Office and Depot
1479 South 700 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84104-1605
For help contact, 1-801-973-7250
Further instructions on assembling and shipping health kits are available at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/ .
