Lent
April 1, 2022
Scripture Reading:
Philippians 3:4b-14
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 3:12-14
Learn from your mistakes and move on. My mother always said we should not cry over spilled milk, although I remember seeing her cry over breaking one of her mother’s antique bowls. I am reading N. T. Wright’s book, Paul, A Biography. It is very good by the way. Paul was always strongly right until he got spun around to face a different reality on that road to Damascus. He was still Paul, strongly right, having to deal with having been strongly wrong. After this experience, Paul seems to burst out in all the wrong directions until he finally traveled to the mountain to spend time with God. He then returned to his hometown, Tarsus, where he spent several years reconstructing his faith. I am reminded of the title of Marcus Borg’s book, Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally.
As we live into the 21st century we face challenges our ancestors in faith never dreamed of when they recorded their experiences with God. Yet the Word of God is still as vibrant today as it was 2000 years ago. We still need to maintain a close relationship with God and glean the truths of God’s word as it applies to us today. Searching scriptures to find the ways we can love God and love our neighbors as ourselves might be a good place to start.
Prayer: God who is Love, forgive us for our past misunderstandings and help us prepare for the realization of your Kingdom in our world today. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.