Lenten Journal - Day 1: Why Am I Wandering The Desert?
Why am I doing this? In all my years in both the catholic and protestant churches have I ever practised lent. Why start now? My decision to do it this year I made hastily. Not always the best reason to do anything let alone something intended to help you know and experience God.
Jesus walked into the desert, fasted 40 days, was tempted, and came out just as righteous. That is what I want. To come out of the desert I've been wandering in the past few years into the loving embrace of God free from the burden of my sins.
It is an interesting choice for Didache as the first day on my Church Father Reading. The almost compulsive view of sin leaves me feeling a bit discouraged. What are my options? An obssession with sin where I use it as a club to hammer the nails into other people's hands instead of those of Christ. Or to ignore sin so it may continue to corrupt my soul and the soul of all those around me.
Dear Father God, why am I here in the desert? I do not know the full coruption of sin, nor the full power of your death on the Cross. What is righteousness in light of sin? What good is the desert if I stand still?
Amen
posted by Out Of Jersey | 5:18 PM
15 Comments:
I don't know if you've heard about this song, but this gives me the needed lift whenever I feel down and out.
____________________________________
You Are Mine
I will come to you in the silence,
I will lift you from all your fear.
You will hear my voice,
I claim you as my choice,
BE STILL AND KNOW I AM HERE.
I am hope for all who are hopeless,
I am eyes for all who long to see.
In the shadows of the night,
I will bring you light,
Come and rest in me.
Refrain:
Do not be afraid, I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me,
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.
by David Haas
__________________
In our desert experiences we are asked to be just still so God can be God.
This sounds like a worthy journey, CR. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us.
Thanks for the song Prodigal, I think it is definately something I need to remember. It is easier for me to focus on the dark and forget the light.
Cate,
It has always been my hope that through my making these mistakes and trying to figure it out that I can help others on their journey of faith, to show them the light of Christ. A social critic I saw speak a few months ago said, "the greatest suprise for people of faith is that it actually works."
I got what you were saying Rose, I think the desert, though painful at the time, ultimately leads to good. Like any difficult time it can lead us to rely on God more leading us to have a better relationship with Him ultimately.
Christ defeated the Foe in the desert, and conquered him at the cross. And so He turns our deserts into lush valleys. There is much to meditate on here...
Great, searching, post, Rev. I can definitely relate. I'm very familiar with the desert. Unfortunately. :-)
Tanya
Preachrboy,
That is how I am seeing this time, as a way to conquer the foe.
Andrea,
I am hopefully going to find a flower or 2 in the desert as well.
Tanya,
There's a time and a place for us all to walk into the desert. Now's my time. thanks for the kind words.
...you give a girl lots to think about...thankyou!
I'm glad I can be a help to a girl out.
Interesting that you're exploring this.
Make sure to keep us posted as to your progress!
I've been writing on a daily basis about this, but am not sure how often to actually post on what's going on. I'm afraid of posting something everyday and making it boring. Plus I just don't have the time to. It's getting interesting to say the least.
Hey,
Who did that drawing in your post?
You?
It is good. I like it.
Why are you Catholic? What is the draw...not to Christ, but to cathololicism?
I have a book to recommend:
"Pigs in the Parlor" by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond.
You may find it indespensable. I quite like it.
ALSO
"Prayers That Heal The Heart" by Mark and Patty Virkler is excellent.
A story from the book:
The man who wrote just got fired from his parish after making several thousand dollars for the church with his own invention.
He is depressed and hurt for over a year, and finally begins to examine the day it happened. In a resturaunt for breakfast, getting fired...he remembers, it is painful...it hurts.
He wonders: Jesus is with me always, where was he then? So he looks around the memory to find Jesus and sees him by the waitress station just LAUGHING his ass off.
Angry that Jesus laughs when he is down he asks the Lord, why do you laugh at me?
"Oh Mark", he replies I have been trying to get you to quit that job for years. I have MUCH bigger plans for you than that church could hold. I am laughing because I am so filled with JOY!! Now we can finally get started."
After finding Jesus in the picture, Mark was able to let go of the pain. He then wrote the book, which is quite good. If you read it, I think it needs to be augmented with the videos: Prayers that Heal the Heart.
Anyway, please try to find the books. I cannot share them with many friends thease days.
Remember, wherever you are, Jesus comes too, even the desert. He is a telephone to God, and we all have a piece of him...if we ask for it.
Bright Blessings.
Thought provoking stuff.
Infi,
that was well put. probably much better than i could have. I'll have to check out those books. I am always out for stuff to read.
I wonder if Jesus'll be laughing with joy when I get out?
thanks eddo.
Cube rev! Thanks for your deep thoughts in your post. I am on the 3rd reading since we are a day ahead in Aust. You really got me thinking.
This part of Lent has been great for me already, sometimes we need to stop and think of the dry times, and how Jesus overcame them etc. Keep sharing your thoughts!
Bless ya!
Post a Comment
<< Home