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Have you been given a message that altered your perspective? A church chose as its Lenten theme "Forty Days of Love." Weekly, members were to show love and appreciation in different ways. Week one they were to send notes to persons who had made positive contributions to their lives.
After the first worship service, a man wanted to speak to his pastor. The pastor described him as "kind of macho, a former football player who loved to hunt and fish, a strong self-made man." The man told his pastor, "I love you, and I love this church, but I'm not going to participate in this Forty Days of Love stuff. It's OK for some folks," he said, "but it's a little too sentimental and syrupy for me."
A week went by. The next Sunday this man waited after worship to see his pastor. "I want to apologize for what I said last Sunday," he said, "about the Forty Days of Love. I realized on Wednesday that I was wrong."
"Wednesday?," relied his pastor. "What happened on Wednesday?"
"I got one of those letters!" The letter was a surprise. A person sent it whom the man never expected to hear from. It touched him so much he now carries it around in his pocket all the time. "Every time I read it," he spoke, "I get tears in my eyes." It was a transforming moment in his life. Suddenly, he realized he was loved by others in the church, and this altered his perspective. "I was so moved by that letter," he commented, "I sat down and wrote ten letters myself."
Receiving the letter was a transforming moment for Mr. Macho. A perspective was changed. Messages evoking such change are ways the Divine visits us. Spirit still breaks into our lives with life-changing words.
*Story from King Duncan. "Collected Sermoms." www.sermons.com .
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This morning I rode down the road with a total stranger. The lady was working with a dealership where my truck was getting worked on, and she was taking me to a meeting, while my truck was being fixed. I was having one of the few "bad days" I have. I had prayed about my feelings, but felt saddened, unable to pick myself up out of the doldroms.
She began telling about her daughter being in a major vechicle accident - I guess because she knew I am a pastor and she is a dedicated Christian - and about the hardships incurred by that accident. She spoke of her faith in God, that God would take care of all things, and she had no need to worry about it all.
In the conversation I looked at her and gave her thanks. I said, "I really appreciate your sharing with me like this, I really needed this this morning." We continued our conversation, and I was able to share a little about the burden on my heart, too. I was able to be honest about how unfair I felt some things had been in my life the past two years, and she was able to affirm like feelings, but accompained by assurance of faith.
See, the Sacred spoke through her. Her oblation of time and honesty sure helped me more than if she had practiced some fast of denial that in no way could be used by the Divine to speak His Word to me.
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Lent is forthcoming, and Ash Wednesday, tomorrow, begins the season. The Church has historically stressed self-denial in this season.
We need to keep self-denial in perspective. Lent is not a season to try to be more spiritual than others through our religious calesthetics or get holy kudo points.
Let us look more at what we can give others, rather than what we can deny ourselves. Not that self-denial does not have its place. Sure, I recommend you discern something to deny yourself of for these Forty Days. But let it be something that contributes to a good you can do, and not merely be an absense of something you usually enjoy.
One example ... you my choose to practice Silence after a certain time each night and until a certain time the following morning. Yet, do not just deny yourself television, or whatever you would do. Use the time for something positive: like writing a note to someone, doing intercessory prayer, ... Use any denial as a positive to be a more loving, caring being.
Also, let us reflect, at this beginning of Lent 2009, on ways the holy Spirit has spoken to us in transforming ways. Invite the Sacred to do so again, in a special way during this Lenten journey. May we pray together that we will be prepared to hear anew, in fresh ways, and be changed more into the likeness of the Son of God. All our denials and actions are to focus us on Him Whom we long to be like, more and more, along the Journey through all seasons.
17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
*II Corinthians 3.17-18 (NLT)
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*This writing ministry is the offering of Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida, a Pastor in the United Methodist Church, and Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL. To contact Brian, write to barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
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