5 March 2014 - good posture

5 March 2014 - good posture

And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

The point of Lent is freedom.  It doesn't seem that way at first.  We go forth into the desert.  Here we don't have as many options.  We feel limited.  We don't feel free.  Yet we know that "Where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:17).  Even in the desert if we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit we experience true freedom.  Apparent external limitations mean less and less as are changed within.  We become able to return to the LORD with our whole hearts.  To be free in this way is true freedom.  The options which externalities provide are superfluous.  They feel like freedom but can in fact ensnare us.

Jesus deserves all that we are.  He is "gracious and merciful", "slow to anger, rich and kindness, and relenting in punishment."  When we fast, we recognize that our true bread is to do the will of our heavenly Father.  We recognize the ever greater goodness of our God over all of the things, even the good things of this world.

Lent is not like an exercise program.  It is not exercises we do in order to make ourselves grow.  Lent is a posture.  Lent is a time to "Rend your hearts, not your garments".  Yet rending garments is easier.  It is external, something we can do with our hearts still set in their same old ways. Rending our hearts acknowledges our complete dependence on God.  It acknowledges that we fail on our own and that we keep failing without his help.

Because Lent is a posture before God we must be on guard against seeking anything from our fasting, prayer, and alms-giving that is selfish.  We must "not blow a trumpet before" us, we must not "pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see" us, and when we fast we must "not look gloomy like the hypocrites" so that we can win sympathy for ourselves.  In all of this we are not opening ourselves to dependence on God but instead using God to build ourselves up in ways that are at best natural and insufficient and at worst sinful pride.

Our Father sees in secret and longs to repay even the slightest steps we take toward him.  He sees us acknowledge our dependence on him and cannot stay away.

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

That is why we should not hesitate.  We should spring forward toward him with all that we are.  We don't need to wait for some future time when the graces we need are finally available.  If we were waiting on a circumstance that might be so.  But we want God and for that the time is always now.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

The posture of Lent is essential to have in our lives if we are to not "receive the grace of God in vain."  It prevents us from turning aside.  It keeps our spiritual practices from masking selfish intentions.  It shows us the way to rely on God alone.  And we learn that when we rely on him alone he is always more than enough.  Let him teach us to praise him even in the desert!

Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.