more on anything and everything

Wednesday in Holy Week, April 8, 2009

[If I haven't heard from you that you read this blog, or visit it, I'd like to hear from you. It's meaningful to me, and helpful, but I'm evaluating whether I'll keep doing it after Lent. I'd especially like to hear from Church of the Apostles people. Thanks. markjdicristina@yahoo.com]

Jer. 17:5-10, 14-17; Phil. 4:1-13; John 12:27-36

5“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord...
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord...
9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick...
(Jer. 17)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4)

The images that Jeremiah uses to describe people who trust in man or the "flesh" versus those who trust in the Lord are a shrub rolling around in the desert versus a tree planted by water that sends its roots out by the stream. The one who trusts in the Lord will not fear when heat comes, nor be anxious when drought comes, and will not cease bearing fruit.

Of course, Paul teaches that Christ-followers are to not be anxious about anything, but rather pray and give thanks bringing every concern, request, and temptation to anxiety to God. This is one way we root ourselves by the stream, one way we deepen our trust in the Lord. Rather than "submit" to the fear, the worry, the pressure we are under, to not trust in God, but to trust in our own resources, even our own assessment of how things are just going to be, we consciously and explicitly submit all things to God. This anchors us in God, our hope. This is a way that we reaffirm that we are "rooted and grounded in love" (Eph. 3:17), that we trust in another power at work within us (Eph. 3:16).

When Paul says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," he is speaking as one who has been brought to the end of himself (2 Cor. 12:9-10). He speaks as one who is not trusting in man or the strength of the flesh, but as one who has learned that God's power and provision are sufficient, even when there is no power left within him, no money for food or basic support...

while I love Stefan Currie and Tim Tebow, who both have this verse written on them when they compete (Stefan, Davidson b'ball star, has it on his shoes; Tim on his eye black strips), I'm not sure what Paul would think about that. To the extent that these young men are learning to not depend on their own resources, and working out their salvation and discipleship, and to the extent that they are really saying that it doesn't matter whether we win or lose but our faithfulness in serving Christ with all that is within us, that is, with all his strength, that's good and I respect them; but "advertised" in such a way can very easily give a wrong idea or impression of the "secret" of facing deprivation and plenty, of facing absolute powerlessness in one's health or the pumped up feeling of being strong and alive, of having the terrifying sense of no where to turn or having the world by the tail - all in a full-on discipleship and stewardship of the mystery and grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When do the roots go deep anyway?? If I'm not mistaken it's in tough times, dry times, times of stress and heat - O Lord, help us trust you, may we know the indwelling presence of Christ and strengthening of your Spirit, that indeed we may be more and more deeply and firmly rooted and grounded in your love.


Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week
Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.