My reading this week has included my daily readings from Treasury of Daily Prayer, The Theology of the Cross and both have complemented God is on the Cross. I throw in The Book Thief for levity. Just kidding.
And I'm sure I'm driving my kids nuts every time I play this in the van but Noah Gundersen's "Ledges" is my official Lenten song. Song - not hymn, Lutherans. Don't panic.
This is the soundtrack of my life right now. I cannot make it through without shedding tears. Thank you, Noah.
Snow continues to be pervasive and seems to come either on a Wednesday afternoon or Saturday night to negatively affect our church worship (hence my previous theory that they're sinflakes.)
But whatever.
Back to self-denial.
Jesus perfected denial of self and did so out of obedience to his Father and for the love of mankind. What love is this, o my soul. The Son of God humbled himself taking the form of a slave, being formed in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross. Philippians 2:7,8
We too carry our own crosses - not for the same reason or in the same way. But we share in suffering in that we have an internal struggle of flesh and blood called SELF that resists following Christ. The battle we face throughout our lives of sanctification is fought until we reach our eternal glory - and it's exhausting! Thanks be to God for his perfect self-denial to win for us salvation. Thanks be to God for sending his Spirit to give us strength enough to fight these battles and preserve us in the one true faith.
God lets himself be pushed out of the world and onto the cross; God is impotent and weak in the world yet specially and only so that he is with us and helps us. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The mystery of Easter
I've got a lot of loose ends. I've done some damage. I've cut the rope so it frayed. And I've got a lot of good friends. Keeping me distracted. Keeping my sanity safe.
Here I stand on the edge of the ledges I've made looking for a steady hand.
Here I stand in the land of the rocks and the valleys trying to be a better man for you.
I want to learn how to love - and give it all back.
Forgive me all that I've done. ~ Noah Gundersen
Thank you to the friends that have been there for me keeping me distracted. You are gifts! ~ Rachel
19 comments:
Third Wednesday of Lent - In the Wilderness
I just read this a little while ago, and as with yesterday's reading, this is one that needs to sink in before I can comment much.
One thing I'll be thinking about with this reading is the idea that "God leaves human beings alone in temptation."
What? Why would he do that? Is that really true? So I need to find some passages that speak to that.
Ugg! What a way to start this week's theme of "Temptation"! I have no idea where he's going with this.
"In the Wilderness" - speaks about Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and how "the hour of temptation is supposed to find Jesus weak, alone and hungry." OK - I'm following. And then, "God leaves human beings alone in temptation."? Then later. "God forsakes us and is quite distant from us. We are in the wilderness."???
I have tried to figure out if maybe he's going somewhere with a thought that might be revealed as we progress through the week. Or if this is just plain untruth and he was totally off on this because I can find nothing Biblical to support this. Even Jesus wasn't left completely without any weapons to fight with - He used the Word of God. We too have the armour of God to fight with and we have the Holy Spirit in and with us. God is never distant from us. He promises to be with us always.
"No temptation has seized you except that which in common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."1 Cor. 1:13
It may feel as if you are alone and he has abandoned you but that's quite different than saying God forsakes us. Good grief. Am I missing something?
I'd like my pastor husband to read this one and see what he thinks. And maybe it will be revealed as we read on this week. But I have a hard time now seeing where he's going with this! Or maybe you have insights?
Nope, I got nothin'. What did your pastor say?
Thursday - Lead Us Not into Temptation
I must admit, I DO like the way Bonhoeffer argues with himself in this reading. I often argue with myself - and when I do, the outcome of my pondering is often more solid than if I'd not posed the arguments to myself. To "hear" Bonhoeffer argue with himself draws me into the argument and helps me to think through it for myself.
However, in this instance, I do think it's a kind of weird argument. Here is what I can come up with as far as thoughts on the issue:
Temptation MUST come, yes. We are sinners! we live in a sinful world! Satan attacks! It is going to happen.
Why then, does Jesus say we ought to pray "lead us not into temptation?" God does not tempt us, as Luther says in his explanation of the fifth petition:
"God, indeed, tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and gain the victory."
What I am asking when I pray the 5th petition is this - "Lord, please keep temptation from me. If it is your will, as you work all things for the good of those who love you, that I be tempted, please give me the wisdom and strength to stand up under it, as you have promised (I Cor 1:13)."
And that's all I have to say about that.
Continued thoughts on Wednesday's reading - "In the Wilderness"
Ha! Thanks for your honesty:)
I did get a chance to run this by my hubby. He had some of the same thoughts - that it SEEMS as if we're abandoned but we are always armed with the same tools Jesus had. More importantly - For Jesus, his perfection in battling temptation is part of his active obedience (dusting off cobwebs from confirmation here). He lived the perfect life in our place and this journey in the wilderness was a pivotal part in understanding that.
"lead us not into temptation"
I really don't have any additional big thoughts to add to yours on this one. You are right - it is like he's asking these questions out loud and drawing the reader in. This is where I so appreciate our Lutheran Confessions and Catechism. We have the answers to "what does this mean".
And I really like the quote from Catherine of Sienna - there's the big picture - don't be afraid, rejoice knowing that Christ was crucified!
"Conscience is shame before God"
Our consciences are pricked when we have sinned against God's law. And I find the inner struggle he writes about interesting. At first I didn't know if I agreed with him necessarily. But after reading a few times I think I know what he's meaning. The guilt that one feels is both a defence of one's SELF and points to God. It's the struggle, a red flag for the soul that something is off. And our first inclination is that it "drives people away from God and into safe hiding. Here, away from God, they then play the judge themselves and in this way avoid God's judgement." There's the defence for relativism right there! Left unchecked their hearts grow cold so that their conscience is no longer bothered.
For Christians, that's why a careful examination of ourselves before Holy Communion is so important. When we consider the past week or two of our lives and how far we've strayed from God's law, we recognize our need for a Saviour once again and joyfully come to the Table to receive forgiveness of sins and our faith strengthened.
May my conscience continue to become more sensitive to God's will and therefore make me more aware of my need for Jesus and rejoice in the Gospel message of my salvation!
Friday - Conscience is Shame Before God
I had to really let this one settle in and mull it over before reading your comments or commenting myself. I do believe that the way you've described it is along the lines of the conclusion I reached about how to understand what he is writing in a Biblical way.
The way I first understood it, it bothered me that it sounded like he was describing the conscience as a bad thing - something that drives us away from God. The Bible never describes the conscience as a bad thing.
If we have no solution for our guilt, we are indeed driven away from God! Knowing Jesus, however, as we receive the assurance of forgiveness, it becomes easier to come to terms with just how sinful we are, and therefore, our consciences become more sensitive in recognizing when we are straying from God's will. I echo your prayer in the last sentence of your comment, Rachel! So well said!
I still prefer to think of the conscience as that inner voice that recognizes when all is not right. It cannot be trusted as the voice of God, because it can become desensitized, over-sensitized, contaminated, etc. It is a clue that must not be ignored - its claims must be investigated!
As Christians, we can look that conscience and its accusations straight in the face. There is no need to flee from God when we are accused. In light of Scripture, we can say "yes Lord. I have sinned. Please forgive me, for Jesus' sake," or we can say, "no, there are other factors causing this conscience-alarm." It might be the expectations of others, ourselves, or the greater society we live in. It could be a misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about a particular topic.
I really like the way Bonhoeffer sort of slices things at a different angle than I am accustomed to. It leads me to examine what he has said in light of what I know to be true in order to make a judgment about his statement. That process helps me to understand myself and God's Word better.
Saturday - Our Inner Power of Resistance
Simplicity and straightforwardness! Yes! It does take inner resistance against what is forced on us from the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh in order to remain simple and straightforward. I especially like how Bonhoeffer said our "uprightness AGAINST ourselves" must be "ruthless." From where does this ruthless uprightness come? Certainly not from within ourselves, if it is against ourselves! It must be transplanted into our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace! Daily!
"We need not geniuses, not cynics, not misanthropes, not refined tacticians..."
The juxtaposition (Oooh! I used a big word!) of human wisdom against the simple, straightforward, powerful truths of God's Word brings to mind this section of 1 Corinthians 18:
18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'
20 "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"
Finally, the Scripture passage chosen for this reading, Micah 6:8, is just perfect! It is a breath of simple, straightforward fresh air for me whenever I am bogged down by the complexities of life.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, Tracy. Everything will be okay.
First just a short follow up to your comments on Friday's topic of conscience. Just wanted to agree with you about it being from God. Yet with most good things, we humans in our sin screw it up so we distort it, numb it's effects - but thank God it's there for us! There is indeed no need to flee from God as you stated - but sometimes I try as God says "where are you?" as he did to Adam and Eve in the garden after the fall. There really is nothing new under the sun!
Sat - Our Inner Power of Resistance
I'm reading this in light of what Bonhoeffer was going through at the time. I've been reading the fictional book "The Book Thief" which was recently made into a movie I haven't seen yet. But it's set in Nazi Germany and it's brutal, and messy, complicated and hateful. And I can imagine the environment he's talking about in this reading - of men who imagined themselves perfect geniuses, brilliant minds of an "ideal race" willing to do whatever was needed, numb to conscience, to attain their goals.
And for those up against all that "wisdom of the world" that in the end is NOTHING, he describes his reaction of "the arts of pretence and ambiguous speech. Through unbearable conflicts we have become worn out and perhaps even cynical." And he asks out loud "are we still useful'?
Then insert those great passages you quoted!
Encouragement for us today to "keep it simple, stupid!" The Nazi's may be gone here today but they've only been replaced. Our inner power of resistance is made powerful by the Spirit working in us and keeping us on the" path to simplicity and straightforwardness."
Thank you for the reminder about the world that Bonhoeffer was living in. It is so difficult for me to even imagine - and how he was able to bear up under such horrifyingly cruelty is amazing. I might even say, miraculous.
Your last paragraph is especially good - the Nazis in Bonhoeffer's day have been replaced in our lives by others who appear wise, and who practice the arts of pretense and ambiguous speech. Certainly I'd rather have today's purveyors of worldly wisdom. They seem less evil. But are they any less dangerous to our faith? Perhaps more dangerous because of how subtle they are in leading our thoughts and attitudes. But as you say, the Spirit gives power to our inner resistance.
Sunday - Do Not Repay Evil with Evil
The human nature wants vengeance. When something bad happens, people want to find someone to blame, and they want to see that person punished. I don't recall who said it, but I once heard it said that oftentimes when people say they want justice, what they are really looking for is vengeance.
When we turn the other cheek, we might appear weak. "How can you let that person beat up on you like that?" I submit that it takes more strength to resist the urge to fight back than it does to allow the sinful nature's desire for vengeance take over.
Bonhoeffer's statement - "suffering injustice does not hurt the Christian..." - How powerful that is, considering what he was going through! What a tremendous work of the Holy Spirit for Bonhoeffer to be able to see those who were mistreating him as "people for whom Christ died, as people Christ loves."
"How can we overcome evil? By our forgiving it endlessly." Words to live by. Or, in Bonhoeffer's case, to die honorably by.
Monday - The Call to Discipleship Means Death and Life
"Jesus Christ in his word must be our death and our life." In that order. Daily, we die to ourselves - putting away all our wishes and desires - and then our new self can live.
I confess that I do not think about this every day. I do not remember my baptism daily as I should. I don't welcome the struggle that my new self will have against sin and the devil.
Being completely honest, I think that I search for ways that my old self looks, outwardly, good enough to pass for the new self. After all, like I said in a previous post, I am a pleaser. I want to do good and be good. [Nobody has to know that it's for my own honor that I want to be good.] I embrace that, and thereby avoid the struggle. Dear Father, forgive me.
"Christ's call, or baptism, means placing the Christian into a daily struggle against sin and the devil. Hence every new day, with its temptations through flesh and the world, brings new sufferings of Jesus Christ upon his disciples." Bonhoeffer links the struggle against sin and the devil to the idea of bearing our crosses, and this being the way we participate in the sufferings of Christ. But this suffering, as he says, is not disconcerting. It is "pure blessing and joy."
I just read through 1 Peter 4. It seems like a great chapter to meditate on in conjunction with today's reading.
As I continue my day and I see that Old Adam poking his head up out of the water - when I thought I'd drowned him for the day! - this will be my mantra: "Deny myself; embrace the struggle."
Sunday - Do not repay evil with evil
These words he wrote under the conditions he was in must of been a journey to get to! Surrounded by so much evil, he would have had to fight that gut reaction you mentioned about wanting to get some vengeance. It takes much more strength of character to not open our mouth in anger.
Jesus did this perfectly for us as shown on the cross in his words, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Here he was suffering the ultimate injustice and was still able to show mercy and love!
As for the rest of us poor, miserable sinners on this side of heaven, it's easier said than done! But if we can keep his perspective found in his words "How can we overcome evil? By our forgiving it endlessly. How does this happen? By our seeing enemies as they really are: as people for whom Christ died, as people Christ loves." Amen! Lord, give to me this perspective so that love reigns in my heart and I may glorify you in the face of evil. Amen.
Monday - The Call to Discipleship
Yes - Death to Self, Life in Christ! Daily.
"Christ's call, or baptism, means placing the Christian into a daily struggle against sin and the devil." While our baptism's were a one shot deal (for myself as an infant), Luther is reported to have said -
The old Adam is drowned in baptism, though as Luther observed, "the old Adam is a mighty good swimmer," and keeps popping up. Baptism takes an instant, and requires a lifetime.
I confess to having a very.hard.time. seeing this as a blessing and a joy which is another great reason for me to daily be in the Word for strength and clarity! Without it I am exhausted by the struggle and feel hopeless in seeing what the point of it all is anyway. With it I am assured of God's protective plan and equipped for the struggle!
I do find this interesting and little confusing as to why this is under the theme of "temptation"? But the battles are real and if we are not aware and equipped, we are more prone to temptation.
I will read 1 Peter in my reading today - thanks of the suggestion!
Tuesday - We Watch With Christ in Gethsemane
This is the final devotion for the week's theme of "Temptation".
I think he says it best "doubt and temptation about the meaningfulness of being cast to and fro, of being at the mercy of things, will not cease as long as we remain focused on ourselves, as long as in one form or another "the other" does not step into our lives." In other words, we are tempted to look at SELF- whether for assurance of our salvation or strength to overcome adversity or to find meaning in this world, etc. But the reality of looking at SELF for all these things is meaningless.
He also refers to "this-worldliness of life" that I think could just simply be said "life". But I definitely get what he's saying! When we finally give up trying to be someone for ourselves and by the grace of Jesus fall completely into God's arms, we cease looking at "our own suffering but the suffering of God in the world. We watch with Christ in Gethsemane." We can't do both at the same time. (I am however, pretty good at going back and forth) I'm either focused on my own misery brought about by worry, doubt and fear of things temporal or I'm focused on my eternal blessings given to me by grace in the cross of Christ. And yes, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this can only be done in faith!
Lord, give me strength so that I don't give in to my grief and fall asleep but rather have the endurance to pray and keep watch! Equip me to resist temptation whether they come from sources externally or internally. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Thank you for the privilege of keeping watch with you in Gethsemane but praise be to God for GOING to Gethsemane for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Back to Monday for a moment:
You stated your confusion about why "the call to discipleship" was included under the theme of temptation. To me, it seems to fit quite nicely. I am someone whose temptation seem to come mainly from that Old Adam who is, as you quoted Luther, "a mighty good swimmer." My sinful nature has such subtle and seemingly innocuous ways of weaseling its way into my good intentions! And this is the way temptation gains a foothold in me! In order to better fight temptation I am learning more and more - and Monday's reading and resulting Scripture exploration has given me some good weapons against it - that I need to purposefully deny my( old )self, knowing that it will be a struggle, and then embrace that struggle as a way that I can "take up my cross and follow [Jesus]."
I wanted to also mention that in my reading in Luke this morning was chapter 9. That chapter contains 2 relevant sections to this topic. One is v23-25, which is the parallel passage to the one from Mark that is quoted in Monday's reading, which includes, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Then later on in Luke 9 is a section with the heading "The Cost of Following Jesus." It is neat the way God works these things out to help us learn things about him!
Tuesday - We Watch with Christ in Gethsemane
I also particularly appreciated the sentence you quoted, Rachel. I often feel that I am being cast to and fro by life! I come up with a plan (for my day, or my week, or my life, for that matter) and there is always something that derails it! Sometimes it's me, sometimes it's someone else, and sometimes it is just circumstances beyond anyone's control, but whatever it is, I get to feel that I am straining strenuously in one direction and then the next, but getting absolutely nowhere! It makes me feel like all this straining is meaningless and that I might as well just sit down and give up because I'll end up in the same place anyway.
And when I get to feeling like that is when I know that I have become much too focused on myself. I have become set on my own "wishes and desires," as Bonhoeffer called them - my own plans, my own sense of satisfaction when I accomplish my goals... I realize then that the desire to submit to God's will has been crowded out.
Maybe you can shed some light for me on what he is trying to describe with "this-worldliness." He lost me in that really long second sentence where it says, "...when we have renounced all of that, we fall completely into God's arms and what I call this-worldliness, namely, living in an abundance of tasks, questions, successes and failures, experiences, and helplessness. We then take seriously no longer our own suffering..." So "this-worldliness" is a good thing? "Living in an abundance of tasks, questions, successes and failures, experiences and helplessness" is a good thing?
And what about "the suffering of God in the world?" I can't quite wrap my brain around what that phrase means.
Thank you for concluding "temptation week" with that beautiful prayer!
Thank you again for your suggested Bible readings to enhance our understanding of what we're reading. Good stuff and very applicable!
I appreciate your follow up comments on Monday's reading. I can see what you're saying more clearly now and how it applies to temptation. It's easy to say (as the man quoted in Luke 9:57) that I'd follow Jesus wherever. But the reality is that I start making excuses like the rest of the men he encountered. And so goes our lives of sanctification! Thank goodness I am assured of my salvation through what Christ has done for me and I'm not counting on myself for salvation because clearly I can't be counted on! But the more I'm aware of this battle between my Old Adam and New Man, I am better able to recognize the subtle temptations I am up against. And then like you said - "embrace the struggle" as a means to draw me closer to my Saviour!
Now as to my response to what you asked concerning today's long sentence - I must have read that sentence 10 times and then a few more times out loud. It was when I read it out loud that I think it made the most sense but keep in mind this is just my take on it! I'm thinking that what we're reading was translated from German into English and this would be a good example of the translation loosing some of it's clarity in meaning and doesn't make grammatical sense either. So the meaning I gained from it was that: we live in the world with all of it's "this-worldliness" and there's no getting around it. But wouldn't it be better to fall completely into God's arms in the midst of "this-worldliness"? With this understanding, it makes sense to continue his next thought, "We then take seriously no longer our own suffering…"
Now the next question you had picks up on the next phrase, "but the suffering of God in the world." You're right - that's an odd phrase. So I'm using the context to understand it as the suffering outside of ourselves like when he mentioned being concerned about what his parents were going through while he was the one in prison. I don't think we need to read too much into that particular phrase - I hesitate in fear of getting heretical;)
Thanks for helping things settle in to my brain by your explanations of how you understood the reading. That helps!
The struggle as a means to draw me closer to my Savior - yes! That is well-put!
On to the new week.
Blessings to you, friend!
Tracy
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