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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 27, 2006 Why Bother with Lent? |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, February 27, 2006 by Fritz Foltz
I’ve heard a lot of bad sermons. Perhaps the worse was delivered by an associate I had handpicked and liked a great deal. He was trying to relate to our people, letting them know he was human. He began claiming we all sin, probably getting everyone’s ear as they thought of the sins they had just confessed. Then he acknowledged he too sinned. Again a good move. He placed himself in a position where he could really serve those crying for help. But then he identified his sin as drinking too much coffee. His Lenten discipline would be to drink less coffee. I wanted to stand up and scream. Again a clergy person led us into the wilderness and left us there. Perhaps some in the congregation breathed a sigh of relief thinking a similar silly Lenten practice would suffice. However, I believe more cursed under their breath, feeling alone and helpless as their sins seem to grip them even more firmly.
I think Isaiah is right. Most of God’s people know their sins but feel unable to do anything about them. Year after year they perform the fasts prescribed by the law. They dress the part, they bow their heads, they drink less coffee, they go through the motions, but nothing…
Like the rest of the prophets, Isaiah says the problem is we never get beyond our own pain and interest. As Jesus made clear, our faith and its practice must always include love of God and our neighbors. If we practice a Lenten discipline but still oppress our workers, continually quarrel and fight, even striking others with our fists, only fast for our own health, or worship primarily to feel better, we shall come to the end of the season, and nothing…
Lent forces us to remember each year how terrifying life is. Life is not about the best of all possible worlds. It is about how the good is opposed and bruised and even killed by the evil. Even though we might have everything we need, brothers and sisters around the world can not even find food, are oppressed by profiteers using deception, and sent out to kill one another. And in one way or another we are involved.
We practice Lenten disciplines to train for overcoming this evil. Isaiah proclaims God’s fast is to free the oppressed, share our bread with the hungry, bring the homeless into our own houses, and clothe the naked. That takes a lot of discipline and self denial.
And we can never do it alone. Lent is about training together. We need one another, and we need God. We need to remind each other God is with us in this mission. Alone we are helpless to overcome even our own sin. But if our Lenten disciplines are focused on the right goals, when we cry out we shall hear God reply, “Here I am. You are not alone”.
Let us pray: We thank you, loving Father, that you are with us even in the darkest moments. Grant us strength to overcome the evil of our world and even of our own lives. Share our Lenten disciplines that we might come to the end of the season and find the new life of resurrection. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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