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Lenten Journey Reflection. Politics. Power. Pandemic. Peace.

John Bunyan, famously the author of “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” in his “Dying Sayings,” says, “Nothing more hinders a soul from coming to Christ, than a vain love of the world; and till a soul is freed from it, it can never have a true love for God.”

Love of the world is a strange affliction for a Christian. It is a disease of the mind and heart, the very principles of which are so entirely other than and foreign to the edicts and mandates of our sacred text, that we ought to be inoculated to it. But, though we are eternal beings with a home in Heaven, we remain trapped in this suit of flesh. While we are bound by its boundaries, we will have to fight against this disease personally and look on as the world is ravaged by its effects.

Ecclesiastes 5:8-11 gives clear insight as to the global pandemic of greedy politics and corruption. “Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his own profit! Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth–except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! (NLT)

We see it in our beautiful America. We see it in our beloved Haiti. Power always breeds corruption. Corruption always leads to the suffering of the people. It is far better to continue as a pilgrim passing through this land than to put too much stock on political entities and systems. Far better to sojourn after Jesus than to attempt in vain to build lasting castles on shifting sands.

The spiritual pandemic of corrupt politics, greed, people motivated by power, that robs the pilgrim follow of Jesus from nothing unless he lets it. “Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21 NLT) Let go of the love of this world. Tough times will break us or push us closer to true power in Christ!

I love the Haitian Creole proverb that says, “Nan move pa, kabrit trenen bef.” In a rough spot the goat drags the ox! In other words, in tough times the, the weak become strong.

That strength, for the follower of Jesus, doesn’t come from grabbing more of the world. It comes from letting go of our love for the world and clinging to one another and Christ.

God loves you today and you are not alone. We are one in Christ – travelers, pilgrims, on this lonely but beautiful sojourn through this world on our way to our actual home. Cultivate love for Heaven and let go of this world. Peace is held in open hands that are not clung to the world…

Lent2021 #pilgrimpath

Lenten journey. Action not words. Ecclesiastes 5:7.

Lenten journey devotion. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. Make more of action than words. #pilgrimpath #Lent2021

Ecc 5:1 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.
Ecc 5:2 Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
Ecc 5:3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
Ecc 5:4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.
Ecc 5:5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.
Ecc 5:6 Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.
Ecc 5:7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead. (NLT)

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Wisdom is her own reward. She is available to all who seek her! The greatest wisdom points us eternally home! #pilgrimpath #Lent2021

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16, “It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” (NLT)

Seeing the Sacred in Communion

Cruciform Communion

I preach Christ because without Him I would be a slave to the dragons in the basement. I would be a servant to generational curses. I preach Christ because He saved me and is constantly saving me. I preach Christ from my heart, from the deepest part of my soul, because without Him my soul would be a victim to those who never deserved me anyway. I preach Christ because His imagination for me, you, and everyone is unimaginably greater than anything I would ever think or consider. I preach Christ because I am free and the only right response to freedom in Christ is run through the prison telling others that the shackles are illusory! God in Christ at the Cross because of an empty tomb has already unlocked them!…

Still very much a sinner. Still very much a fool. But no longer a slave. Free in Christ. Redeemed. Ransom paid. Pardon granted. Foolish for Christ! #pilgrimpath#FreeInChristJohn 8:34-36″Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (Berean Study Bible, BSB)

Tomorrow we’ll celebrate the sacred at the communion table. Free in Christ. Covered in His blood. Filled with His Spirit… Free![Image Credit: Cruciform Communion, https://reknew.org/2018/03/cruciform-communion/ ]

On Being a Work of Art…

The funny thing about being a Christian is, we don’t have to do our best. We are gifted with being God’s best. Your life in Christ is a work of art. God is the craftsman. He takes our pain and brokenness, our failures and sin. He presses the good works, prayers, and praises, together. #GraceWinsEveryTime

He’s like the junk artists I so admire in Detroit. He takes the broken pieces, sprinkles them with grace and makes each one of us a masterpiece, unlike any other. Look up. You are loved.

Romans 8:27-30, “And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.” (ESV)