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Tag Archives: Lent

Remember you are dust…

14 Wednesday Feb 2018

Posted by laceduplutheran in Church, Theology

≈ 1 Comment

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Ash Wednesday, dust, God, Lent

…and to dust you shall return.

These are the words spoken on Ash Wednesday.

I love Ash Wednesday.  I love Lent.  I love Holy Week.  It’s my favorite church time of the year.  The season of Lent forces us to deal with things most people would rather not face.  it forces me to deal with realities about who/whose I am.  It forces me to deal with my limitations and brokenness.  And to hear words of grace that I desperately need.

It starts with Ash Wednesday.  We are told that we are going to die.  Not only are we told we are going to die, but the message is forced on us – it literally is put in/on our face.  Since our culture is afraid of death, we need to hear this.  Many people are moving away from having funerals where a body or ashes are present to a memorial service or a celebration of life or something of this nature.  I understand this – we’d rather not deal with death.  Death is not a fun topic.  It sounds so final.  Yet, the Good News is that death does not get the final say.

As we go through Lent, we hear about how broken we really are.  We hear how desperately we need Jesus.  We can’t do this on our own.  And thankfully God provides the means.  The Good News is that death does not get the final say.

Then we come to Holy Week.  As we progress through the week, the story gets grimmer and dimmer.  It seems as though all hope is lost.  There is betrayal and handing of Jesus over.  There is brokenness and sin.  There are many lasts.  There are many ends.  Yet, as we go into Easter, we experience the end of the ends – a new beginning.  Resurrection!

We have to experience death before we can know resurrection.  This is the Good News.  Death does not have the final say.  God has the final say.  And it is good news for us.  The best news in the history of the world.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.  Remember you are dust, but God will not forget you or God’s promises to you.  Remember you are dust…

Still need an idea on what to give up for Lent?

09 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by laceduplutheran in Humanity, Politics, Theology

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giving up, Lent

It’s not too late to give up something for Lent.  Trust me, I’m in seminary – I know about these things!

Here’s an idea of what to give up – Give up the thing that drives you nuts.  Give up the thing that gives you a visceral reaction.  Give up responding to the thing or person that irks you.

Politics got you in a funk – you know it does if you have the feeling in the pit of your stomach anytime you hear the words politics, partisanship, Democrat, Republican, Congress, President, Trump, Pelosi, Obama, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, etc.

Maybe it’s not that. Here’s some other suggestions – give up power grabs and office politics.

Or how about trying to force other people to conform to your will and thoughts and beliefs.

Maybe you’ve been on the receiving end of these things.  Maybe try giving up being walked over.  Maybe try giving up bottling everything up inside yourself.  Maybe try giving up trying to go it alone when what you really need is help.

Think the world won’t be able to manage for a little over a month without you stressing about any of these things?  What do you think will happen when you die?  All this crap will continue on without you.  History doesn’t end when you die.

Now is a great time to give up some things that are not healthy for yourself.  Lent isn’t like new diet.  Lent is an opportunity to examine the relationships we have with God, with others, with ourselves, and with our stuff.  To look deep within that relationship and see what we don’t like about it, what God doesn’t like about it, and to see where God is calling us and how God is calling us to respond to God in our life.  Maybe the thing we give up stays out of our lives.  Maybe it comes back, but in a different way – a different relationship.  Maybe it comes back the same, but how we deal with it has changed.

Just don’t give up.  God doesn’t give up on you.

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laceduplutheran

laceduplutheran

I believe that God, church, and theology are approachable, enjoyable, and relevant for everyone. I write about this a lot because people need to hear it. So many people feel lost, hopeless, alone, and are searching for identity and meaning. I'm an ELCA Pastor (Lutheran) who has a background in politics, business, and the non-profit worlds. I take churchy theological ideas and words and communicate them in everyday language that people can understand, in ways that relate, and show that God, church, and theology matter a great deal. Oh, and it doesn't have to be boring either - mostly because it's the best news ever!

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