Tag: wednesdays

FAITH

Well, it’s the season of Lent. Again.

---

Lots of folks look at Lent as a period of time during which they’re obligated to abstain from something meaningful as a means of proving themselves as Christians. And about this time of the year, I usually try to give something up–coffee, alcohol, fried food, Facebook, etc.

Sure, my doctor probably thinks it’s a decent idea for me to eat less fried chicken, even if only for a period of time before Easter. But it probably doesn’t bring me closer to God.

I’ve long appreciated liturgy. The downside of liturgical seasons is that, over time, they might start to feel rote. Worn out. Tired. Like you’ve been here before. Celebrate the birth of Christ, put away the Christmas tree, and soon it’s time to roll out the purple again and rub ashes on our foreheads.

Well, it’s the season of Lent. Again*.

Read More

FAITH

Sometimes God listens, and sometimes he doesn’t.

---

Throughout Advent this past year, I’ve been reading through the Book of Isaiah. As a refresher, Isaiah was a prophet writing about 800 years before the birth of Christ. The book, which many scholars attribute to multiple authors, follows along with the fall of Israel and its occupation. Frequently, Isaiah proclaims a prophecy of a new king of Israel to come, a foreshadowing of the birth of Christ*.

Back in December we were pondering through a text in Isaiah in Bible study, and it struck me that 800 years is a long, long time. Isaiah was predicting something he would never live to see–not just him, but not even his great-great-great-great-grandchildren. That’s a lot of darkness to peer into.

Anyway, last night I flipped back to the very beginning of Isaiah. It’s poetry, but it isn’t pretty.

Read More