Pleasant Grove UMC

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/18/10 – Day 26
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 14
You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
- Luke 11:40
Have you heard some of the things that young people are saying about the Church? They are saying that we have lost touch with authentic Christian faith and practices. They are calling us judgmental hypocrites and narrow-minded bigots. To many of our children and grandchildren we have become whitewashed tombs. We are seen as those who strain for gnats and swallow camels. While I know there are some exceptions, I think they are mostly correct in their assessments. Rather than becoming offended, I think the Church should take these things to heart and begin a time of reflection and reformation. These might turn out to be words of life for us and for the youth we have neglected and excluded.

Think about it, for generations we have been focused on how our congregations and members should act. We have stressed how to behave in a manner that is pleasant and culturally expectable, but we have said very little about the need for transformation of the soul. In most congregations we just want people to show up on Sunday dressed appropriately and behave in a quiet and courteous manner. The result of course is to discourage those who do not dress or act in ways consistent with our taste. But have we become better people of all our attention to appearances? Are we any less likely to cheat on our taxes or spouses than anyone else? Statistically speaking we are not. We just sin with a little more tact and style. We have come too often to see Sunday morning as a way to escape from the guilt and consequences of our weekday transgressions. Now we know what some of us have long suspected, we are not fooling anybody!

Today we will forget what we think a Christian is suppose to look like and how we think we should act. Instead we are going to focus on an inward transformation and regeneration that begins deep inside and works its way out. Today we remember that God can see through our masks and start being honest. We need God to fix the broken mess inside our hearts, souls, and minds. We need to stop treating symptoms and start seeking the cure for our present condition. Today we stand naked before God and ask to be made whole. Stop playing games and let God deal with you in a real and lasting way! – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
O Lord, who created all that is
all that was, and all that will ever be
Forgive our shortsightedness. Help us to be your people
both inside and out.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/17/10 – Day 25
Praying with St. Patrick
“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

One of my favorite hymns, Be Thou My Vision, is attributed to Saint Patrick. Today while some celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick with green beer and ethnic stereotypes that would be unthinkable if they were directed against anyone other than the Irish, we will meditate on his words and have him lead us in prayer. – Rev. John Mattox

Be Thou My Vision
(from the 1964 Hymnal of the Methodist Church)
Attributed to Patrick (389-461)
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Let us pray,
May the strength of God pilot us,
May the power of God preserve us,
May the wisdom of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the way of God direct us,
May the shield of God defend us,
May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil
and the temptations of the world. Amen
– Patrick

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/16/10 – Day 24
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 13
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” -Luke 11:28
For all of us who think that we can sit still and look engaged while our minds are really some where else, be on notice God is wise to you. From an early age I learned that to really pay attention I have to keep busy. I am one of those people who doodle while on the telephone or during meetings. Sometimes people get the impression that I am bored and not listening, but that could not be further from the truth. Occupying my hands is the best way for me to focus. There are times when what feels the most like prayer to me looks like something else.

I have learned that some of us can understand and retain information better is we can connect it with something tactual and immediate. When did we forget that we also use our bodies to listen? There is a practical reason for all of our sitting, standing and kneeling during worship. Sometimes we have to do something to keep moving in order to be continually aware of God’s presence.

Does anybody read instruction manuals for fun? Have you ever read a wiring schematic just for trivia knowledge? Maybe, but probably not (and I would not tell anyone if you did) some forms of communications are for helping us do something. God does not speak to us because God wants to hear the sound of God’s voice. God’s voice we are told is the prime mover, when God speaks things happen. God does not disrupt the fabric of our being just to give us nuggets of information that we can use to impress friends and win bets with. God expects us to do something in response to what we are hearing. At times we have to be busy doing in order to hear and certainly to understand.

Today I think God is telling you to do something. I think God is telling us important things to do all the time, but we are to often not in a place to hear it. Today I want you to take a step toward what God is calling you to do. Today I want you to listen to God with your body. Take the time and expend the effort to do something uncharacteristically godly and see if you don’t receive a blessing. – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
Lord,
How often have we sought signs,
in the skys, in songs, in your word.
What is really amazing is that you
are all around us. Help us to see you.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/15/10 – Day 23
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 12
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” -Luke 11:9-10

What more can we say about this teaching? Is there some hidden meaning that we can tease out or some unseen message hidden between the lines? Looking at the context in which these words are found quickly rules out any threat of deceit of trickery on the part of God in response to our prayers. So why do we have such difficulty in asking, searching, and knocking in the form of persistent prayers? Speaking from only my own observations I will hazard a few guesses as to why this has become a difficult text to approach and claim in our own prayer lives.

Firstly, we may have lost a clear distinction between needs and wants. If you ever wanted an example of how wealthy and privileged we truly are, this might be it! As I sit here trying to think of my needs I can come up with many things that are not truly necessities. My family will sleep warm and dry tonight with full stomachs. I am not in any immediate peril or distress. I have no worries that are not of my own creating or rousing. It might be that what I need is guidance and instruction on my own needs.

Secondly, we may have become apathetic and lazy with regard to our relationship with God. To be persistent requires energy, passion, and an overwhelming sense of urgency. How often do I actually feel strongly enough about anything to pester, argue, and haggle with God about it? Not very often. It seems I tend more toward a shotgun approach with prayer. I load up laundry list of requests and demands and shoot blindly from the hip hoping that something will hit the target. Hit or miss I am unlikely to notice, as the prayers are usually no more out of my lips than I am distracted and focused on something else. Let’s be honest, I don’t want to have to work for anything. Like an infant, I want God to hear my undefined grunts, squeals, and cries and determine what it is that I want or need and give it to me, immediately!

Lastly, we may have come to see God as being too much like ourselves. What does it say about our integrity and character when we see God’s assertions of goodness and transparency as flashing neon signs warning of danger? Over the years I have learned not to trust non-trusting people, because we too often project our junk on to others and read our motives into their actions. How wonderful it is that God is not like us. God is not weak and insecure. God does not have to lie or trick or manipulate us to gain an advantage. God is pure being and is able to simply be what God is (remember that I AM what I AM stuff?). So whatever God might be there are two things I am sure of: God is not like me; and God is always good.

Today we will unashamedly approach the Throne of Grace with the wisdom of Solomon.
We will pray asking God to teach us what to ask for and we will allow the Holy Spirit to make our prayers complete and good. Today we will ask, search, and knock for God’s wisdom in our lives. – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
Our Lord,
Your extravagant love overwhelms us.
Thank you for knowing just what we need
even though, sometimes we don’t even know what that is.
Help us to seek your will,
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
for your glory. Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

“Profligate Grace”
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-33

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Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/13/10 – Day 22
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 11
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”- Luke 10:41-42

As leaders and faithful participants in worship it is easy for us to get distracted by the practical and immediate needs of the congregation during Sunday Worship. There are always bulletins to be prepared and handed out, announcements to be made, Sunday School lessons to be studied, people to be greeted and directed… But when are we as the congregational leaders disciplined enough to turn everything over to God and just spend some time at the feet of Jesus listening and simply being in his presence.

There has to be a point in every worship service and class meeting where we have done all that we can and where we need to turn things over to God and let them be what they will be. How wonderful and terrifying this can be!

Today we will prepare ourselves for worship tomorrow. We will allow our Martha- selves to do their thing. We will work and prepare and worry and fret. We will be task and detail oriented so that everything we can do is in order and in place. But tomorrow we will allow our Mary-selves to enjoy communion with God. This Sunday we will choose the better part, which will not be taken from us. – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
Lord,
Help us not to be distracted and worried,
but do what you would have us do.
Help us to gain a balance between
piety and mercy.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/12/10 – Day 21
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 10
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise. – Luke 10:25-37

The first question that we ever asked God was the evasive, “Am I my brothers keeper?”. Since then we have continued to respond to God in similar ways. Knowing that we are to love our neighbors we always then try to offer a narrow and constrictive definition of neighbor. We always seek to exclude others to justify our prejudice and lack of compassion.

In this story Jesus uses as the hero someone that the lawyer would never consider to be a neighbor (and never a brother) to illustrate the radical and barrier breaking power of the gospel. It seems that situations and not preference make people our neighbors and birth into our human family makes us all brothers and sisters. Regardless of the excuses that we make; business, fear, mistrust, culture, or religion… the responsibility remains.

Today we are provoked and prodded by the teachings of Jesus into a radical rethinking of neighbor and kin. As Christians we are bond by love to all those who are beloved by God, everyone. As Jesus received all who came to him, so we are challenged to go into the world and do likewise. – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
Lord,
Sometimes it is difficult to see our neighbors
as people you love.
Help us not to seek for the easy way,
but show your extravagant love
to everyone.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/11/10 – Day 20
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 9
“See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
- Luke 10:19-20

Welcome to the halfway point of our journey! By now you should be well established in your Lenten disciplines and starting to feel more in control of your life, perhaps more so than you have in a long time. Others may have had some trouble and experienced some false starts and stumbles. Either way rejoice, for it is in the effort that we gain great reward! Even set backs provide valuable lessons. The things we do in Lent are not important in themselves, but a valuable in that they help us become closer to God!

Today we take time for prayers and self-examination. Where have you done well over these past twenty days? Where have you become most aware of God’s abiding presence? It could be in these areas that you could shift more of your focus to in the coming days. Likewise, where have you struggled and fallen short? Where have you seemed to come up empty? You may wish to explore why these areas have not been as fruitful. It could be that these are areas where you need more help or commitment, or it could be that this is an area that does not work well for you. Remember, Lent is not about punishing ourselves, but drawing nearer to God! Spend some time assessing you progress and asking God where you should focus over the next 19 days. All of us need to start moving out of introverted responses into more communal and extroverted celebrations of God’s presence and blessings as we begin to accelerate toward Good Friday. You are not alone. God is with you and we are also your companions along the way. The best is surely yet to come! – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,
Loving Lord,
It is part of our sinful nature
to seek power and glory.
Forgive us for the times
we have done this.
Help us to remember our task
and rejoice in your glory alone.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/10/10 – Day 19
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 8
“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” – Luke 10:16

If we were to take a poll among ourselves regarding reasons we don’t share our faith with others, I suppose that fear of rejection would top the list. The fear of rejection is deep and primal. It is part of our hardwiring that reminds us that we are created to live in community with other people. For our ancestors to be rejected was to be alone was to die. This has stayed with us even to the present, some fear speaking in public or sharing personal information is as strong as the fear of snakes or heights are for others.

This we understand, but if we stop to think about it what we are offering when we talk about God to others is community and survival. We are not a people defined by exclusion. We do not seek to make ourselves stronger or more holy by keeping people out. Instead we are a people of embrace. We seek strength and holiness by welcoming others into our lives. We seek others to surround them with love and forgiveness. We go out of our way to invite others into a community of faith where they can be nurtured into an abundance of life that can only be found in Christ.

Ultimately this is not about us, it is about Christ and the Church as the body of Christ in and for the world. Any unwelcome response is not directed toward us but is a conversation between that individual and God. We cannot become discouraged or assume that this is the end of the dialogue. For years when I worked for the State of Florida I kept a Q-tip taped to the monitor of my computer. The message I was leaving for myself was “Quit Taking It Personally”. In the course of my work I had to deal with unhappy people in unhappy situations, but I was not the one they were unhappy with I was just the person there trying to help them through it! The same lesson might serve us well during Lent. “Quit Taking It Personally”, this is about God.

Today we will try to invite 5 people to go to church with us on Sunday. Why? We have learned from several polls and studies that 25% of unchuruched people say that they would attend religious services if invited. That is one out of every four persons that don’t attend church that are just waiting on us to ask them. Almost 50% more said that they would at least consider it. So statistically speaking of out 5 we will get three maybes and likely 1 yes. That is not something to fear! However if you are hesitant to invite people because you are not comfortable with your church, you have some different work to do, don’t you? – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,

Gracious Lord,
Rejection hurts!
It is difficult for us to understand
how anyone would want to reject
your loveor our efforts.
Help us to remember to
pray for those who reject us,
and to remember that
it is not us that saves people, but you.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox

Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/9/10 – Day 18
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 7
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

I know someone who drives wherever she looks. You quickly learn not to point out anything interesting while riding with her because you will quickly get a closer look than you really wanted. I learned this lesson as we did a blind u-turn across four lanes of traffic. This is dangerous and terrifying to everyone but her, she never seems to notice.

Most of us are like that in our spiritual journey. Whatever catches our eye is where we go. This is way it is so important for us to become focused and disciplined in our Lenten sojourn. There are many distractions, most of which are not harmful in themselves but potentially deadly in the way they can cause us to swerve and wander off course. Of the greatest concern for us these forty days is the rear view mirror. Sometimes we become so captivated by what we have given up and left behind that we cannot watch where we are going. In a way we never really gave them up but put them in the limelight of our attention.

Today we focus on Jesus and the path at our feet. We keep our head strait and our eyes forward. Today we will plow strait rows for the kingdom. – Rev. John Mattox

Let us pray,

O Lord,
Forgive us for not being fit for your kingdom.
Make us what you will.
Send us where you will.
Let us do your will.
Amen.
- Rev. Katie Mattox