Hearing the Music

Blindfolded

Have you ever been in situation where you were almost completely unable to see? Maybe a blinding snowstorm? Deep in the heart of a mountain while spelunking? In a remote area of woods with no ambient light? Losing sight can be disorienting, even frightening.

I was reminded of this recently through a passage from our old friend J.R.R. Tolkien and his tale of Frodo carrying the ring of power to Mt. Doom. Two times in their journey, Frodo and companions are blindfolded and led by others. The first is by the elves of Lothlorien and the second was by Faramir in the woods of Ithilien as they are led into their waterfall sanctuary. As noted above, it is no fun to be blindfolded. You lose all sense of who you are and where you are. It can be very disorienting, even to the point of making one physically sick. Yet in each of these cases, Frodo and companions were well cared for along the way and the blindfolds were removed in an oasis the likes of which they could not have imagined.

Twenty nine years ago this week our oldest daughter, Madilyn, was born. When she was born, we knew that she had some heart problems, but needless to say, Lisa and I were very much in the dark over the course of the next three and a half months, enduring hospitals, surgeries, a beautiful, tiny girl with such a tenuous grasp on life, until she was finally taken from us. It was disorienting. This was not how we expected parenthood to go. We were very much in the dark.

I don't share this because we have come through the darkness and all is light. We still do not have all the answers as to why this short life; and there have been other "blindfold" moments along the way. But I share it to give testimony to the fact that we were cared for along the way, and though we had moments in which we stumbled, God, through his word and his saints was faithful to us.

One truth that has become meaningful is captured so well in Psalm 25:8–10:

Good and upright is the LORD;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

We are able to walk in the dark because we trust the one who is leading us. He is good and upright. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness. Though we may be disoriented he sees clearly. Though we may not understand where he is leading, there is an oasis of refreshment waiting.

I know that some of you are "blindfolded" even now. It is hard. It can be disorienting. Don't give up on the Lord. All his paths are steadfast love and faithfulness.

Photo by Cherry Laithang on Unsplash

Flocking to Jesus

Well here we go into 2023! Lisa and I were commenting on the rhythms of life and how in the fall folks seem to be excited for the change of season, back to school, etc... Whereas January often lacks that same enthusiasm. Holidays are over. Back to school doesn't feel the same. We all could use a little sunshine ...

I can not necessarily bring sunshine, but I can invite you into a study of the person of Jesus in the gospels over the next several months. The gospels tell multiple stories of Jesus relating to all sorts of people. Poor people. Rich people. Sick. Grieving. Old and young. Jew and Gentile. People known for their sinfulness, as well as those known for their virtue. Looking through their eyes, we see a man who valued people of all kinds — especially those vilified by others.  Indeed, the way that Jesus treated people shows that he was a man like no other.  We should not be surprised, therefore, that people have been flocking to Jesus ever since.  Flocking to Jesus is the title of our next sermon series and my prayer is that it will be a ray of sunshine for you this winter.

Speaking of rays, we will be looking at the Magi this week through the text of Matthew 2:1-18. As you know, it wasn't the sun, but another star that led these wise men from the east to come and pay homage to the one who was born king of the Jews. These wise men were an early example of how people flocked to Jesus.

A Trellis to Grow On

Wild roses can be beautiful. However, without stakes or a more formal trellis to get them off the ground and help display their beauty, you may never see them. The idea of the trellis is often used to talk about an ancient Christian spiritual discipline called the "Rule of Life". The term rule is often confusing because we think of it in terms of a law; something that you can't break or you will be in trouble. But the term is used more akin to a ruler, an edge by which you draw a straight line or an instrument used to measure. So a rule of life for the Christian is a trellis that helps us abide in Christ and display more beautifully the fruit which his love is producing in us. Practically, it is an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the center of everything we do.*

As we say goodbye to 2022 and turn the corner into 2023, it is a good time to take spiritual inventory and work on our trellis for the upcoming year. Here are 5 steps that can provide a springboard for you in forming that intentional, conscious plan:

1. Write down everything you currently do (or hope to do) that nurtures your spirit and fills you with delight (e.g. people, places, activities). Think more broadly beyond such activities as prayer, going to church, worship, and Bible reading. Your list may include gardening, walking the dog, being in nature, talking with close friends, cooking, painting, hobbies, or any number of other possibilities.
2. Write down the activities you need to avoid, limit, or eliminate that pull you away from remaining anchored in Christ. This refers to avoiding certain things that impact your spirit negatively such as overly romantic or violent movies, excessive social media involvement, commitments that take you beyond your limits, gossip sessions, etc ...
3. What are the challenging “have to’s” in the next 3-6 months of your life that will impact your rhythms? (e.g. caring for aging parents, a special needs child, a demanding season at work, moving, health issues ...)
4. Write out a Rule of Life (i.e. specific goals) incorporating major areas such as prayer, rest, work, relationships, etc .... Ask God what He is inviting you to focus on as you consider your next 3-6 months?
5. Take a step back and consider the following questions:
   • What do you think will be your biggest challenge?
   • What is the one thing you sense the Holy Spirit directing you to start doing now? 
   • What might be one thing you want to stop doing? 
   • Is there someone you can invite to encourage you in making these changes?

I do hope that some of you will be challenged to work on a rule. If you are having trouble getting started, feel free to ask a friend to journey with you. If you are not sure what a finished product might look like, I would be delighted to offer any advice or encouragement I can as well!

A final word. Let this be a joyful invitation from your Heavenly Father to rest in and celebrate the work He is already doing in your life. Spiritual disciplines (such as a Rule of Life) are means of grace by which God can nourish us. Ultimately a "Rule" should help you to experience the love of God more! If it becomes a legalistic way of earning points with God or impressing others, it should be scrapped. The compassionate heart of God is truly unmatched. Like Jonah, we may run far and break every "Rule" but God will still be intent on inviting us deeper.

* Rule of Life definition along with the 5 developmental steps adapted from the work of Peter Scazzero.

Here are some additional notes on the Rule of Life from our recent Adult Institute class, Communion with God.

Photo by Brittney Strange on Unsplash