Steps on the Lenten Journey

Foolishly, I watched the State of the Union and the Republican response on Tuesday.  I say foolishly because I knew that both speeches would make me mad.  Now, a couple of days later, they just make me sad.

Both speeches had some good moments.  Overall, though, both were poll-tested trips into fantasyland, suggesting a number of "no pain, lots of gain" solutions to various political problems.  To hear both Pres. Obama and Sen. Rubio tell it, we are just a few simple decisions away from long-term economic growth that will make the present challenges a distant memory.

As a political junkie, I have many opinions about the various proposals. For the purposes of this blog, though, I simply point out that much of the national political discussion today shows little appreciation for where we are and how we got to this point.  It's difficult to solve a problem, if you won't admit what the problem is.  It's difficult to solve a problem if you won't admit that taking action will require hard choices and sacrifices.  Unless, miraculously, money does start growing on trees.

As we enter into Lent, this offers a good spiritual lesson.  Frequently, Christians get frustrated because living out faith can seem so hard and unappreciated.  Faith -- and often, pastors -- promise that living with love and forgiveness and generosity will make your life better; sometimes, though, we get knocked around.  People take advantage of our generosity; they respond to our love in ways meant to hurt us.  It can make us wonder why we even bother.

Change is hard, and it is made in the face of challenges that make it harder.  We need to admit that.  On these first days in Lent, we can admit how we have been part of the problem -- how our actions have hurt others and how we have often valued the wrong things.  We can take the next steps in our journey of discipleship, following the example of Jesus Christ.  But we are living in an in-between time, in a wilderness period, struggling to leave our sinful past behind and living towards the promise of the Kingdom of God.  They journey is not easy and the path often requires difficult choices.

Our national debt won't pay itself -- we will have to make choices to lower our debt.  Our sinful past doesn't miraculously go away -- we have to decide each day to live differently, following Christ's example.  It's never easy, and those who tell you it is are fools.  But there are blessings to be enjoyed, facing up to the truth (including the truth of our guilt) and trying to live in ways that seem more in line with God's teaching.

I hope, during this Lenten journey, that you try to own up to where you are and how you got here.  And that, in this wilderness time, you look for God's gracious hand, supporting you on the journey and guiding you home.