A Different Kind of Fast

I've been thinking for a while about Lent.  I don't always observe Lent, but I'm usually glad when I do. There's something about fasting that impacts your heart and makes Easter something to celebrate even more.  But I can't get one of my favorite chapters of the Bible off my mind.

It's Isaiah 58 and it's been one of my favorites since I stumbled across it while I was making my way through the Bible over the course of a year.  The beginning of the chapter talks about  how the people of Israel were complaining to the Lord that they fast and yet He pays no attention to them.  The Lord responds by saying that they fast for the wrong reasons... to look good before others.  And while fasting they did lots of other things that were wrong.  So the Lord responds with what He wants from the people.  Here it is:

“This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
    to break the chains of injustice,
    get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
    free the oppressed,
    cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
    sharing your food with the hungry,
    inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
    putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
    being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
    and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
    The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
    You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
    quit blaming victims,
    quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
    and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
    your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
    I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
    firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
    a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
    rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
    restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
    make the community livable again.

I've never gotten over the description of all the things that will result from this kind of fast.  I wrote in my Bible, "This is what I want for my life!"

So during this Lenten season, I'm going to focus on being alert and available to do some of these things.  I don't even know how I would do a lot of these things, but I'm going to see what happens.

I'm open for suggestions if anything comes to your mind.

The Sanctity of Human Life

A couple of weeks ago we had a Sunday set aside at our church called “Sanctity of Human Life” Sunday.  We have observed this Sunday for many years now and the focus is always on being pro-life and opposing abortion.   This year I’ve been thinking a lot about the many other ways we could interpret “Sanctity of Human Life.”

One of the ways I think we devalue life is in our desire to label people and place them in groups, and then we say, either in our words or in our actions, that one group has less value than another group.  We see it in all racial issues in all points around the globe.  It rears its ugly head in gender inequality.  In many societies age is a factor, whether we are talking about the very young (or even unborn) or the very old.  And finally, I think one of the most prevalent ranking of groups happens economically, where the rich are valued far above the poor.

When we think about “sanctity of human life” I think there could be lots of good conversations about how we value life in these various groups.   We need to be challenged not to overrate the groups that we belong to in relation to people we differ from.  I think talking more about poverty and the oppression it creates in people's lives would be good.

As always, we can look to Jesus as our example of how to show what it really means to value human life.  First of all, He became a human.  He did this in great humility, disdaining all the power and glory He has and setting it aside for us.  He did it so He could know firsthand what it means to be human.

Another way He reflects the value of life is through His interactions with all types of people.  In the culture in which He was raised, there were definitely groups in society which were thought to be of less value than others… the poor, the handicapped, the “untouchables,” the outcasts.  And in the gospels we see Jesus going specifically to these groups and meeting the needs he finds in their lives.

In the gospels we also see that Jesus knew the value of each individual life, He knew the value of "one".  Jesus was certainly a man who was in demand by crowds of people.  He could have spent all His time teaching and reaching large groups of people.  But Jesus took time for the individuals who came to Him with their needs.  Think of His interactions with the woman at the well, Jairus, blind Bartimaeus,  Lazarus, Zacchaeus and so many others.  He stopped, He took time, He entered into relationships with these individuals.  He met them where they were and ministered to their needs.

I think in our society we’ve been led to think that helping individuals is a very small work.   I know I can think sometimes that I’m not accomplishing much.  I spend my days helping Will with his teaching, keeping Madeline for Kathryn and Brandon, caring for my aunt and uncle in Indianapolis.  These all feel small to me.  I often think I should be doing more.  But today I am thankful to be reminded of the value of each individual and the example Jesus gave us of taking time for each one.  There will be time for more work, maybe more far-reaching work, later.  These days are meant for these dear ones that I love so much.

So I guess my point is this:  Who are you labeling and devaluing by attaching that label?  Who are some individuals who have needs that you know of and that you can meet?  How are you cultivating relationships with these individuals? 

How are you affirming the “sanctity of human life”? 

The Pleasure of This Day

My dear Madeline

I have felt compelled to recount the joys of this day.  It has been a very ordinary day in so many ways, but the pleasure of it has almost overwhelmed me.

I was able to wake up before the alarm went off and spent the first hour of the day in my quiet spot, reading various books and drinking a cup of coffee.  The next hour I spent taking a walk with my best friend Mary.  Although the temperature was in the 20s, we warmed up quickly.  Over the years of early morning walks, Mary and I have solved many problems, changed our attitudes on many subjects, and shared the hurts and the joys of our lives.  It is a sacred time.

Next I went to pick up sweet little Madeline.  She is a most pleasant child and spending time with her is nothing but a pleasure.  We shared some time with Mary and her mother-in-law.  She took a nap on Papa's lap and then spent about an hour entertaining great-grandma Irene.  I have never been a "baby" person but this girl has me, heart and soul.

I drove her back to her mom and spent another thirty minutes in intimate conversation with my daughter.  We both feel that these stolen minutes of one-on-one time are another sacred moment in our day.

On the trip both to and from the middle school I was struck by the beauty of the day.  I observed a red-tailed hawk hunting above a field.  The golden light of the late winter afternoon shone on the backs of black cattle dotting many of the fields I pass along the way.  It was beautiful.

After a supper of stir-fry I drove out to spend another pleasant time I observe regularly-- I go and watch Jeopardy with my mom.  As we watch and play along, we also share the details of our day.  It is a long-held habit, and one that I am thankful we both enjoy.

As I drove between our houses, I watched the full moon rise in the sky.  It was so bright, it was almost startling.  There is no need for any other source of light on a night like this.  It is perfect.

As I said, it has been a very ordinary day.  Yet, I don't want to forget it-- this day full of every-day joy.  Not to be taken for granted.  Not to be forgotten.