Nougat 26

Hello

Blessings and grace to us all. For those who follow the lectionary, today is Ash Wednesday, symboling the beginning of a six week journey in reflection and penitence; that ends on Easter. One of the interesting things about seasons of reflection such as these is the temporary nature of the forfeitures – we give something up FOR Lent, only to revert once the season is over.

What if we who choose to fast were to use this as habit (aka discipline)-formation? Could we do that?

On a slightly different note, here’s today’s Holy Nougat

“But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah‬ ‭9:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

No one really enjoys braggarts, partly because of the focus self-ward and because their stories are often exaggerated. For the next few days however; we are revisiting boasting – how it might be a good thing, a spiritual discipline even.

If we are bragging about something or in this case Someone, it is usually expected that we KNOW the subject of our discourse. While we might not know everything, we should know enough to begin and maintain a conversation about them. And we should love the subject so much that our every thought revolves around the subject of our praise.

It stands to reason then, that God’s directive to Jeremiah, reiterated by Paul twice to the church in Corinth, that our boasting about God requires intimacy WITH God. How well do we know God, and how deep is our relationship? Is it one-sided – ‘don’t call me, I’ll call you’? Or two-sided but hidden – I’m not wholly inclined to broadcast our love to the world; but keep supplying my needs? Or multi-dimensional – give and take, times for conversation and knowing what makes each other happy?

For it could be that our boasts may misrepresent God’s nature, and so often we are guilty of that.

Lord may our very lives be daily testimonies of Your love for all, boasting to the world of Who You ought to be for us, the moment we say yes. Please Jesus, amen

In Christ’s love and grace . . .