Lenten Words

So...where are you at with these words this week?

20.  God
21.  Jesus/Christ
22.  Spirit
23.  Trinity
24.  Friends
25.  Strangers
26.  Efficient

Maybe this has been some of your favor words...exploring hymnals and psalms.
Maybe you stepped back this week to think of imagines that might point toward each of these words.
Maybe you thought..."Last week's list was so much better."

Which reminds me of a question from Rob Bell, "Did someone ever say to Jesus, 'Your sermon last week was better.'?" Which just makes me laugh.

Or the list reminds me of Richard Rohr who says that the Trinity is a way of describing God in relationship from the very beginning with the Redeemer and Sustainer.

But this list also leads to the next set/series of words:

27.  Uncertainty/Doubt
28.  Justice
29.  Kindness
30.  Humility
31.  Want
32.  Need
33.  Palm or Parade

This list for me is a bridge toward our holiest week.  #33, in fact, is about Palm Sunday parade.   

#31 and #32 ~ invite us into the questions about what I want and what do I really need?

#30, #29, and #27 ~ bring to mind Micah 6:8 about God's relational call for us to embody justice, let God's loving kindness flow through us, and seek humility deep in our souls.

#27 ~ is probably the best word to describe and define the life of faith.

Faith is not always efficient...faith isn't always about certainty and strength...faith isn't about my way or the highway.  Faith evolves and expands...leads us to the brink of everything...asks us like Indiana Jones to step out in faith.  Don't remember that scene from the 3rd movie?  Indiana's father has been shot...he needs to go find the holy grail that might provide healing...but comes to the edge of a great cliff with seemingly no bridge.  Wait...why am I trying to describe this in the era of youtube...just watch it...

But I also know there are moments when I step out and end up bumbling and stumbling...falling flat on my face.

But I also know moments of pain/frustration/humiliation.

Which reminds me that each of the above words has a shadow side.

Uncertainty/Doubt ~ can either lead us to mystery OR can cause us to feel like everything is sinking sand.

Justice ~ can either help give us strength to stand in solidarity or lead us to a self-righteousness ~ we have the answer (as opposed to one of many possible answers).

Kindness ~ can either help God's loving kindness flow through us or become a way to shut down what is going on in us because we are trying to live those words, "If you can't say something nice... don't say anything at all.

Humility ~ can either help us realize there is a more than...or can be humiliation.

Want ~ can either help give voice to our deepest desires or can be an unquenchable restlessness.

Need ~ can either connect us to humanities ever present need or always seeking that outside of what we have to satisfy.

Palm or Parade ~ can be a grand celebration or side step the fact that the palm branches pave the way to a cross?

So...start prayerfully playing with these words.  Where do the words intersect?  Where is there harmony in the words or where is there dissonance? 

I pray this weekend you will find more than a trace of God's grace as these words start to soak and settle in to your soul.

Blessings ~~