Author: Fred Shope

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Friday

From C.S. Lewis:

“Muzzle him!” said the Witch. And even now, as they worked about his face putting on the muzzle, one bite from his jaws would have cost two or three of them their hands. But he never moved. And this seemed to enrage all that rabble. Everyone was at him now. Those who had been afraid to come near him even after he was bound began to find their courage, and for a few minutes the two girls could not even see him–so thickly was he surrounded by the whole crowd of creatures kicking him, hitting him, spitting on him, jeering at him.
At last the rabble had had enough of this. They began to drag the bound and muzzled Lion to the Stone Table, some pulling and some pushing. He was so huge that even when they got him there it took all their efforts to hoist him onto the surface of it. Then there was more tying and tightening of cords.
“The cowards! The cowards!” sobbed Susan. “Are they still afraid of him, even now?”
When once Aslan had been tied (and tied so that he was really a mass of cords) on the flat stone, a hush fell on the crowd. Four Hags, holding four torches, stood at the corners of the Table. The Witch bared her arms as she had bared them the previous night when it had been Edmund instead of Aslan. Then she began to whet her knife. It looked to the children, when the gleam of the torchlight fell on it, as if the knife were made of stone, not of steel, and it was of a strange and evil shape.
At last she drew near. She stood by Aslan’s head. Her face was working and twitching with passion, but his looked up at the sky, still quiet, neither angry nor afraid, but a little sad. Then, just before she gave the blow, she stooped down and said in a quivering voice,
“And now, who has won? Fool, did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor? Now I will kill you instead of him as our pact was and so the Deep Magic will be appeased. But when you are dead what will prevent me from killing him as well? And who will take him out my hand then? Understand that you have given me Narnia forever, you have lost your own life and you have not saved his. In that knowledge, despair and die.”
The children did not see the actual moment of the killing. They couldn’t bear to look and had covered their eyes.
While the two girls still crouched in the bushes with their hands over their faces, they heard the voice of the Witch calling out,
“Now! Follow me all and we will set about what remains of this war! It will not take us long to crush the human vermin and the traitors now that the great Fool, the great Cat, lies dead.”

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Palm Sunday

Today we celebrated the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by people hailing him as the Messiah. Evidently this procession was not the only one making it’s way into the city that day. The Roman governor, Pilate, was also entering Jerusalem with his forces. This was something that happened before every Jewish holiday. After all, the Romans had to remind the Jews who really was in charge.

So, you have an imperial Roman procession on one side of the city and a subversive, Messianic parade on the other side. The people shouting, “Hosanna!” as Jesus made his way along the road thought they understood what was going on. As they saw it, this man who had performed so many miracles was the promised king who would drive out the hated Gentile oppressors and restore the glory of Israel. Unfortunately, as the week unfolded, many of these same people, now disillusioned, would join in the calls for his crucifixion by those same oppressors.

Those folks were partially right. Jesus was the promised Messiah. He had come to set up a kingdom and free them from their oppression. What they didn’t realize was the nature of the kingdom. It was a kingdom that is not of this world, a kingdom that came in, not by way of overthrowing the present empire, but by the king dying at the hands of that empire. The Jews were expecting God to do things the way they expected. They didn’t understand that God rarely works that way.

I thought of how many times I’ve prayed for things and thought that God was going to answer those prayers in a certain way, either because I had jumped through a certain number of hoops to “earn” God’s blessing, or because I couldn’t think of any other way God could act. I trusted in God for the things I thought he would (or should) do. Like the Jews I followed Jesus for what I could get out of it. The funny thing is, God never seemed to do the things that I expected, yet so many things turned out in such a way that I knew the Father was taking care of me. Things were not all sweetness and light, and sometimes I questioned God about what he was doing. But I can look back on those days and see that God was there, and that he was working.

I have learned (and continue to learn) that God is not predictable. He is not someone who can be counted on to always do things a certain way. God relates to people in all kinds of ways, and we cannot tie him down to a particular plan of action. None of us can figure God out, yet he calls us into relationship with him. In that relationship we learn to trust God simply for who he is rather than for what we think he can do for us.

Be encouraged. Your Father loves you more than you know. He has given you his life and his glory. Trust the Father, even when the parade of Palm Sunday turns into the darkness of Friday.

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Weekend Wanderings

It seems that Spring has sprung here in the sunny South. The trees are almost completely leafed out and the yearly pollen plague is almost over. Flowers are blooming and the days are getting warmer and longer. Along with all this, the thunderstorms have returned, just to keep life interesting. Thankfully we don’t have snow storms like the unfortunate folks across the middle and north of the country.

On to the good stuff:

Messy indeed.

I, for one, am thankful for this.

Yes. He is.

Maybe we should stop asking this question.

Just in case you’ve ever thought you might want to go back in time and live here.

Ladders.

Excellent post on praying for others.

Fred Smith on his little town.

What a good idea!

A good article, whether or not you are a college basketball fan.

Alan Jacobs wants to be an idiot.

Sneakers and self righteousness.

Living into the what.

Distraction.

Good post on patience in ministry..

What to do when you can’t outrun the pain.

Making a difference.

Have a blessed week!

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Weekend Wanderings

It’s the end of March. It hasn’t been very windy here this month, but it has been a bit chilly. This has been the second year in a row where March has been colder than February.

Here are the links of the week:

That explains it!

So, this is a thing.

Bottling tears.

Drinking sand?

Funny post from the Onion.

Would this be considered easy money?

Evidently it doesn’t stop at admissions.

Baseball as spiritual discipline.

Bad generals.

Interesting article on feedback.

Things we cannot say.

Myth of generosity.

Classic post from iMonk.

KC Bob on marriage.

Watering dry bones.

Karl Vaters on anger.

Seductive status.

Telling stories.

Have a blessed week!

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Cracks

In “Anthem”, Leonard Cohen sings,

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything (there is a crack in everything)
That’s how the light gets in .

There is a good bit of truth in what Mr. Cohen sings. In the song, he speaks of wars that will continue to be fought, of a holy dove that will be caught, bought, and sold again. There are marriages that are spent, births that are betrayed. Parts that don’t add up, and marches without a drum.

In the midst of situations that seem to be futile, the song tells us to find those bells that still will ring and ring them. It tells us to forget about trying to bring a perfect offering because there is a crack in everything. But that crack is how the light gets in.

Anyone that knows anything about the human condition knows that we are all cracked. No one is perfect. Those of us who follow Jesus should know better than anyone how imperfect and cracked we are.

The truth I see in “Anthem” is this: We are all cracked and can not bring a perfect offering to our Father. Fortunately, we have a perfect offering made for us; Jesus the Messiah. His sacrifice takes away the guilt of all our mistakes and sins. Because our Father has provided a perfect offering, we can continue to ring our bells and proclaim God’s perfect love and grace, and the sacrifice he has provided.

Our cracks are not something to be covered up. We need to remember that even the best among us has cracks. None of us is perfect and it doesn’t do any good to pretend that we are. We see the cracks in another. What makes us think that others cannot see our own cracks?

As it turns out, the cracks are actually good things, when we admit that we have them. Admitting our cracks makes us vulnerable. It makes us willing to be who we are before God, who knows us inside and out anyway, and before others. It allows us to know and be known. It lets us understand and empathize with others who are cracked in some way. All of these things can allow the light of the gospel to shine into our hearts, and into the hearts of those we love.

Do you have any bells that can still ring? Ring them. Don’t try to be perfect, but rest in the perfect offering made by Jesus. Be open and don’t try to hide your cracks. Let the light of the Father’s love shine into you and then out of you onto others.

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Weekend Wanderings

It’s finally getting warmer here in the sunny South. I’ve been able to get out in the yard and get some things done. I do have a bit of extra free time these days, so maybe I can win a “Best Yard” award. Or not. The madness continues in arenas and offices across the country. If I had filled out a bracket, it would have been busted after the first round.

On to the good stuff:

Jesus did say this would happen, but it is sad to see nevertheless.

Don’t get distracted.

What is your heart saying?

Stay away from sugary drinks.

Peggy Noonan nails it.

Parenting as religion.

This is very disconcerting.

Good post from KC Bob.

I guess it was bound to happen.

Admissions scandal at a community college?

Good question.

A successful pastor.

Good post from Jared Wilson.

The rich.

Believing in the prosperity gospel.

In case you haven’t had enough madness.

The evolution of baseball.

I’m not so sure about this.

Have a blessed week!

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Update Time

Twists and turns. Turns and twists. As I travel these back roads of life, the road changes from time to time. Just like that, it can go from a smooth, well paved road to a rutted, overgrown path through a deep dark forest. Sometimes the road takes me to the top of a mountain where the vista seems to stretch out forever. Other times the way gets hard to see and I wonder if I’m even on the right path.

The road has taken another one of those twists. I haven’t gone down one of those dark, scary paths, but it seems as if I’ve come to a crossroads. The road seemed to be leading straight and level, and I thought it would last for quite a while. Now, I sit, knowing that the next stage of the journey will take me somewhere else but not knowing where that will be.

A couple of years ago, I began a position as an assistant at a small law firm. From the beginning it seemed like a dream come true. I envisioned staying there until I was ready to retire. For the first time in my working life, I enjoyed going to the office everyday. Would you like to guess what happened? Yep. I was laid off a week ago. The firm has restructured and that has left me as the odd man out. Even though I would have liked to stay there, I understand that they did what they had to do.

So, I am once again looking for work. This time, I am not as concerned as I have been at other times. I have a community around me that is supportive and helpful, and already have some possibilities to pursue. There are a few directions I could go. As far as I know, none of them will lead into the wilderness. In the meantime I will pursue the opportunities and see where they lead.

If you’ve read any of my earlier posts, you know that I tend to see things from a slightly different point of view than other folks. So it goes with this latest bend in the road. I’m actually kind of looking forward to seeing where the next stage of this journey will take me. If there is one thing I’ve learned on this trip called life, it is that my heavenly Father knows the way I take and he will take care of me.

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Weekend Wanderings

The madness has begun. All over the country, there are people rejoicing and people mourning. No, I’m not talking about politics. It’s college basketball! For some of us, it’s one of the best times of the year. If you’re not a fan, that’s okay. I won’t hold it against you, for long.

Moving right along, here are the links:

Just stop.

Does it really matter?

Principals?

This has some disturbing potential.

KC Bob on forgiveness.

Now, that’s loyalty!

What about the students?

Four good questions from Karl Vaters.

The shadow of anger.

Sad news.

Good post from Fred Smith.

Not on social media? No problem!

Interesting article.

Fasting for Lent, with a twist.

Sometimes you just don’t need to fight.

The non-diet diet.

Have a blessed week!

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Feasting and Fasting

In the liturgical traditions, this time of year is the season of Lent, a period of fasting, reflection, and repentance leading to the remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion and the celebration of his resurrection. The Lenten season lasts 40 days, beginning with Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance and remembrance that we are dust and to dust we shall return, and ending on the Thursday before Easter Sunday. During this time, people fast from certain types of food, from alcohol or tobacco, from social media, or any number of things. Others add some sort of service to others or other spiritual activity to their schedule. No matter what is done, the focus is on the fact that we are broken people living in a broken world. It helps those who follow Jesus reflect on why he died on the cross.

In many places where Lent is practiced, there is a period of time known as Mardi Gras, or Carnival. It is a time of feasting and partying, sometimes to excess. The day before Ash Wednesday is called either Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday. According to Wikipedia, Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the feasting that takes place. Shrove Tuesday refers to the liturgical season of Shrovetide, which ends on that day. Many traditions consume pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.   In many places, the Mardi Gras celebration begins the weekend before and Fat Tuesday is the culmination of the feasting.

The Bible speaks of both feasting and fasting. The Old Testament Hebrews were commanded to fast at certain times. There were also times of fasting for certain types of people or ministry. There were also time of feasting commanded. There were seven different feasts which the Israelites were commanded to attend. Deuteronomy 14 commands the people, once a year, to carry their tithe to what became the Temple in Jerusalem and eat it before the Lord in that place. If the way was too long for them, they were to sell their tithe, and when they arrived at the city, to buy whatever they wanted: oxen, sheep, wine or strong drink. The people of God were commanded to fast at certain times, and they were commanded to party at others.

Our little community of believers tries to carry on a bit of that tradition. We have a Mardi Gras celebration the Saturday before Ash Wednesday every year. We feast on pork, gumbo, and other foods. There is wine and strong drink, although it is rare when someone imbibes excessively. We believe that Christians should throw the best parties and bring the best wine. We also believe in reflecting on the fact that even though we are in Christ, we still sin and need to repent. This year we gathered on Ash Wednesday to serve dinner to a group of men at a homeless shelter, reminding us of our human condition. We will celebrate Good Friday and will feast on Easter Sunday.

We believe that the times of fasting or repentance remind us that the Kingdom has not come in its fullness, that we live in that in-between time. When we feast we look ahead to the wedding feast of the Lamb, when all things will be made new and we will live in the New Jerusalem, when there will be no need for fasting.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.