Physical therapy, prayer, and Islam

I know you are thinking, "what on earth?" I have an explanation. It's been 4 years since my trip to Jordan. One of the many things I brought back with me was a reinvograted prayer life after hearing the call to prayer 5 times a day and watching worshipers stop what they were doing whatever it might be, to pray. How wonderful. The busyness of life so often distracts us from a healthy prayer life and connecting with God regularly. I know my prayer list is always lengthy and sometimes overwhelming. After that trip to Jordan prayer took even more of a front seat in my life. I began using one of the best sites ever, echo prayer , to enter my ongoing prayer concerns. I set reminders to be sent to my phone three times a day. I chose three times I knew I could stop whatever I was doing and converse with God. About two months ago I injured myself. I found out a short time ago that in fact the injury was a herniated disc. After my first visit to a physical therapist last week I was given some exercises to help alleviate the pain and strengthen the area. It just so happens that I was asked to lay down flat on the floor 4-5 times a day to take pressure off my back and do the exercises. I am taking this as yet another great opportunity to dial it up another notch in my prayer life!

Christ Transforming Culture

A sermon that I delivered some time ago, though not the complete manuscript that seemed timely to post now. I look forward to comments! Nov. 14 Art “How to say it” Matthew 7:24-27 movies/books/tv/music Intro-We have spent the last 2 weeks talking about investments and returns and the opportunities we have to make investments that have returns with eternal implications with our time, or talent, and our resources, though we might never see it with our own eyes, we are called to sow. Last week we talked about God’s call for us to sow for the harvest is plenty but the workers are few. For the next two weeks we will talk about opportunities for sowing in our everyday lives that we might not be aware of…in a sense we are going to talk about evangelism. But I really want you to throw out your definitions of that word. I am not talking about standing on a street corner with a bull horn telling people they need to turn or they’re gonna burn. I’m talking about being a living witness to what God is doing in your life so that God might work through your life. Text today comes from the gospel of matthew 7:24-27 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” mission—The first time I really gave that passage of scripture any time beyond a cursory reading was four years ago. Mexico, Jesus, flooding, infrastructure… what are you building your life on? The passage says the storms will come. It doesn’t say if, it says when. Is your house, your life on high ground, a strong foundation? This relationship this process we are all in our relationship with God takes time and intention. An hour or two here on Sunday ain’t good enough. This walk, this life we are called to is 24/7, encompassing the entirety of life. It’s not just about us but all of the lives that we touch as well. That is what Jesus is calling our attention to here. This 24/7 living intentionally, Using your life and your relationships and your resources for his glory, building on a strong foundation. It’s really all his anyway, right? We just have it on loan. This text that I read is the last thing Jesus has to say in the Sermon on the Mount. A sermon that began with the beatitudes, blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek, etc followed by instructions on living, this section is on not judging or criticizing. It is the concluding parable to the sermon on the mount, with a choice between two opposite outcomes. Essentially we are being called to live our lives with great intention. Luke’s sermon on the plain ends much the same way 6:47-49 and takes it a step further. One who does word not only builds house on rock but is one who has literally dug, and deepened and laid a foundation. These instructions, not only to be heard but done, are followed in the gospel of Matthew by amazing healings, one after the other. It is not about the pursuit of righteousness in obeying commandments but about the good news of the dawning kingdom. That good news has healing effects. As bearers of that same news we have the same potential I’ve heard it said before that my life…your life, might be the only bible people ever read. What are people reading? and I don’t know about you but when I read the bible I experience many things, but one of those things is how far I have fallen short. Is that what people think when they look at your life, interact with you? Not because of what you have done but because of what God has done, is doing, in you. That’s the humility piece. That humility causes us to come with questions instead of answers. Get curious about people and ask questions. Get people thinking. Acting like you have all of the answers is pretty arrogant and off putting…ask questions, engage people and show them the firmness of your foundation Those who Hear word-do word-wise-rock-sustain stormThose who Hear word-don’t do-foolish-sand-fall Anything that we build expecting quality or do with intention often requires more time, and sometimes pain at least initially, until it becomes a habit, like teaching things to our children…supernanny Whatever our context we can be intentional in it. But just what is our context the world outside our doors is much different than the kingdom living God calls us to? Sometimes I have felt like a cross cultural missionary, speaking a different language For years Christians have felt they needed to hunker down in order to protect themselves from the outside world lest they might be dirtied or…protect ourselves form the outside world instead of engaging in it. Letting culture around us influence us rather than being influencers in it. This hiding, in a sense, has caused the church to rapidly lose its vibrancy. The church of the 20th century had 2 ways of teaching and modeling the Christians role in society, to separate spending time and money on their own, protecting selves from the corrupted nature of the world, seeing culture as sinful and our job to oppose it. Secondly was the cultural view, labeling themselves as Christian, an important part of their cultural identity. Generally good people but often with a connection to faith no more than a genealogical hand me down, volunteering time attending church on holidays and special occasions but never personalizing the work of Jesus as the motivator for life and the work they do. Intentions good but missing the holistic mark to which the gospel calls us forth. Enter the 21st century …, founder of the Q learning community and author of The Next Christians, Gabe Lyons calls attention to a new, yet faithful way of seeing 21st century culture and therefore our ways of relating in it…restorers, as he calls them, take the gospel seriously holding Jesus redemptive work on the cross and his resurrection as the main motivator for why they give their lives to bring God’s transforming love and renewal into every area of the world. They are purposeful in their careers and generous with their time and possessions. They don’t separate from the world or blend in, they thoughtfully engage. So instead of hiding from the outside world we engage in it, just like Jesus did. Rather than fearing the surrounding culture’s influence on us, we engage in it and become influencers of it. Working redemptively. In this journey, in this process we need to -speak the language of the natives-Jesus did, he engaged in the culture. Jesus took the form of a man. Jesus got dirty, ate with sinners. Jesus chose to come Many Christians have retreated from culture making it adversarial Whether we like it or not media—books, news, tv, movies, influence what we talk about. Communicating through existing channels will facilitate ease in discussions and we will talk about what that looks like a little more next week, but it is important to know. What is engaging people’s thoughts and minds and time? Start with common ground, common interests -ask questions- Build agreements instead of arguments Introduce the person to Christ by talking about your own life and allow the Holy Spirit to complete the work Good news-he is providing the instructions, we look back at the beautitudes and Jesus instructions for living that follow and we have been shown the way, we try to make it all complicated and it’s really not…not about just talking the talk or just coming here on Sunday and calling it good for the week, but about walking the talk and daily surrendering so that healing, real restoration of the planet might happen We must be careful not to separate ourselves out of the world any more than Jesus did. Our goal is to be like him. In the world but not of it. Jesus came to restore and is calling us to partner with him in this restoration Tending the soil-the ongoing process-living with intentionality about the foundation you are building, that others might as well. Richard Niebuhr was, by training, a Christian ethicist. In this capacity, his biggest concern was the way in which human beings relate to God, to each other, to their communities, and to the world. His most famous work is Christ and Culture 1951. It is often referenced in discussions and writings on a Christian's response to the world's culture. In the book, Niebuhr gives a history of how Christianity has responded to culture. He outlines five prevalent viewpoints: Christ against Culture. Christ of Culture. Christ above Culture. Christ and Culture in Paradox. Christ Transforming Culture. live somewhat less “between the times” and somewhat more in the divine “now” than do the followers listed above. Eternity, focuses less on the action of God before time or life with God after time, and more on the presence of God in time. more concerned with the divine possibility of a present renewal than with conservation of what has been given in creation or preparing for what will be given in a final redemption. You read it and decide for yourself I will say it again how important humility is, how important it is to come with questions instead of answers, engaging, in instead of running from culture…One of my favorite proverbs He who answers before listening that is his folly and his shame Prov. 18:13. End with the story of going to the church the first night after a full day’s work. What I thought they needed was not it at all. I came thinking I had something to give, an answer or something material, but They were celebrating what they had. I needed to ask questions. Take time to have conversations, to share stories. How strong is your foundation? There are two outcomes to this scripture, the one who hears and acts on what he hears, called wise, withstanding the storms of life and the one who hears and does nothing, called foolish, and falling with the storms of life.

Why Train?

This is the second in a three part series "Why"
As always note that this is a manuscript and it's delivery had some additions and subtractions. Your comments are welcome!

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Intro with the Super Bowl and the training it takes to be an athlete on that field…
Many of you know I have signed up to compete in my first Triathalon this June. That’s a race where you swim, bike, and run. I’ve been doing a lot of training and so when this text from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians came up in the lectionary for this Sunday it resonated deeply. As Paul points out there are so many ways the goal, discipline, and focus of training as an athlete relates to our spiritual journeys and our relationships with God. And so I thought we would discuss the need to train this week.

I started training last year in order to run in the Warrior Dash. This thing is crazy, it doesn’t only involve running a 5k but 13 obstacles including a 30 foot wall, mud pits and leaping over fire just to name a few. The event was in May but I started running last February. I have never been a runner. I didn’t do it in high school or college or since. This was the first time ever. I started out by just trying to run to the end of my street and gradually began to add distance. The day of the event I was a nervous wreck. Everyone was ready to go but I started doubting my readiness wondering if I had run enough, far enough, if my endurance was all that it could be. I mean running a 5k is one thing but throw in some obstacles and climbing and add in the fact that some of the running is through the woods in the mountains. Well that is a whole different ball game.

I still say I hate it, running that is, now a year later. Well actually it is kind of a love hate relationship. At least every time I get out and start I hate it. I don’t want to do it. It is such a mental battle, but when I am done, I feel so much better, I know I am closer to my goal and more prepared to accomplish it. I know I have done the work that needs to be done and there are many other positive things that have resulted from the training.

I have run in several 5ks in the last year. That has been great for my training, something to continue to work toward to get a better time and run with others. I have won some nice medals and picked up many t-shirts for my efforts. None of them really matter. They are tokens. I like to think of them as reminders of the journey from where I was to where I am. It has taken a lot of time and effort. It has meant rearranging my schedule to accommodate training. It has meant running and biking in the cold and in the rain. It has meant getting out of my warm cozy bed on Saturday mornings when it is still dark and cold, fully convinced that everyone else on the planet is still sleeping. It has meant doing a lot of things I did not feel like doing because I was working toward an end. I had a goal in mind. It wasn’t going to happen magically. I wasn’t going to be able to roll out of bed one day and run a 5k or swim and ride a bike 13 miles. It took time and intention.

What Paul is writing to the church of Corinth here is that our spiritual fitness takes the same amount of time and energy and intentionality as an athlete in training if we are to grow in our relationship with God. God wants that relationship and has gone to great lengths to have it with each and every one of us through his son Jesus, but like any relationship it is a two way street. It requires effort on our part to grow and build the muscles of our faith, sometimes tiring them out in order that they will develop and mature. Then we are prepared to handle the 30 ft walls that are thrown in our paths midrun when we are already tired and muddy or the fire we have to leap over when we think we have come to the end of the sprint. If you have been disciplined and done the training those obstacles are so much easier to overcome. If you haven’t it is a whole different ball game. Training takes a goal and it takes discipline.

John Wesley would say we are working out our own salvation. Yes Christ’s death on the cross atoned for our sin once for all, but when we accept that gift of God’s love and grace we bear a responsibility, a respons—ability. We are working out our salvation, but we do not do it alone, we do it empowered by the Holy Spirit. We just have to be open to hear that voice calling to us come on Heather you can do it. Come on you’re doing great. You are not here alone.

Many of the things we work hard for in our lives will pass away from this world, all of those medals both real or imagined, but our relationship with God is eternal. Why are you running the race? Is the reward you are seeking one that is perishable or imperishable? Are you running aimlessly or are you training for eternity?

I joined a group this January of others training for their first Tri. They split us up into groups based on what our times were like running a mile. Some of us were faster than others obviously. This has been an amazing experience. It has really helped me improve my time chasing people that are faster than me and being spurred on and encouraged by them as well. I have also had the opportunity to cheer others on and help them with their pace. As the church we can do that for one another. We are all at different parts of our training, of our journeys, and in our relationships with God and in that we are called to spur others on that are coming behind us and run toward those who have gone before us. We have the responsibility to do this for one another as brothers and sisters, fellow athletes, disciplining ourselves to run the race that has been set before us.

Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers, gathers and reflects on the stories of a number of people in a variety of walks of life whose success has been remarkable. None of these people, by their own admission, he affirms, were especially talented to do what they did. They all got to where they are today because an opportunity opened up to them that they were committed to take, and they spent at least 10,000 hours of practice in the kinds of skills needed to take advantage of that opportunity. 10,000 hours!

How many hours do you spend on spiritual fitness each week? In prayer, reading the scripture, studying, meditating on the scripture, fasting?
Besides time, my practice requires proper equipment…shoes, the right ones, made all the difference. Bible translation (if you don’t understand the one you have try another, talk to me and maybe I can help you find the right one for you….bike…learning how to use it your equipment…shift the gears at the right time makes a whole lot of difference in your speed and momentum when you are going up hill and down. Do you know how to read your bible? Why fasting is important (not to lose weight) Is prayer intimidating?…helmet…prayer/journal….goggles/see clearly, Do you have the eyes of faith to see the world? Do you need practice seeing people through God’s eyes and loving people with God’s heart using scripture as the lens?

How long will it take you to get to 10,000 hours? Are you a competitor or are you just warming the bench talking about how the athletes on the field could do it better?

I want to encourage you. You can be spiritually fit. It takes a goal. It takes a desire to know the God we say we love and long to spend eternity. It requires discipline—making room in our schedules, doing things we sometimes don’t want to do or are inconvenient or uncomfortable. Like the disciplined training of an athlete, these are the things that will strengthen our spiritual fitness and our relationship with God.

The Warrior Dash, that first race last year with the 13 obstacles was hard. I really had to fight to finish. I wanted to stop and walk off the course so any times. But I didn’t. One of the biggest reasons was I did it with my pastor friend. She had been in hardcore training for her first tri for several months. She completed a half ironman this past September, just to give you an idea of how dedicated she was to her training. During the race she was so great about circling back to run with me, encouraging me to press on and reassuring me I could do it.

Christ has done the hard training, has run before us that we might run toward him, and he is coming back for us. Be encouraged in knowing that you are not running the race alone. The Spirit of Christ runs with you. Your brothers and sisters are here to spur you on to greater victories through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen