What stands out to me in today’s #ForwardDaybyDay verse (Luke 2:45-46) & #TheDisciplesWay verse (Luke 12:16e-21) is that God is asking #questions of human individuals even though God has/is all the answers. It would be easy to see this as God wanting humanity to explain & justify their actions, & possibly square them with their beliefs or God’s laws. I don’t quite see it that way. God is clearly engaged in teaching moments in both these verses. What strikes me is that God is not dictating what we should do or think or say. Instead, God’s helping us discover that on our own & where we will go from that point on. For instance, the young Jesus leaves the temple with his parents after spending 3 days among the teachers. Presumably, his questions (& their answers) gave them much to reflect on. OTOH God’s questions expose the futility of the rich man’s selfishness & demonstrate that there are more important things in life (beyond protecting our wealth) that we are called to do, think, & say.

This is one of those mornings when neither #TheDisciplesWay nor #ForwardDaybyDay is speaking to me. Probably means I’m willfully ignoring what they are trying to say or am stubbornly hanging on to something I need to let go of (I’m pretty sure I know what that is, I just can’t seem to loosen my grip because I know it’s not coming back once it goes). So, rather than force something with Scripture, I’m going to focus on a different verse: Psalm 62:1 “For God alone my soul in silence waits;* from God comes my salvation.” I may not be able to turn loose that which is no longer good for me (if it ever was), but God can & will separate me from it, according to God’s desire. I don’t even doubt that letting go is the thing God is telling me to do. I just lack the ability to do it alone. So I will sit silently in God’s presence, trying to just breathe & get out of the way of God working in & through me. Prayers are always welcome. 🙏

Routines are useful things, although I’ve never thought of my daily reading of #ForwardDaybyDay as “marinating ourselves daily in the stories of our Savior’s life & ministry” as #TheDisciplesWay puts it today. Honestly, I’m not sure I think of it, or saying the hours, as #BibleStudy either. Bible study is what I do on Tuesdays at #EfM The rest is just…IDK what I think it is but it’s not Bible study. This week in #Lent is about #learning & the suggested approach is the #LectioDivina it’s interesting that, as I read the descriptions of the movements, I already do 2 — meditation & contemplation. I try to pray (oratio) though I don’t think I have a great #PrayerLife And Lectio, or reading aloud, you can forget. IDK if I don’t want people knowing that I am reading the Bible or if I just dislike the sound of my own voice. Either way, I don’t do it & perhaps I should. Maybe it’s time I change my perspective on Bible study. Maybe it’s time to change my #routine.

I’ve often said you can’t legislate stupidity. Things like seatbelt laws annoy me. If people don’t believe the evidence supporting their wear, I’m not convinced making it a legal requirement helps. (That said, if it wasn’t a legal requirement I doubt many manufacturers would include seatbelts except as a pricey option.) In fact, I wore seatbelts more before it was required. Now, going without feels like an assertion of independence, not foolishness. I think that is what the reflection in today’s #TheDisciplesWay (John 13:4-5,12-15) & #ForwardDaybyDay (Deuteronomy 10:13) are about this exact dichotomy. Hugo Olaiz talks about the difference between example (evidence) & commandment (law) while Rev. Tyler Richards points out that, sometimes at least, the law is given/made for our own good rather than forcing us to do things we don’t necessarily want to do. Perhaps this is just human nature. Today’s reflections have me seeing them a bit differently. Whether my actions change is debatable

Today is a study of contrasts. #TheDisciplesWay is reflecting on #disruption (Mark 11:15-18a) while #ForwardDaybyDay reflects on #rest & the Sabbath (Hebrews 4:8). There are so many things in the world today that distract us from our #faith & the #WayofLove It’s easy to lose sight of what we are called to do & be by God. Both of these reflections remind us that we regularly need take a step back, to rest & refocus our attention on God. It sounds simple. Sometimes it is. Often, however, resting is complicated as we navigate the many things (jobs, family, media, etc.) vying for our attention. Stepping away (a news or social media fast, vacation, just going for a walk) can feel incredibly, frighteningly, overwhelmingly disruptive to our daily lives. And yet, that is what God asks us to do. Importantly, we are told to rest regularly. Perhaps, if we did, it would seem less disruptive…or maybe it would be more disruptive. Today is a study of contrasts. Or is it?

“And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Matt. 11:6 (NRSVue) The Greek word skandalizein has here been translated as take offense although elsewhere it has been translated as stumble so this verse could also be read as “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble over me.” Either way it is an interesting message for Jesus to send to John the Baptist & to share early in his ministry. #TheDisciplesWay sees it as a reassurance for John, letting him know that the proof of Jesus’ divinity is in the works he has already done & John has witnessed. Although it is not one of today’s #ForwardDaybyDay verses it does suit Rev Tyler Richard’s reflection on the day dedicated to #HarrietTubman which notes that prophets are more than just disruptive. The path to a deeper relationship with God is not an easy one. Much is taken on #faith because we fail to recognize the proof of God that Jesus shows us, or, if we do we are afraid to trust it. Blessed are those who see, trust, & believe.

It always amazes me how few names I know. Not of people, though I’m not great with those, but also places, things, & titles. Especially titles. For instance, today’s #ForwardDaybyDay mentions the Prayer for Humble Access & I have to confess that when I read that I had no idea what they were talking about despite being a life-long Episcopalian. I had to look it up. As soon as I read the first line (“We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful
Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies”, my reaction was “oh, that’s what it’s called.” I grew up saying this prayer before communion, although it is optional in the Rite II Eucharist. May explain why I prefer Rite I. I think we said it at school, which was usually Rite II though? Personally, I’d like to have it said more often. It reminds us we are not saved by our own actions nor do we deserve the salvation Jesus offers. It is a gift, unmerited, & we should be more grateful for it.

My daily spiritual practices ebb & flow inconsistently. Lately, they’ve ebbed more than flowed as I’ve been caught up the the “news” and anger at the actions of 🍊 & SpaceBaby. In #Lent I am trying to stop that & and turn away from the anger. In addition to the #ForwardDaybyDay I have taken praying the hours back up using #DailyPrayerforAllSeasons & I am reading #TheDisciplesWay with my sisters. My hope is that diving into the deep end of my faith pool (I’m also doing #EfM & a course on #PauliMurray while reading #NadiabolzWeber ) will help me discern the path God has set me on. I’m not sure what that path is. I certainly don’t know where it leads. What I do know is that I need to be receptive to it. It would be nice if I could recognize it when I see it too. That, however, requires clearer sight & far less anger than I have right now. So I’m diving into study, not as a solution, but as a means of changing my focus & growing my awareness of God in my life & the world.

Seems like I’m getting some affirmation of my social media/technology fast during #Lent from today’s #ForwardDaybyDay (Hebrews 2:1-3a) For me, it’s not just a matter of a shortened attention span (tho I 🐿️! ✨! that too), it’s also about losing sight of what is important in my life. I need and want to make space to just sit with God and listen. I may or may not be discerning a call. I can’t quite tell because of the overwhelming noise around me. We talk about holding space for others, which is an important thing to do. We also need to hold space, in our lives and our world, for God and the Divine (I’d say “whatever we conceive that to be” but too many people today seem to be worshipping 💵 or attention or false prophets rather than any aspect of the Divine) The biggest issue I have with a social media fast is that social media is my job. Maybe if I confine myself to work hours and #Episcopal related content 🤔 We’ll see how #offline and #analog I can get this season and still do my job.