Devotional 3-6-14

Psalm 26; Matthew 6:1-6

As I write this, my belly is full of pancakes and sausage from the JM Shrove Tuesday Mardi Gras supper that raised funds for "Music at Johnson Memorial."  Today is an interesting transition day in a profound transition week.  Two days ago, we celebrated a transfiguring brightness of Jesus when God made it clear once again that God took pleasure in claiming Jesus as the beloved son.  The day itself signaled the transition from the glory of the mountaintop to the call of Jesus to follow him to the work of discipleship in the valley.  And of course, Transfiguration Sunday marks the transition between and the contrast of bidding farewell to Epiphany and greeting the arrival of Lent.  Tonight, we gorged on pancakes preparing for tomorrow's ashes of penitence.

In morning prayer today, I mused on the contrast of the almost boastful praise of God in Psalm 26 with the private prayer observed in the Matthew 6 text for Ash Wednesday.  Are we boldly and publicly to observe that we have walked with integrity and have proven our steadfast love of God?  Or are we to beware of practicing our piety openly before others?  How do we align a public witness to our faith with Jesus' caution to go to our private places and to pray in secret?

You are probably already a step ahead of me.  We can, and should, do both.  We are called to live our faith publicly not to be boastful but to create an atmosphere of invitation for others to want what we have -- a loving relationship with God and our neighbors.  There really is no quarrel between these two texts. 

Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality and calls us to a penitential season of reflection of our lives.  How do we measure up with the calling to live publicly what we say we believe?  Do we spend time in authentic conversation with God - not putting on an arrogant display but having a genuine dialog with God?

Holy Lord, loving God:  we begin our Lenten journey observing your desires that we serve you with honesty and integrity.  Enable us to reflect upon our lives and to see how we align ourselves with your calling for us to love you and to love our neighbors.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Rev. Jack Lipphardt