A Limited Number of Days

This morning's sermon was from I Corinthians Chapter 7. While Pastor Howard did a fantastic job of illuminating the sanctified states of both marriage and singleness, the challenges existent within each, and the unfulfillment inherent within each without the Lord - I found I was caught by a particular part of the passage that seemed to have less to do with whether you find yourself either married or single. I invite you to read verses 29-31 aloud and really hear the words.

What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Every day holds this summons, a call to us that whispers through the clamor and chaos, the nonsense and the noise. The time is short, this world is passing away. What a difference this should make in our lives, inviting us to hold more loosely, handle more tenderly, care less about small concerns and slights, and more intensely about the things of sweeter and deeper importance.

What difference would this make in what we weigh of priority to our life's plans and pursuits? How might it affect how we choose to spend our "free" time? Might we respond with greater mildness to perceived injuries? Do you suppose that some of our passions might reveal themselves to be overfed wants rather than legitimate needs? Would our stumbles and defeats take on a gentler temperance? And our little victories and triumphs attain an enhanced heavenly understanding? Would we apologize more readily, forgive with greater generosity?

From time to time I have to pull back and consider the challenge of simplicity. This morning, He pulled me aside and spoke in hushed tones to my heart. If we truly live with a daily recognition of life in its brevity, if we spent a sincere moment of focus on this truth in the waking hours of our mornings, will we not see more clearly and live this short life with greater meaning and understanding?

Update on Resolutions

Well, this is really more of a confessional, she said with a wry smile.

In order of appearance from their introduction on my Anno Domini post :

1. Beets - it was funny to me that as I perused blogs in the first month of this year I came across a few other gals who also have an aversion to this healthy veggie as well as a secret longing to love it. And they also referred to a description that I thought I was the only one to have discovered. They think they taste like sweet dirt too! Of course, now I can't find most of those posts, but I do have this one from Just Making Noise. It looks pretty simple, but she makes it sound yummy. Plus, I love that she took her picture of her soup in a chipped bowl. I also found this great cheat on Penniless Parenting, but no... I must make something more substantial in order for it to count as following through on my resolution.
2. Kombucha - nothing to add right now, except that my Mom remembers that she used to make this and that triggered a long-buried childhood remembrance.
3. Whey kraut and kimchee - still not up to tackling them, although I do wish they were in my pantry. Maybe this summer.
4. Budget management - began the New Year in earnest, trailed off into self-reliance w/o accountability, am gearing up for greater monitoring once again.
5. 10 min of exercise 5 days a week - oh for shame! I did just fine for about 3 weeks, then I fell off my tiny little wagon. So much for the adage that it takes 3 weeks to establish a habit. In my case, at least, it appears that it would take longer. I suppose I need to renew my cheerleading efforts.
6. Find something to experience wonder over daily. Success! Regular, well appreciated and enjoyed success with this one. What a rich blessing this has been.

Well, that's the update as of this moment. I'll be back with more as I accomplish more. I looked for an uplifting quote to end this post with. So join me here in thanking Arnold J. Toynbee, who I believe I would have liked quite a lot had we ever met:

The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.

We Are All Slaves, But There Is Freedom

This past Sunday's sermon was a perfect example of why I love Christ Central Church. We are going through I Corinthians and had come to chapter 6 verses 9-20. If you do take the time to listen to it, do so first without your kids around; then you can decide later if you'd like to have them listen. Some serious things are covered here. http://www.christcentralchurch.com/ The Promise of Sexual Freedom - Feb 21, 2010

As Pastor Howard began he got right to it and addressed our hearts. He was going to discuss those sins mentioned in the text, most particularly the sin of homosexuality. He brought out into the light our secret thoughts,
"Alright now! Come on and give it to 'em! It's about time! Nobody talks about this, and somebody needs to say something! Let's hear it!"
He's right, that's how we feel. Maybe you don't, but I confess I do and so does practically everyone else I know. As he went on, I considered how he and Giorgio always bring it back to the gospel - I was rather curious as to how that was going to be accomplished with this message. Not that I doubted it could... it was more like a feeling of anticipation, but there was definitely curiosity.

I really think I need to go back and listen to this sermon again - in fact, I want to, as uncomfortable as it was to listen to the first time. Because over the past two days since then, my thoughts have returned to his words and gone over them repeatedly. And in the end, what Howard inspired in us without ever saying the word, was compassion. And even empathy. I rarely agree with every word someone says and this past Sunday was no exception, but these were the Lord's words to us, of that I am sure.

The woman caught in adultery comes to mind, though he did not reference her. Throughout this sermon, I found myself identifying. I have been the woman who has been caught in her sin and has crouched shamefully in the dirt. I have been those men, angrily incensed over sin and demanding of retribution. But I don't know that I have felt quite like Christ, regarding this particular sin, as I did this past Sunday morning.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

John 8: 3-11

I was moved to contemplation and an extension of grace towards the sinner. I felt the love and mercy of the Savior beat in my heart, and a desire to lift up the offender, care for their woundedness, and encourage them in a walk towards the more that is found in Christ. That is what is meant by sanctification, the transforming work whereby we are made holy as He is holy. Thank you, Pastor Howard, for being His instrument in our lives, showing us our inadequacy in loving others as He does, and how deeply I need Him that I might be anything like my Savior.