Lent
March 10, 2016
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith –Philippians 3:4a-9
What’s in your faith resume’? What is the difference in being well schooled in the faith and living the faith? Paul had a great resume’ and he was living his beliefs as he persecuted the church. He no doubt had the best intentions in the world. I am amused at the many polls that report various attitudes based on faith that define people of faith by whether they attend church weekly or more or less often. Paul was no doubt at the temple whenever there was something going on.
Now do not misunderstand me, I strongly support engagement with a community of faith including weekly worship. I, frankly, think the times I need to be in worship most are those times I don’t want to be there when my mind is racing, my attention is distracted, and I am wondering why we are sing all four verses of a song. I have forgotten in these moments the source of my strength. I am in desperate need of being still and knowing God. Sometimes the third verse rarely sung is what pulls me back to the presence of God.
We need to find God’s righteousness and live God’s righteousness as was modeled for us in the life of Jesus. It is when we settle for our own righteousness that we run amuck.
Prayer: Lord, be present with us when we are distracted by the things of the world. Give us a nudge to remind us of your righteousness. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.