Lenten Reflection 3/1

Well, I just don't have the heart to blog about the sequester anymore.  I feel like our leaders have literally gone over the cliff with all their justifications and accusations and political posturing.  Economic stress will do that to people.  I can see the stress produced by just our own little church budget, so when you're talking about our whole country's multi-billion dollar budget, well.  It's beyond my scope.

It just seems that Washington is full of people trying to lead the parade.  The world is full of people trying to lead the parade.  Heck, I try to lead my own parade multiple times a day.  I like to think that I make my life go the way it goes and that I can make things happen the way I want them to happen all on my own.  However, I'm with Paul who says to the Romans that he's figured out that "God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does...  Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting God set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade."

In John's Gospel, Jesus says, "I can't do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide."  I know my life gets so much less stressful when I start my day listening instead of proudly and anxiously charging out into my own agenda.  And I suspect the crazy stress in Washington would be lessened by less charging forward and lots more listening - and, as my brother Curtis suggests, looking for ways to collaborate.  

Today's Readings:    Jer. 5:1-9; Rom. 2:25-3:18; John 5:30-47
Saturday's Readings:     Jer. 5:20-31; Rom. 3:19-31; John 7:1-13
Sunday's Readings:     Jer. 6:9-15; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; Mark 5:1-20
Elsa is using The Message translation this year.