Thomas à Kempis: Occasions of adversity

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:5-6

“Occasions of adversity best discover how great virtue or strength each one hath. For occasions do not make a man frail but show what he is.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 578.

Happy Easter everyone! The resurrection of Jesus revealed for all humankind that Jesus truly is the Son of God!

I took this new header photo on Good Friday after visiting the Stations of the Cross at Sacred Heart with my wife, Jenni, in Sedalia, Colorado. The setting was serene and got even more beautiful when a group of deer joined us. They come into view just below the mountains in the center of the picture.

The bubbling fountain in the foreground reminded me of the life we have through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The ice, however was an “occasion of adversity” for the deer, as made it hard for them to get a drink. What seem to give them confidence to move toward what they needed was sticking together. That made me think about how we, as followers of Christ, need each other in life after Lent.

What will the occasions of adversity that you will face in life after Lent reveal about you?

Our aim in practicing prayer, fasting, and giving to the poor during Lent has been to train ourselves to live generously following the instructions and example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through us the Holy Spirit shows the world that the gospel is true! Father in heaven, cause many to seek You through watching and learning from us as we move toward you together. Make it so by your Holy Spirit we pray in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus. Amen.

Need encouragement for the spiritual journey we walk together?

After you are done enjoying some chocolate or other treats today because Easter is a day to celebrate, read The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis if you have not read it. It is the most widely read Christian devotional in church history and a great book to read after Lent. Here’s a link to a free PDF copy.

Christ is risen!

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

“Certain it is, that as nothing can better do it; so there is nothing greater for which God made our tongues, next to reciting His praises, than to minister comfort to a weary soul.”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) English cleric as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 574.

It’s Black Saturday. Long before merchandisers affixed that label to the Friday after Thanksgiving, leaders in church history named today as such because on Easter weekend, Jesus is still in the tomb. Imagine how sad and weary the first Christ-followers must have been the day after the crucifixion of Christ. Know anyone who is sad or weary today?

With our tongues we praise Jesus, because through His death, we have life. But face it, this is a hard perspective for many to grasp who may be experiencing hard times. Most of the time we can’t deliver the sad and weary from their difficulties, but we can help bear their burdens and show them how to find consolation in our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Jesus, because through your death, we have life. Thanks also that you welcome the weary to come to you to find rest for their souls. 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

“Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as a lion that roared upon Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest of honey within them.”

John Bunyan (1628-1688) author of Pilgrim’s Progress as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 577.

Happy Good Friday everyone!

How wonderful that Jesus resisted the temptation to turn back from the cross. Through accepting the cup of suffering and death, he paved the way to life for all of us. This struck me today: the good that comes when we too resist temptation.

What’s this got to do with generosity? Everything!

The pathway to generosity is only navigated by resisting temptations. We resist materialism, greed, hoarding, self-indulgence, and slavery to mammon. Instead we make money our slave and put it to work. That’s when good happens.

Our ability to resist these temptations is only possible with the Holy Spirit’s help. That’s why God’s Word teaches us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is “generosity” (cf. Galatians 5:22-23).

Reflect on why today is so good. Why it’s sweeter than honey! It’s good because Jesus resisted the temptation to turn back. What temptations do you and I need to resist? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come to our aid. This is the question I will ponder when I visit the Stations of the Cross today.

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you. John 13:34

“The modern Christian does not retire into a cell to pray, but goes about doing good. He [or she] thus avoids the risk of narrowness, which attends to the [person] who desires only to do the “nearest duty.” But there is a danger here also–that of shallowness. The [person] who is always giving, never receiving; always helping others, and never feeding his [or her] own soul, is in danger of becoming empty.”

James Freeman Clarke (1810-1888) American theologian and author in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 566.

Today is Maundy Thursday. For centuries of church history the teachings of Jesus on this day in Holy Week were read in Latin, starting with “Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos” which is translated “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you.” Mandatum was shortened to Mandé in old English and French and became the label affixed to the Upper Room discourses of Holy Week Thursday (cf. John 13-17). Read them.

Jesus imparted much to the disciples on this day. He desires to impart much to us each day, but often we don’t slow down enough to receive from Him. The only way we can be generous at all times and on all occasions is first to receive generously. Do you wake up each day and allow yourself to be filled by Christ before going about to do good? If not, you too are in danger of being empty. To give like Christ we must first learn to receive richly. Receive from Him today and every day.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

“As Christians, we are called to give. Following in Christ’s footsteps, we are challenged to give differently than the rest of the world, so that perhaps through our way of giving, we may not only honor God but also point others to Him through our lives.”

Sophie Hoag in “2 Corinthians 8-9” paper dated 14 March 2016 for Aletheia New Testament class.

Today is known as Silent Wednesday. It bears this distinction because the biblical record provides little details surrounding the activities of this day in Holy Week. In observance of the silence of this day, let’s consider a point Sophie made in her recent NT paper.

Sophie emphasizes that our actions should send messages toward both God and people. Our lives must honor and glorify God, while our generosity (that is different from the world) should point others to Him. Spot on! Give that girl an “A” on her paper!

Father in heaven, cause our light to shine brightly for You so that people may see our good works, even if we use no words, and glorify You. In life after Lent, help us walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ in our giving, living, serving, and loving empowered by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'” Matthew 21:12-13

“Alas! How many souls there are full of self, and yet desirous of doing good and serving God, but in such a way as to suit themselves; who desire to impose rules upon God as to His manner of drawing them to Himself. They want to serve and possess Him, but they are not willing to be possessed by Him.”

François Fénelon (1651-1715) French archbishop and theologian in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 537.

Fenelon’s words are pointed, echoing the exclamations of Jesus in the cleansing of the temple courts during Holy Week. The religious leaders in that setting had imposed rules and did only what would “suit themselves” despite exhibiting a persona of doing good and serving God. Are we also guilty of this?

Apart from God’s work in our lives we are all “full of self” and our proclivity is to want to “possess” God like any other possession. God, by your Holy Spirit, cleanse our temples and possess our lives so that we become the house of prayer and devotion that you desire. Do this I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

“Self-denial is the result of a calm, deliberate, invincible attachment to the highest good, flowing forth in the voluntary renunciation of every thing that is inconsistent with the glory of God or the good of our fellow men.”

Gardiner Spring (1785-1873) American minister in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 535.

Spring used two expressions stick with me as we enter Holy Week: “invincible attachment to the highest good” and “voluntary renunciation” of everything else. Why did Jesus take up His cross for us? He was invincibly attached to the Father. Are we?

Additionally, Jesus voluntarily renounced all else for the glory of God and the good of all humankind! He went to the cross for us. Will you join Him in this with me? To be His disciples we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.

Lent is the training ground for living the rest of our lives with “invincible attachment to the highest good,” that is, God, and “voluntary renunciation” of every thing else. When we live this way, our generosity will reflect the generosity of Jesus.

Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

“The sweetest life is to be ever making sacrifices for Christ. The hardest life a man [or woman] can lead on earth, the most full of misery, is to be always doing his [or her] own will and seeking to please himself [or herself].”

Edward H. Bickersteth (1825-1906) Bishop of Exeter in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 534.

Pretty amazing to think that with the triumphant entry to Jerusalem, Jesus knew He was headed to the cross for us. He saw the gain with the sacrifice and was willing to pay the price.

As we anticipate life after Lent, let’s not stop fasting, praying, and giving to those in need. We must think of what we gain in the sacrifice. We take hold of life as God intends for us.

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Psalm 73:1-3, 12

“These persons mock the way of righteousness and, while they will be blown away like useless chaff at the end of time, they are certainly enjoying the world’s pleasures, powers, and protections now…We tend to think of “prosperity” only in economic terms. A prosperous person is successful in business affairs and wealthy in physical possessions. But the prosperity to which meditation on the torah leads is “shalom,” that societal condition in which all members of the community have what is needed for life, sustenance, peace, and well-being. Prosperity does not have to do with power or possessions but with the equitable use of these for the good of all.”

Kathleen Harmon in Becoming the Psalms: A Spirituality of Singing and Praying the Psalms (Collegeville: OSB, 2015) 11.

This Lent I have been meditating on the Psalms and am amazed daily at how frequently they address both the wicked and wise handling of wealth. Harmon nails it in saying that “shalom” in society is linked to the “equitable use” of God’s provision for the good of all; whereas, the wicked ignore God’s design and stockpile for themselves. It’s tempting to follow suit. In Lent we teach ourselves to fast, pray, and give so that we learn how to live life in the kingdom. We grasp what it means, in biblical terms, to prosper for the good of all.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Matthew 6:25

“In Matthew 6, Jesus reasons with us through a number of evaluative comparisons in order to draw us into a proper perspective on our lives. He reminds us that we are far more precious to God than the birds of the air or the lilies of the field for which He unfailingly and lavishly provides. He also tells us that “life [is] more than food, and the body more than clothing.” By distinguishing between life and food and the body and clothing, Jesus teaches that even when we worry about necessities such as food and clothing, we ought not to allow ourselves to believe that these things determine life…

Having demonstrated that which is more important, Jesus calls us to replace our lesser worries with a greater concern: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” When we come to Christ, we not only exchange our sins for His righteousness, but we also trade our cares for His. He unburdens us of our labor, as He calls us to His: “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). Therefore, we cease our worrying, for the life we have surrendered to Christ is no longer ours to support, but rather God’s…

The beauty of creation attests to the Creator’s love and assures us that He who made us will sustain us. With full confidence that the God who promises us His kingdom will also supply all our other needs, let us joyfully cast our anxiety on Him and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. And since we have received everything from our heavenly Father, let us also be generous in giving so that we may be used by God to provide for the needs of others.”

Jane E. Kim, Assistant Professor of English, Torrey Honors Institute in “The Lent Project” of Biola University post dated 15 March 2016, and graciously shared with me by Jot Turner, who serves at the national office of the EFCA.

Are you worrying about food and clothing? Do you believe that your life is no longer yours to support? Jesus is not calling us to stop working, sit in a field, and pick flowers. He’s calling us not to work for money anymore.

Your income is a by-product of using your gifts for the kingdom to glorify God. If you are teacher, teach for God (not money). If you serve, serve for God (not money). God is the One who determines life, not you. Trade your cares for a greater concern today!

If this seems like a difficulty pathway to take, with Professor Kim I would suggest that you meditate on Psalm 23 today. That’s my plan for my flight home to Denver this evening. This Lent I am learning that Psalms keep me centered on God.