February 14, 2016 "How Love Feeds Us"

February 14 Deuteronomy 26.1-11, *Luke 4.1-13 “How Love Feeds Us” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Luke tells us that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, a loving spirit. Jesus’ love for God and for God’s people made a difference to all who came to him. That is why we worship, because we are loved, because Jesus makes a difference in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. [slide # 1 What a difference… ]

This season of Lent is our time to draw closer to the God of this universe. If there are 365 days in a year, using the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays) is about a tithe of our time. Tithing is a wonderful standard. [slide # 2 tithing time]

When we use our time to exercise spiritual disciplines, we are truly blessed. We are truly ready for God to use us to be a blessing in ways that may be small or great.

During last week’s Leadership Training and Planning workshop, we had a list of several spiritual disciplines and we put smiley faces on every spiritual discipline that we had exercised in the last 8 months. [slide # 3 smiley faces ] We were to put X’s on those disciplines that we had not exercised in the last 8 months.

There were about 20 of us and we had 100% smiley faces on spiritual disciplines like studying, worshipping, seeking spiritual guidance, worshipping, and praying. A few could not wrap their minds around simplicity, solitude, and meditation so there were some X’s there.

Then there were plenty of X’s on the spiritual discipline of fasting. Even though fasting has been a part of the biblical and Wesleyan-Methodist tradition from the beginning, most of us don’t think about fasting much.

There are many ways to fast. One of the most powerful fasts that I have done is a two hour fast with no solid food. Whatever we offer God with a heart of reverence, will be accepted. [slide # 4 red heart with smaller heart] The longest tradition of fasting that I notice at Bethel is our Maundy Thursday sacrificial soup dinner we partake of before the Maundy Thursday communion and hand-washing service. [slide # 5 bowl and towel] This partial fast is still a fast that pleases God and deepens our faith.

Jesus fasted in the wilderness. Fasting helped him to focus on getting through his wilderness experience. He fasted, in order to find strength to resist the many temptations that the devil put before him. Fasting, like every spiritual exercise, stretches our spiritual muscles and stretching brings strength. [slide #6 man stretching]

You have probably heard the story of a little boy who was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies.

"Now then, young man," ... said the grocer as he approached the young boy.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing," replied the boy: "Nothing."

"Well it looks to me like you were trying to take a cookie."

"Oh you're so wrong, mister, .... I'm trying not to take a cookie!"  

[slide # 7 little boy looking at cookies]

Like Jesus, we all have our conversations with the devil. We go back and forth, back and forth, weighing the cost of taking any opportunity that is designed to destroy us instead of build us up.

From experience, we all know what works best to help us make it through our wilderness. Books are written that offer one tried and true method after another. We read our Daily Bread and think about what we might give up for Lent. We may even think about what we can take up and offer in the way of some service during the Lenten season.

Whether we give up or take up, we can remember that our God is not looking for us to get a better method. God is looking for us to be a better people, a people prepared fulfill God’s purpose and plan. The spiritual disciplines make us a better people. And, we all want to be better! We all want to get out of the wilderness as soon as we can, as smoothly as we can.

We can imagine that the little boy salivating over that peanut butter cookie was not a happy camper. In fact, for most of us, not getting what we want when we want it, is crying time. Fasting is for those crying times. [slide # 8 face down]

Fasting is for those who are ready to shed real tears. Fasting is a time to weep with those who weep, to mourn with those who mourn.

Fasting is a time to shed tears of repentance, to be sorry – sorry for our sins, sorry for the words, behaviors, and attitudes that have been less than pleasing to a God who finds ways to bless us in every one of our situations.

Fasting is a time to feast on the word of God, [slide # 9 hand ] to taste more consciously the love of God, to set aside a special time to be with our Divine Valentine. Fasting is a time to cry out and shout from the mountain tops the depths of God’s love for us, and how seriously we take each step of faith that deepens us in that love. It is a love we have grown to trust as the songwriter reminds us:

 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er,

Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more.

Let us continue this Lenten journey by God’s grace exercising the many spiritual disciplines we have in mind, whether or not we are experiencing a wilderness. Robert Frost’s poem inspired me recently, especially when I think about how comfortable a wilderness full of temptations can become sometimes:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

We may do our spiritual exercises of meditation, prayer, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, or celebration. We may even exercise fasting. Whatever we do in this season, may the love of God enfold us, [slide # 10 valentine sun] may we partake of every word that comes from the mouth of God, may Heaven feed us ‘til we want no more. Amen.