During a season that is often associated with
the desert wilderness, perhaps the last thing we’d
expect to find are the stones we are tempted to turn
into bread covered with snow. But, here we are, one
full week into the journey of discovery. By now the
Ashes have been washed away and our practices are
becoming more of a routine…or we are at the point
where the temptation to return to former habits is
stronger than the hope we have in our hearts.
Perhaps just one week into it we have already given
up what we have taken on, or we have taken on again
what we committed to giving up. On the 8th day of
Lent we may feel as if these 40 days of wandering
are going to last 40 years. In fact, rather than
seeing past our brokenness we might become too
familiar with it again.
And that may leave you, as it has me before, feeling
lonely and isolated. And in the wilderness, that is
one feeling we don’t want to be left alone with.
Today’s daily lectionary reading is from Mark
1.29-40
[click here to read the text]. Having just
called his disciples, Jesus now finds himself on the
streets and in the homes of those he shares life
with. I began to notice how the healings take place
in Mark’s first chapter. Rather than Jesus going up
to people and asking, “Do you want to be healed?”
the people come to him:
“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever,
and they told him about her at once. He came and
took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the
fever left her, and she began to serve them.” (Mark
1.31)
A few lines later we read…
“A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he
said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and
touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made
clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was
made clean.” (Mark 1.40,41)
Often the church collectively focuses so much on
extending itself as a helping hand, that we
sometimes forget to reach out and ask for help when
we find ourselves in need. While this is more of a
struggle for some of us than others, if there is
anything the stories of our scripture teach us, it
is that God is always mindful of us, and wants to
bring healing to God’s people.
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Sometimes, this simply means we need to ask other people for help.
Today I was reminded of this as I was walking the neighborhood
surrounding First Presbyterian Church. As the snow fell softly, I
heard in the distance the bells chiming. While I do not remember the
hymn it played, I do remember the thought that came to mind: the
church is a respite for us during the season of wilderness
discovery. On Sunday mornings we come to gather corporately to pray
and to sing, to listen and to offer our lives back to God in
worship. The bells of the church reminded me that God is good, that
we belong entirely to God, and that our lives are rooted in God’s
love.
The bells do not merely say, “Be good, come to church.” They do not
merely say, “Keep the commandments,” but rather, they say, “come
with us, the way to Love is not hard, God’s has made it easy. You
are not alone in this season, this city, or in this life.”
Week one into the wilderness and we are covered in snow, but in our
hearts we know, we aren’t alone.
See you Sunday at 301 Pekin Street!
[Adam Quine, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln] |
