Who is my Neighbor?

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:27-29

The parable of the Good Samaritan is well known not only within the church but in our broader culture as well. As any Seinfield fan can tell you the series ends when Jerry and friends are arreated for breaking the "good samaritan law" which requires bystanders to help someone in need. Like Jerry, many of us turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the needs around us, asking "who is my neighbor anyway"

The Pharisee, after Jesus turns his question back on him, tries to save face by asking Jesus who exactly should be considered a neighbor. Jesus of course responds with the well known parable that points out the hypocrisy of the religious elites and the goodness of the samaritan. What strikes me today is not Jesus' response but the pharisee's question. He wants to know who is neighbor is not so that he can go out and serve, but so he knows who he doesn't have to serve.

The question of: "well who is my neighbor anyway" suggests that he is looking to do the least amount possible. The question is looking for an answer which limits and qualifies his moral responsibility to care for the needs of others. Jesus' response is that we must help all people, everyone is a neighbor because everyone is a child of God. Everyone counts!

The parable concludes with a samaritan performing acts of love and compassion for a Jewish man. In others words, the ultimate non-neighbor in Jewish culture turns out to be the most neighborly. Because he showed mercy and compassion and love, the samaritan proved to be a neighbor, while the priest and the levite do nothing.

For us the question is whether we are more like the samaritan or the levite and priest. Do we look for ways to serve others or do we fail to even see the needs around us? Who are we showing mercy to? Who needs care, love, and compassion in our lives? Would we be praised by Jesus for our acts of kindness or arrested for standing by while others suffer?

First Things Last

They came to Capernaum. When he was safe at home, he asked them, "What were you discussing on the road?"The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest. He sat down and summoned the Twelve. "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all." Mark 9:33-35

As Jesus' ministry became more and more popular, the crowds grew and so did Jesus' power and influence. As the disciples began to realize their teacher was powerful they began to argue amongst themselves who might be Jesus' successor. They were focused on individual power and completely missed Jesus' message of humble service.

It is a natural human tendency in the face of opportunities for power and influence to look after one's own self-interest. Our culture defines success as "getting ahead" or excelling over the competition. We can easily become obssessed with success and fail to see that others suffer for the sake of our prosperity.

The way of Jesus however is the way of service and humility. With power we are to serve, with resources we are to share, with influence we are to include. The way of Jesus means putting others before ourselves and loving with the indiscriminate unconditional love of God.

How are you "first" in life and how can you share your power and influence to be God's hands and feet?

Serving up Some Salty Goodness

I don't know about you but I love salty french fries. I know sometime soon in life I will have to cut back on my salt intake but there are times when I simply crave a burger and fries, and salt is an integral part of that culinary equation. We need salt to live, but with too much we get high cholesterol, high blood pressure and assorted high problems. The key to health is balance, and so it is with our faith too.

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. Matthew 5:13

As we serve others in Jesus' name we often encounter people who could be considered "salty" or a bit rough around the edges. To be Jesus' hands and feet we must have love and compassion for those who have a had rough and difficult lives, for those whose lives are less than moral or admirable. To serve God and neighbor we cannot stay in the safe and clean places, we must be willing to get salty. We must be willing to engage them where they are, bringing to them a word of hope and transformation. The trick is not to lose ourselves in the process. We must hold firm to the love and grace of God, not losing sight of the path God has given us to follow.

So be salty but no too salty! Who wants some fries?

Healed in order to Serve

Read Matthew 8:14-17

When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. Matthew 8:14-15

One of my favorite stories of Jesus is how he heals Peter's mother-in-law so she could make them dinner. Ok so perhaps that isn't the point of the healing story but it seems almost selfish doesn't it? Ok fine, not so much but the point is that Jesus heals her from a fever and she immediately goes about "ministering to them." We see Jesus many times offering his services of healing to those who were sick, blind, deaf, or in need of some sort of healing. This story is unique because immediately after being healed the person starts serving others. For me this let's me know that not only do I stand in need of healing, but that the purpose of healing is not for me but to enable me to serve and love others. Too often we can get caught up in our own need for healing or too easily get bogged down in our own issues and problems. Peter's mother-in-law reminds us that we are healed in order to serve, we are loved in order to love, we are given grace in order to be gracious. Yes we need the healing power of God's love and grace in our lives but we need it so we can use our gifts to love and serve others. It is not about me but what God can do through me.

The Power to Serve

Read Matthew 8:1-13/Luke 5:12-16 As Jesus' ministry progressed he had more and more people coming to him seeking healing. He was proclaiming God's word, healing the sick, bringing hope...God was working! As exciting and powerful as it must have been for Jesus and the disciples to be part of such transformation, it must have also been exhausting. The needs in our world today are monumental; people are crying out for a word of hope. The problem is we have neither enough time nor energy to meet all the needs. In Jesus we see not only a deep commitment to serving others with God's amazing love and grace, but also a concerted effort to stay balanced and connected to God. "As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the way places for prayer." (Luke 5:16) Jesus knew that in order to continue serving God and neighbor he needed consistent and regular time devoted to God. Without developing a deep spirituality we can become burned out by the expectations of others and the needs of those around us. But when we can rely upon God to fill and re-fill our cups we will be blessed with the energy and compassion to serve others. As we serve others in the days to come we must remember to receive the life-giving love of God and take daily time for and with God.

Love and the Holy Spirit

Read John 13:31-35; 14:15-31

It is my hope that over the past week you have truly enjoyed digging in to the scriptures and that God has revealed, through the stories of Jesus' life and ministry, the love and grace of God. We have seen how Jesus truly loved all people and how he gave us an example of how to live. In today's reading we find Jesus preparing to be arrested, face trial, and be crucified. Jesus knew what God's plan was and that he had very little time. Jesus takes time with the disciples to share last minute wisdom, instruction, and encouragement.

Jesus knew the challenges the disciples were going to face in both the short and long term. In the days ahead, the disciples would face: the threat of similar arrest and persecution, sorting out the meaning of Jesus death and resurrection, and begin deciding what to do next. Their challenge for the long term would be continuing the ministry of Jesus, by sharing the good news with all people and starting the Christian church. Jesus knew these challenges could overwhelm the disciples, so he wanted to share two key nuggets of wisdom: love and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus gives the ultimate reminder of what his ministry was all about when we offers a "new" commandment:

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Jesus wants the disciples to not only love one another, but to love each other as he loved them. In addition, this love is not a private love but a public love which would be seen by others. Jesus wants them to love to the extent that they become known by their love. To be a disciple we must learn to love as Jesus loved, we must love who Jesus loved. Jesus loved everyone everywhere and loved from the center of his being. Jesus gave his whole self to loving others, without holding back. If we truly want to be followers of Jesus, we must love, without holding back, all people. What is holding you back?

Jesus also knew that the disciples would face challenges from both within their community and from outside. Loving others is the mandate, but Jesus also provided the Holy Spirit to empower their work, provide guidance, comfort, and truth.

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you...I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you." John 14:15-17, 25-26

The work that God called the disciples to do would be challenging, difficult, and dangerous. Jesus reminds them that, although he won't be physically present, the Holy Spirit will lead them, guide them, remind them, and comfort them. The Holy Spirit will provide everything they need. So it is with us as well. God has called us to participate in God's mission in the world. It can be challegning and difficult, but we are equipped to do so and empowered by the Holy Spirit. May God continue to inspire, enlighten, and support in our journey of discipleship

Who is Jesus to you? Week 2: Day 6

Read John 10:22-42

As Jesus became more and more popular with the people, and his healings and teachings began to be made known, he was increasingly viewed as a threat to the religious leaders. The “Jews” as John refers to Jesus’ opponents is really a description of the religious elites (Pharisees, priests, and scribes) not the Jewish people themselves (remember Jesus and his disciples were all Jewish). As Jesus grew in notoriety, more and more people came to believe that he was the Messiah. The confrontation in this story between Jesus and the religious leaders is fundamentally about who Jesus really is.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus performed miracles and signs that were interpreted as acts of God. He brought sight to the blind, helped the lame walk, fed the multitudes, and brought the dead back to life. For Jesus, his signs were evidence that he was doing the work of the Father and that he was the Son of God.

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered,

“I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:24-30

Despite the skepticism and lack of faith of the leaders, Jesus tells them the truth. He is the long awaited and promised Messiah and that he and the Father are one. For the religious leaders this is blasphemy. No one could claim to be God and Jesus was clearly making this point. Jesus uses the signs and miracles he performed as evidence of his identity as the Messiah. The religious leaders are forced to renounce their religious traditions (by believing that God had taken on human form) and believe Jesus, or renounce Jesus and try to discredit him. We know of course the path the leaders chose, and their rejection of Jesus leads him to the cross.

Ultimately the question Jesus asks the religious leaders is the same question he asks each of us: who do you say I am? Who is Jesus to you and what difference does it make? The leaders were either unwilling or unable to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and God incarnate. They had too much invested in their religion and their place of power to receive the truth. Believing in Jesus would have meant contradicting their long-held religious beliefs, which they had built a career sharing with the people and defending. Jesus was asking them to believe despite the high cost.

For us the question is just as pressing. Do we really believe that Jesus was the Messiah? Are we willing to order our life around this truth? What is the cost to us for living our life with a robust Christian faith? Many people claim to be Christian but their lives don’t reflect it. To be a disciple of Christ means that each day we are learning to be more and more like Jesus. It means we are willing to risk for our faith and stand up for God even when it is unpopular and inconvenient. It means placing God at the center of our lives and that all our decisions are filtered through our faith. As Christians we know that Jesus paid the highest cost for us and for the world. Jesus is calling us into a life-changing relationship which asks us to put God first. Are we willing to take the risk and pay the cost? Are we willing to say who Jesus is for us?

Judge Not Week 2: Day 5

Read John 8:1-11

It is in the gospel stories that we learn who Jesus is most clearly. Throughout his life and ministry he interacts with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Jesus did not confine himself to relating to those who were like him, he did not follow the rules that governed social interaction. Instead Jesus, time and time again, goes out his way to relate to those outside of his social network in order to show that God's love and grace is for everyone, everywhere. The story of the woman caught in adultery exemplifies how Jesus breaks through barriers to share the love and grace of God in a profound and transformational way.

As Jesus is teaching in the temple, the Pharisees bring before him a "woman caught in adultery." The Pharisees ask Jesus if the woman ought to be stoned to death as Hebrew law required (see Deut. 22:22, Lev. 20:10). They asked Jesus, not because they were confused on the law itself, but because they wanted to "test" him. If Jesus allows the woman to be stoned his popularity with the people and the compassion he so frequently demonstrated would be compromised. If he bars the stoning he is violating the law. The Pharisees were trying to discredit Jesus' authority because he was becoming more and more popular as religious leader, thus jeopardizing the Pharisees position of power and influence in Jewish society.

Jesus responds to the trick question as he so often does, by turning it back to the questioner. Jesus tells the Pharisees and the crowd: "let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." The judgment, anger, and blood lust of the crowd is turned away from the woman and back toward themselves. Jesus refused to validate the question about the law, and instead focuses on the judgmental anger of the Pharisees. In doing so, he offers a tremendous gift of grace for the woman and a valuable lesson for us all.

To be a disciple of Jesus we must learn more and more to think and act like Jesus. In this situation while the majority of people were filled with judgment, Jesus was filled with love, grace, and compassion. After each of the people depart, leaving Jesus and the woman standing alone, he says to her:

Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” John 8:10-11

In a situation where it would be incredibly easy to judge the woman, Jesus refuses to do so. There is no question in the story about whether or not the woman is guilty, as she was caught in the "very act" of adultery. Jesus is not at all interested in determining what actually happened or where blame deserved to be placed (notice however that the man who was caught in the act is no where to be seen--this seems a bit unfair doesn't it?). Jesus wants this woman to know that she is not condemned, that she remains a person of value and dignity. He tells her to go and sin no more. Jesus offers the gift of grace, a gift which transforms people at their very core. No doubt she left this encounter with Jesus a changed person, fully aware of the amazing and life-changing gift of God's love and grace.

As I reflect on this powerful story of Jesus, I cannot help but place myself in the story. If I am honest, I realize that sometimes I am just like the Pharisees. I can easily cast judgment on others and become focused on determining who is right and who is wrong in a situation. We rarely want to see ourselves as the judgers, but most of us are rather judgmental (whether we admit it or not). Jesus is calling us to move beyond such judgments, even when those judgments seems fully justified. After all, Jesus stands in our place so that we are not judged. We ought to be so grateful that judgment doesn't come our way that we steadfastly refuse to judge others. Imagine what our lives could be like if judging of others didn't take place....

Similarly, I can easily see myself as the woman in this situation. I have sinned and fallen short in life again and again. I deserve judgment and condemnation for all I have done and left undone. And yet, Christ comes to me, comes to us, and refuses to condemn. Instead of judgment, Jesus offers us an invitation to a new way of life. In Christ we no longer are defined by what we have done well or poorly, we are no longer defined by our ability or inability to live perfectly. In Christ we are defined by the life-giving and awesome gift of God's grace. Through Christ I am forgiven, through Christ I am transformed, through Christ I am free.

So let us receive anew the gift of grace and let God give us the strength and courage to be gracious to one another.

Reversal Week 2: Day 4

You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought Matthew 5:3-5

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, 7) is the most important and powerful teaching of Jesus. If you ever wanted to understand the Christian life, these three chapters are a great place to start. Jesus proclaims from the mountain words of revelation and truth, words we need to hear today.

In the opening verses of this great speech Jesus offers what are called the Beatitudes. These are a series of sayings that describe blessings in life. What makes the Beatitudes so powerful is the people he describes would not normally be understood as blessed in any way. The poor, the hungry, the mourning, the meek, the perscuted would all be people that would be considered less than blessed.

The Beatitudes reveal God's heart those the world overlooks and rejects. While the world may tell us that those who are rich, powerful, good-looking, skinny, and smart are favored, God reverses human expectations. God's love and favor is for the forgotten and forsaken. God's love is for those who have failed or fallen short. God's love is for those who suffer and struggle.

The Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaims offers us not only the promise of eternal life, but also a glimpse of heaven on earth. Through Jesus we see God most clearly, through Jesus we have a model of how to live a Godly life, and to experience eternal life in the present. It may not include wealth, popularity, and a luxurious lifestlye, but it will include an awareness of God's amazing love and grace. And with that we are indeed blessed, no matter what anyone says!

The Other Side: Week 2: Day 3

Read Mark 5:1-20

I love this scripture in Mark because it so powerfully demonstrates the love that Jesus has for all people. This scripture involves Jesus healing a man who has been possessed by a demon. Jesus specifically seeks out this man in order to restore him to health. It was no accident that Jesus went to the "other side" of the Sea of Galilee. He went there to find this strange and troubled man, and to restore him to health and wholeness. In healing this demon possessed man, Jesus not only saves a life he also shows us that no one is beyond redemption, no one is forgotten by God, all people matter and are deserving respect and dignity.

I also love this scripture because it is so strange, and it is one of many examples of Jesus interacting with demons. Until I really began to take seriously the power of darkness in the world, I would quickly dismiss stories in scripture about demons. But the reality is that each of us, at some level, must deal with the darkness in our own lives. And if our life isn't centered in Christ, we are vulnerable to over taken by it. For Jesus, the powers of darkness were very real and he constantly fought against them. In our modern world, with science, technology, and psychology are we too quick to dismiss demons? What are the demons that are present in our life? I believe Jesus has a lot to tell us in this scripture.

In chapter 5 of Mark, Jesus and his disciples travel by boat to the country of the Gerasenes, a great distance from their normal travels. When they arrive the text says:

And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” Mark 5:2-8

A significant detail here is that demon possessed man lives among the tombs. In Jewish culture, associating with the dead in any way was a major taboo and to live among the dead would be a guaranteed way to both be left alone and raise significant questions within the community. The demoniac has either been pushed out of the community or voluntarily removed himself. The text implies that this man was well known to be demon possessed, and no doubt stories, rumors, and legends of this man with demons were well known. Yet, Jesus seems to seek out intentionally this man. He specifically comes to this strange land to met and heal this strange man. A man who has been left for dead and forgotten by the world.

It is no accident that Jesus has come to this place and is meeting with this man. In Mark however, it is part of a theme where Jesus consistently interacts with demons (cf. 1:21-28; 3:7-12; 7:24-30; 9:14-29). Jesus has power and authority over the demons and they seem to know exactly who he really is. This is quite remarkable because in Mark there is a continual theme of people not understanding who Jesus really is. Yet the demons know Jesus and they are scared of his power. In this episode, the demons have fully taken over the man. Jesus does not address the man because the man doesn't exist in his demon possessed state. When demons are allowed to take over and become powerful, the person hosting the demons for all practical purposes ceases to exist. In the end, Jesus confronts the demons and casts them out, into a herd of pigs which are cast into the sea (vv. 10-13), restoring the man to health and wholeness. The demoniac has been restored and his transformation is so dramatic that the crowds are in disbelief and fear. (vv. 14-16) The man asks Jesus if he can become a follower and assist in his ministry. Jesus refuses, telling the man to tell his story of transformation and healing to all of his friends.

For me, this strange and bizarre story of demons exemplifies Jesus' earthly ministry. Time and time again Jesus searches out the most vulnerable, forgotten, and marginalized members of society. He spends time with the blind, the deaf, the lame, the lepers, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and demon possessed. He seeks out the forgotten and acknowledges their humanity, giving them dignity and respect. Jesus never gives up on anyone, no one is ever beyond the miraculous healing power of God.

What would our world look like if we took this example seriously? Who are the forgotten ones in our world today and what are we doing to acknowledge their humanity?

Today we might label a demon possessed person as mentally ill, epileptic, addicted, or eccentric. These labels may give us some level of understanding, but there are whole segments of our world that are forgotten and marginalized. Jesus' ministry calls us to love and serve all people, with particular emphasis and passion for the forgotten.What would this mean for us? How can we actualize this in our life today?

Follow Me! Week 2: Day 2

Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed. Mark 1:16-18

When Jesus began his public ministry one the first things he did was ask people to join him as disciples. He was not well known, had no educational pedigree, and was offering no compensation or benefits. Instead Jesus offered Simon, Andrew and the others disciples the same thing he offers us: to live life with the Savior and Lord of the world, Jesus Christ.

It never ceases to amaze me how these two brothers (and James and John who follow shortly thereafter) drop everything to follow Jesus, no questions asked. They leave behind their father, their livelihood, all of what they knew. They left not knowing where they would go and what would happen next.

The question for us is: are we willing to follow Jesus? Are we willing to leave our safe, ordinary, and not so risky lives behind to follow? Are we willing? Are we able?

Being a disciple is challenging, difficult, and requires sacrifice. Are we willing to give our whole life to Jesus or only the safe parts?

God wants all of us. God wants us to hold nothing back and put Christ at the center of who we are. Are we ready? Are we willing?

Temptation and Faithfulness Week 2: Day 1

Read Luke 4:1-13

The story of Jesus' temptation is a powerful reminder of the humaness of Jesus, and how easily we can be distracted from God's purpose for our life. Jesus was given a divine mission to share God's Word, bring healing and wholeness to the poor, oppressed, and broken hearted and to give himself on the cross for all of humanity. Jesus understood God's plan for his life and knew the sacrifice, focus, and dedication it would require. The temptation of Jesus was an attempt by Satan to distract, distort, and derail Jesus. Jesus' temptation was real and his success in overcoming temptation is inspiring.

At baptism, Jesus receives the power of the Holy Spirit. This power would enable him to do his earthly ministry and complete his mission on the cross.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2

Here we have Jesus filled and empowered by the Spirit, but also driven to the desert by the Spirit. It is almost as if the Spirit wants and needs Jesus to endure the temptation by Satan. At the same time, while Jesus is attacked by Satan's temptations, he also filled up with the Spirit. Perhaps Jesus needed to successfully go through temptation in the desert, so that he would be able to overcome the later temptation to abandon God' plan of pain and suffering to be endured on the cross.

The circumstances of Jesus' temptation are important to note. It is only after 40 days of living in the desert without food, that his temptation begins. Jesus was at his absolute weakest when he was tempted. He was physically weak and after so much time in the desert he must have been emotionally fragile as well. For many of us, our temptations come when we are at our weakest; when we are tired, emotionally and physically spent, or when we have lost a sense of who we are.

It is also important to see the kinds of temptations Jesus goes through. He is tempted with food, earthly power, and divinity. Satan tries to get Jesus to use his divine powers to help himself. If Jesus had done so he would have jeopardized God's mission. Jesus resists the temptations of Satan by drawing upon the strength of his faith by quoting the scriptures (Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:13, 6:16 respectively). In our lives, Satan will use whatever means necessary to lead us off track. Some of us are tempted by money and power, others pleasure, food, sex, popularity, affection, or acceptance. Whenever we act out against God and against who God created us to be, we are giving into temptation.

I am more and more convinced that the closer we get to fulfilling God's purpose for our life, the more temptations come our way. Think about it. If we start fulfilling God's purpose for our life and participating in God's mission in the world, Satan will lose! As we start being more and more faithful, temptations increase. The story of Jesus illustrates this increasing level of temptation (Jesus will continually be tempted to use his power and to reveal himself before the time is right, and he was most certainly tempted to avoid the pain and suffering of the cross). As we grow in our faith, deepen our commitment to Christ, and become disciples we too can expect temptation to come our way. But like Jesus, we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, given the gift of God's Word, and the knowledge that with God on our side we can and will do amazing things.

Dwelling at the Feet of Jesus

As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."
The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her." Luke 10:38-42

As we move forward in week 1 of The Discipleship Challenge, we are focusing on making prayer a more integral part of our life. I have had many people tell me, after I explained the purpose of the challenge and the time investment needed to be successful, have told me how they are too busy to take the challenge. People are busy no doubt, but the challenge is exatcly what people who are too busy need in their life!

Our culture defines for us success in many ways, not the least of which is the busier you are the more important and successful you must be. We cram our schedules (and our children's schedules) with activity after activity, we run around like chickens with our heads cut off. We are stressed, anxious, and busy and as long as we buy into the myth that busyness equals success we will continue to be stressed, anxious, and have no time for anything.

Let me say it clearly: God is not impressed with you! God is not keeping track of all you do and judging you based on your efforts--God has already made up his mind about you! God offers unconditional love and grace that is completely separate from our efforts, our successes, and our many failures. God does not want you to run around like a crazy person and have no peace, joy, or happiness in your life. God wants a relationship of love, God wants your time, your energy, your focus.

I suspect many of us are like Martha. We run around trying to do everything for everyone and exhaust ourselves in the process. We have no time or energy left for ourselves or God. Mary, however dwells at the feet of Jesus, taking time to hear from God and find joy and peace in Jesus' presence. In many ways, taking intetional time to pray for 10, 20, or 30 minutes is a Mary way of life. Yes there are things to do, but there always will be. You will never be done with your to-do list, but if you take daily time with our Lord you may just find the "main course" rather than being stuck with the dishes.

The Discipleship Challenge

Welcome to all who are taking the Discipleship Challenge this year. Last we started with 130 people from King of kings taking the challenge and it was a tremendous experience. This I have shared the book with neighboring churches and we have a total of 8 churches and over 400 people participating in the challenge! I pray that God will do great things in these 40 days!

I will be using this blog to offer some personal reflections as I journey with you in this time of challenge. Week 1 is prayer and I have been praying by name for our folks at KOK and for the other churches as well. Prayer is the foundation of the Christian walk (which is why it is week 1!) and connects us to God and one another in deeply meaningful ways. While I am already less than perfect in my Discipleship Challenge 2, I have already been tremendously blessed in my prayers this week.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all!