Making an Ash of Yourself

I’m finding new rhythms for my life and apologize for anyone who went looking for a blog post last week and didn’t find one. I hope to be back on track now, particularly for the season of Lent which begins today.

Last Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday and I spent time reflecting on when I’m like Peter in my life and ministry. He and James and John go on a field trip up a mountain with Jesus and suddenly their Teacher is so blindingly lit up they can’t look at Him. They likely saw the tie to Moses being radiant after an encounter with God on Sinai and then, lo and behold, Moses shows up with Elijah and the two have a chat with Jesus.

Peter’s response is to want to make something physical and tangible - tents or dwellings for the ‘big three’. He is seeking to take charge and to honour them and offer hospitality. He was also probably hoping that they would set up camp and stay quite a while, at least for the Jewish Festival of Booths of Tabernacles which was likely right around the corner. Who wouldn’t want to be able to come and visit heroes of the faith whenever they wanted? But Peter’s words are eclipsed by the cloud over all of them and God’s voice proclaiming “This is my Son, the Beloved, with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” And we have a flashback to Jesus’ baptism.

Peter wanted to stay within that mountaintop experience rather than seeing it for what it was - an undeniable experience of God’s power at a high point from which to see the lay of the land for what was coming. Moses and Elijah were speaking to Jesus about the road to Jerusalem and the cross. It’s not by accident that this story happens the last Sunday before Lent. It sets the trajectory for all that would follow.

How often do I want to manage and control how God shows up in worship and my life? How often do I want to hold onto things of God that are intangible and can’t be nailed down or put in a box or take up permanent residence in a visible way? How often do I want to cling to the safety of mountaintops where God is so close and amazing and all the issues of normal life are far away?

But they do need to return to normal, as do we. Moses and Elijah disappear, they head back down the mountain and Jesus tells them to not share about this life-changing experience until after His resurrection. Events are already set in motion. John the Baptist has come as the Elijah for their time pointing to the Messiah.

This Sunday I’m preaching on the story that comes immediately after this. They have barely reached the base of the mountain when a father with a demon-possessed son asks for help. Apparently the son’s condition puts his life in danger on a regular basis and the other disciples couldn’t heal him. Jesus shows irritation at the lack of faith of the people and is able to cast the demon out. The disciples question their inability to do it and Jesus again talks about lack of faith. Apparently with faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains.

The next weeks are about our faith. Do we have the faith to trust in how God is moving and to sense it and go along for the ride, not trying to control it? Do we have faith that God has equipped us to do things of importance for the Kingdom? Do we trust that all of this really does matter in a post-Christian society and that Jesus is worth following closely, even to the horror of the cross? Do we believe that the result of His sacrifice makes a difference for us? Do we have recognize that we need Him and He fills our need?

With all of the issues and concerns swirling around us, we need Lent. We need today and the opportunity to put ashes on our foreheads as we recognize that sometimes we do wrong, and get it wrong, and that impacts others and our relationship with God. We need time to repent and reflect and to strip away things that distract and numb us to what we need to face, process and let go of. We need to pause before God alone and in community to find the strength to make the journey. We need to recognize those things out of our control and the One who we can rest in as we remember that to dust we will return.

May this Lenten season be one where you let God show you exactly what you need so that you can complete the journey. May you find gifts in Christ’s presence. May the Spirit empower and embolden you to live with faith, even to the cross.