Tempting Times: The Lent Series

The year seems to be galloping at an alarming pace. I have barely blinked and Lent crept up on me, thief in the night styles. Luckily, as a Christo, I was aware when it was beginning – last week’s Mardi Gras worthy chow-down was testament to the fact, but I also felt that my Lenten routine of prayer and fasting needed a bit of an update. I was aware it had become a bit routine, and there is nothing that spells spiritual downturn, quite like routine-rut, as you rock up, do everything on rote, and wonder why the deep connection with your Lord and Saviour is somewhat lacking.

In the spirit (no pun intended!), of mixing it up, I decided to go super-old school and embark upon using a lectionary during Lent. Lectionaries are literally a stipulated bible reading guide that correlates with the traditional Christian calendar. This being Lent, the passages for the next 6 weeks or so are meant to get believers in the zone for Easter; a time when Jesus paid the ultimate price – his life – to save us all – and here’s the good news bit, rose on the Sunday, showing he was the gateway to life eternal.

Yesterday’s Lectionary reading from Luke’s gospel still lingers, probably because I type this in my lunch break, completely desperate to nibble on something, anything, but knowing that breaking fast is a good 4 hours away. In the passage (Luke 4:1-13), the Devil tries to tempt Jesus, who has gone alone in the wilderness, to fast, pray and prepare for the most pivotal part of his life – his ministry, death and ultimate resurrection. Seeing that he is starving, the Devil tried to convince Jesus to turn a stone into bread, Jesus replies: 

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” Luke 4:4

Next, he gives Jesus the option of being ruler of the world, an earthly ruler without compare, with all the wealth, glory and admiration that would go with it. Jesus response.

“It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Luke 4:8

And then finally, a celestial dare – that Jesus should throw himself of a high place, and wait for the Angels and Archangels to catch him before he falls. Jesus’ riposte:

“It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Luke 4:12

The common thread that Jesus used in coping with the temptations was to refer right back to scripture, and really, we should follow suit. Don’t even bother with self-analysis, or a quick power text to loved ones who might be going through their own stuff. All one needs, when the temptations gets too much is a spot of bible reading to help focus on what is not only going on, but what is at stake. ‘It is written’ and ‘It is said’ become in this passage, a call to arms against the Devil’s attempts to distract him and confuse Jesus in his primary objective, which was drawing away from the everyday to prepare for his greater, life’s mission. 

I reflect on my own spiritual journey, punctuated with periods when one was desperate for a quick fix, such as hunger be it for food or God, to other times, when patience and rage got the better of me as I sought for my goals to be achieved and I got bogged down and disheartened by the seeming lack of progress or the expected accolades for efforts made. Especially when others, maybe even Team Red propelled, positively flourished and were admired by all around. And then I considered, the putting God to the test bit; at first I thought I had never been guilty of that – I don’t have a thing for high-risk activity  - in fact I actively avoid it. But considered differently, I realized that every procrastination, excuse however substantial and ‘what’s the point’ shrug, I had ever done, was putting the Lord to the test. It was assuming you would be around for another day, week, year, decade or five, to squeeze in all the things that you know you should be doing. Call it the God given commissions, the gifts that aren’t meant to be best kept secrets – but light on a stand generation changing ones. And I realized there really was no time to waste at all. So here’s to Lent: a period of preparation for the greater things to come. 

Manifesting the Magnificent

A week in is usually a good time to check in on the bold resolutions made as the clock struck 12 to mark the arrival of 2016. Still in the zone or have some proved too difficult to stay true to? I can speak personally, that one particular resolution I made has proven to be a complete and utter nightmare to keep, even as I type. Experts say 21 days is the magic number to make or break a habit, so let’s just say I look forward to the 22 January with interest! 

At the heart of resolutions, be they in the New Year, Birthday or any significant milestone, is the idea of manifesting something new and improved. Whether its rock hard abs or a bank balance that is not in deficit, conscientious efforts are meant to result in a tangible result being met. However, one manifestation that even the Christo crew among us might have missed is Epiphany, the day that both closes the 12 days of Christmas that commence on Christmas Eve, but more significantly, commemorates the arrival of the Magi to see the Jesus or as the Ancient Greek Epiphaneia suggests, to manifest or show forth.

The Magi only appear in Matthew’s gospel. I am always curious when one particular story relating to Jesus is recounted in only one of the four gospels, and in the case of the Magi becomes so huge that it spawns a whole host of ‘myths’. From stating that they were kings (they were not) to insisting they were three of them (the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh might have numbered three, but the assumption that one each was given is ours and not in the text) and finally, according to any nativity tableau, that they arrived on the same night as the shepherds (completely wrong, the shepherds beat them to it). Why are the Magi so important? The clue is in the statement they make when presented at King Herod’s court:

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew2:2

The foreignness of the Magi is key to the story. It indicates the fact that Jesus came for everybody, and right from the beginning, people were aware of it. He might have been born King of the Jews and part of the Davidic line, but everyone, as the verse indicates can recognize his kingship and more importantly worship him. The inclusiveness of Jesus is further emphasized in the fact that his natal star could be seen far and wide. Like a constellation that can be viewed in the night sky in the southern or northern hemisphere, Jesus’ presence and impact can be experienced and seen by all, wherever they are. As God made flesh he came to save the whole of humanity, even if as a human being, he had to arrive nominally belonging to one group of people.

So, today, in our present day situations, filled to the brim with goals that we spend our time and resources working towards; how frequently do we tap into the power of serving a God who made himself manifest in the world? Do we put all of our hopes, dreams and intentions under his authority, an authority that defeated death itself and came that we may have access to his love and peace and joy? Indeed why should God choose such an inauspicious way to make himself known to humanity? The clue lies in the fact that he chose to arrive as a baby. It is very hard not to instinctively love and want to care for a baby, and scientific studies have shown that as a species we are hardwired to respond to babies’ tears and smiles. It is the innate love energy that is part of all of us. God manifest is Love manifest and as St Paul so evocatively wrote in his letters to the Corinthians, Love is the most excellent way.

If we want this year to be the breakthrough, blessings filled, goals met extravaganza that it can be for all of us, there is no better way than to tap into the reality of the Lord we serve. Jesus doesn’t just want to answer our prayers or assist us in our tasks or cheer us in our efforts. He wants to imbue every aspect of our lives with his grace. He wants his presence to be very obvious so that we might be witness to those around us. More importantly he wants to manifest gloriously and brightly in our lives in every way, and it doesn’t get more magnificent than that. 

Does the Devil Have All the Best Tunes?

I love music. Always have done and always will. Ideally turned up loud and with me dancing with wild abandon, although I do have my more chilled moments where I am soothed by an exquisite classical concerto, or quietly get on with tasks around the house with jazz playing in the background. Rather like food, music features in all cultures; and plays a central role in many life events. From the dance-athons that are most wedding receptions to the funeral dirges sung at our earthly departures, music punctuates it all.

Once, whilst putting together a playlist, I was challenged by a friend, who is new to the Christo game who said I wasn’t honouring God as I listened to secular music. In fact a stronger term was used; the devil’s music. Okay, I conceded most of the love songs did not have as their starting premise a happily married in church couple who were both virgins on their wedding night. And true, a lot of the hiphop tracks that had made my selection didn’t depict peaceful tableaux where group hugs were the order of the day. But to label everything, and I am including the Contemporary Christian and Gospel music tracks in my list a non-starter seemed a tad fundamentalist. However, as I researched their points, I found loads of blogs and websites agreeing with their opinion; that music could only be enjoyed and consumed if it was worship in its purest sense. And furthermore, any modern worship songs that sounded similar to whatever was topping the iTunes charts were also to be treated with suspicion, as they were guilty of mimicking the very same genres that were not Christ centred and were in fact Team Red’s aiders and abetters.

Not willing to be defeated I rooted round my bible for a passage that was entirely focused on worship matters and found a whole psalm instead:

“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” Psalm 150

The first and last verse immediately brought to mind two classic tracks: Kurt Carrs’  We Lift Our Hands In The Sanctuary and Matt Redman’s Let Everything That Has Breath, but moreover the whole point of worship as an expression of gratitude, wonder and joy for all that God has done and continues to do in our lives. The psalmist pretty much lists all the instruments of the time from trumpets to harps to lyres to cymbals. Would it be too much to not consider that just as all of the Ancient orchestra is included that every single current genre out there could be used to create music for God’s glory too? Furthermore considering content both in terms of inclusion or omission, isn’t music like all art, a reflection to a greater or lesser degree of who and what we are, and thus to remove our humanity, in all its messiness and frailty would be disingenuous when communicating with God?  Loving and following God doesn’t preclude feelings of sorrow or doubt or desperation. In fact, the Psalms, the original worship songs if you like, run the gamut of human emotions, with entreaties of death and destruction for enemies also getting a hearing! And as we return to Psalm 150 with its mention of dancing, one can’t help but think that the whole passage has an open tone to it, and that’s at the heart of worship – a willingness to meet with God as you are.

I feel that decrying contemporary Christian music misses its purpose. It sounds like everything else, because like Jesus it is meant to meet people where they’re at and give them a glimpse of what’s to come. The magic or rather the mission comes in the lyrics, all focused on Jesus, the one who surpasses and easily meets all of our human needs.  So, if you like early Mumford and Sons you’ll love Tim Hughes, if you love the Afro-Pop of Chidinma then check out Sinach and who can’t resist Michelle Williams’ Say Yes which featured her former Destiny’s Child band-mates Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland and sounds as good in a church as it does a club? As the 19^th Century English Non-Conformist Reverend Rowland Hill said in his most quoted sermon; “The Devil should not have all the best tunes.” God, the author and perfector wins every time.

Bad Luck Comes in Threes or So They Say

Wow, my September has had some random curve balls! Just before my last post, I was all packed, primped and ready to go loco in the ultimate CCC way at one of my best girl’s weddings. For reasons too bore snore to relay in this post, I didn’t get to go. Disappointment and shock didn’t cover it; she was one of a small circle of ride or die chums, where we had prayed through the heartbreaks and hot dates, usually with a never ending pot of tea on the go. Well, it isn’t called tea and sympathy for nothing?

Also occurring this month another gathering, which I thought by rights I would be invited to. Again, for reasons too dull to recount and not in the least bit spiritually edifying, I found my name had not made the guest list. I was dumbfounded. In a similar way as with the wedding I had missed, I felt blind-sided by what was occurring. But occurring it most definitely was. These were not things that happened to the prayerful, poso and pretty frock wearing sorts. Especially when in both instances I wanted to be there as said prayerful, poso and pretty frock wearing presence.  And finally yesterday, a day filled with the usual challenges one has to navigate living in the hustle and bustle of Lagos, I assessed the fridge only to realise that I hadn’t really paid to attention to what was in it or the larder and there were elements but not quite a coherent recipe of ingredients and leftovers to make a soothe-my-soul supper with. Whoever said bad luck comes in three’s might have been onto something I mused.

So how does one deal with disappointments, bucket of vino imbibing, shoe shopping sprees and pity party attending aside? All of which may distract but don’t diminish the pain. Well, one opens up a bible, gets reading and prays that something will resonate. As ever with the living Jesus, I was not disappointed and two verses in the Psalms jumped out and spoke to me.

“Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm30:5

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

In the instance of the wedding, I allowed myself a cry a la Psalm 30:5 the night before, knowing that tomorrow would be a better day, and then on the day itself went full throttle Psalm 118:24. God bless technology for this one, as I was treated to WhatsApp updates from friends throughout the day, and with comments, emojis and the rest I was able to participate as a virtual wedding guest. Heck, I was even throwing shapes that very evening in the sky high Miu Miu stilettos that were going to form part of my ensemble. I didn’t have to actually be there, to thank God for this most amazing and joyous occasion, and celebrate I did, right to the last snap and video footage sent.

   

I have employed the same approach with the other event too. There is nothing in the bible that says one needs to be in the same location to thank the Lord for its occurrence. Nor is it helpful to wallow in the pain of not making the invitation cut. One could still, Psalmist style, rejoice in the day that the Lord has made and all those gathered to witness it. One could also choose to focus on the joy that comes anew with each day on God’s green earth rather than any hurt that might  have preceded the day itself.

As for the grub situation, God had given me everything I needed. I love cooking and I saw the ingredients as a challenge; and furthermore, I needed to be thankful, especially living in a country where so many go to bed hungry, that I even had food to be sniffy about. The result was a beyond delicious lentils, fish and coconut soup, People are loving it on Instagram too, so it can’t be that bad at all!

So does bad luck come in threes? I say a resounding no. Because every disappointment is one where God’s grace can come rushing in, not just making you stronger but also closer to him. Not only that, there is something far more powerful that comes in three, and that’s the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are truly all one needs when life gives you an almighty punch in the stomach. And if the disappointment still has you on the ropes, remember the other event with ‘three’ front and centre, Jesus’ resurrection. On the third day he rose again! One can stand in that most certain victory every time and know that it is ours too.

Evangelism 2.0

I was sitting in traffic. Anyone who is reading this in or having ever been to Lagos will know how epic an affair that can be: a short journey could take hours, and add super selfish sometimes downright dangerous driving into the mix and one’s mood can plummet quicker than the proverbial lead balloon. But on this particular journey I was struck by a noise. It wasn’t the usual chorus of irate horning, but it was a familiar worship song, being played at top volume. I looked behind me and there was a little three wheeler car,  one normally sees yellow ones operating as taxis,  painted pristine white and decked out with megaphones and bearing the legend ‘JESUS’. I couldn’t help but smile, and of course snap, and then sing along to the song. Traffic just got interesting.

But it wasn’t just about brightening up commuters’ days; the driver and whoever helped him decorate the car was hoping to do something far more dramatic; he was hoping to win souls for Jesus. Get people giving God the glory before they opted for anything else: themselves, their possessions, and their position, maybe all three put together and instead see him as the source of every good thing in their lives. Not only that, he was doing exactly what Jesus called us to do:

“He said to them, “Go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark16:15

Evangelism can sometimes feel like such an embarrassing word: with associations of earnest holier than thou sorts knocking on people’s doors and bombarding them with factoids about why what they believe is best. However, it needn’t be that heavy handed. One friend used to operate a ‘flirt to convert’ concept, where she would chat up guys and then suggest church as their first date. On one level it was quite hilarious how the most hardened atheist would agree, probably on account of her model good looks and mile long legs, but let’s just say that committed conversions were few and far between!

So how does one do the Evangelism thing and avoid a cringe situation? The key is seeing how Jesus called the original disciples: there was a lot of calling out to people and saying ‘follow me’ (for more fulsome accounts check out Matthew 4:19-22 and Mark 1:16-20), but then this begs the question why did people with homes, jobs, loved ones and maybe chocka social lives, just take off on this altogether different direction?  Put simply it was Jesus. Even right at the beginning, before they had seen miracles galore, mega crowds coming to listen to his preaching, or met with the risen Lord after Good Friday, the disciples were convinced. They sensed there was something tangibly better to be found in a life in him. The details were revealed to them in due course, but for now, that feeling sufficed.

Which brings it back to us contemporary evangelists, operating in a world where there is so much information and not enough time to take it all in, we need only show the Jesus in us to evangelise. And that doesn’t necessarily mean talking in super spiritual terms, or boring some poor person who happens to be in the queue behind you in a shop or standing next to you at a party. Just giving off the vibe of one who truly possesses the peace that passes all understanding, who most definitely has compassion and care for all creation, who doesn’t judge and doesn’t condemn. Who just, you know, imbues a room with positive energy and a sense of possibility. Do this, and people will probably flock to you, not necessarily Sermon on the Mount styles, but they will come and they will ask questions and they will want to know more, and if you see it going in that direction, you can probably ask them to church. What happens next is in his most able hands.

Are You A Church B****?

It’s 9.45 am. Service starts at 10.00 and you have given yourself an internal pat on the back for not only resisting swearing your way through traffic to get to church on time, but also singing worship songs all the way and having general thanksgiving type thoughts for the week just passed. Plus you have managed to save seats for your closest friends and there’s brunch to look forward to as well, perhaps you will try that new place that just opened and everyone is talking about, you muse to yourself, smoothing down  your new outfit, which thankfully is church compliant too. Midway through this gentle revelry, you are interrupted by a tap on the shoulder;

“Can I take a seat?” says a smiley stranger, you certainly have never seen in church. Do you:

A)     Smile sweetly and say, ‘I’m terribly sorry but these seats are taken’, before directing the newbie to other spare seats in the church.

B)      Look the newbie up and down, before saying quietly but firmly, ‘No these seats are not free’ throwing a scarf, handbag, mobile and anything else you have onto your reserved seats.

C)      Sigh audibly, let the newbie sit, but when your friends come make a song and dance of all squeezing into the allotted space, maybe the newbie will get the message and shift.

D)     Let the newbie sit, you and your friends still squeeze into the space anyway, but make absolutely no attempt to engage the newcomer, bar a weak handshake during the Peace.

If you are nodding to any of the above, or have done even a slightly ‘kinder’ modified-for-your-environment of any of the above, or done something, not quite the same but vaguely reminiscent, and felt bad about it, but justified your actions anyway (it’s all in the context darling), then you are officially a Church B****. That’s right, you may have turned up on time, be filled with ‘By God’s Grace’ and ‘Thank you Lord’ lyrics, and be wearing an outfit that screams ‘Holy Stylish’ but you are a meanie in the house of the Lord, and you are probably the cause of a lot of pain, shame and in the worst instances, abandonment altogether of not only the pews, but also the Good News.

Christos are meant to be in this world, but not of this world, and the moment we get into the cliquey, excluding zone, we reflect some of the worst aspects of human nature, rather than the God breathed one, given to us by his unending grace. Answer A is faux helpful, but let’s be real, there is no real welcome. Answer B, is outright rude and with the spreading of items, confrontational. Answer C is the worst sort of passive aggressive behaviour, although I applaud the thick-skinned newcomer who endures  and sings loudly for added measure, and Answer D, would have any vulnerable individual convinced that they are not welcome and may not be worthy of the love and care of God or his people.

When we find ourselves getting into a bit of a social routine at church, it is probably a sign to shake things up. Whilst yes, we are a family, and inevitably we will get closer to some parishioners  more than others, we should also be mindful that by being in Christ, we are part of one body that has many parts and are thus all of equal import and value. As Paul succinctly states:

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.”

1 Corinthians `12:26

So, if church has become a bit like a member’s club for you, with your ‘set’ firmly in place, remember, that your ‘set’ is just one tiny part of the body of Christ. And that individual that you either inadvertently or intentionally freeze out is also part of Christ’s body. Be kind to them and Christ himself rejoices, push them out and you wound Jesus himself with your frosty, ice-queen attitude.  And for those wanting to banish the Mean Girls tendencies for good, maybe invite the newcomer to brunch, we are after all one big, messy but happy family. And God loves us all the more for it.

A Wrong Turn Isn't A Dead End

Sally, (not her real name) was wailing uncontrollably on the line to me. Without going into the lurid details, she was convinced her life was essentially a waste. That she was a fool, and the world and it's cat, now in possession of some of the salient tit-bits thought so too. Not only that, she was now officially past-it; too old for new beginnings, re-inventions, re-locations or the cool pair of Acne jeans she had spotted online. As I listened silently and compassionately to her plight I was struck by the root cause of her melancholy. It wasn't only the events themselves, but also what she felt they indicated, her life was officially one that had been defined by a calamity and would remain calamity-chocka, always.

We live in a fear and shame driven culture. It is very easy for one's inner voice to tune into the radio station, I like to call it Team Red FM, that will have you either frozen into inactivity when faced with a negative situation or deciding worse is to follow and we innately deserve it. And when we do make a bad call, as all of us will at some point or another; trust the wrong person, spend too long in the wrong job, study the wrong course or even  post the wrong picture, it is all too easy to be governed by the negative repercussions and become scared of making new decisions or entertaining the thought that better can still follow. 'This is clearly my lot' we say to ourselves ,After all, look around at everyone else, living their if not perfect lives, ones that are certainly without the monster sized errors of my own, which now have me languishing in the pit. But that's the dirty trick with Team Red FM, the same crappy song with lyrics such as 'failure' futile' and 'foolish' making up both the chorus and refrain and keeping people believing they've reached the proverbial end of the road.

I directed Sally to one of my favourite verses for the self-loathing, wrong turn heavy season, and one that I have returned to often  during my own difficult patches:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Paul is very explicitly reminding all of us, whether you are full-on believer, fledgling faith warrior, or sometimes in and sometimes out member, that every thing in our lives is used by God for our ultimate benefit. Sometimes, it will not be obvious how this will be the case, but it will always be so, and this is made clearer  in the second part of the verse 'who have been called according to his purpose'. The wrong turns, mistakes and,mishaps are actually part of our calling, and are used for divine purposes. Divine purposes being just that, not fully understood by our mortal minds and oftentimes seemingly nebulous, might feel unbearably painful in the immediate moment, but eventually when all is fully revealed they will be more than worth it.

Furthermore, it is when you make the wrong turn, find yourself lost in the wilderness of poor choices, that one can and indeed should lean on God more for strength, direction and comfort. More often than not, these are lonely times as people by and large are not necessarily the best at rallying round for long during that wrong turn season. But God is. If one reminds oneself, that not only leaning on him but also trusting him for a solution is the way forward then clouds really do begin to lift. Finally, here's the golden thread to cling onto for all it's worth, this is not the end but actually the beginning of an even better season. Suddenly, the wrong turn doesn't feel so wrong after all.