A solid faith is a thinking faith. God blessed us with the gift of reason, and it is a gift that must not remain unused. Reason helps us to apply what we learn, think deeply about our beliefs and experiences, and share the truth with others. As we wrestle through experiences, questions, and doubts, we strengthen our faith, and refine its impact upon our lives.

John Wesley believed that Scripture was sufficient unto itself, and the foundation of true religion. Yet, he understood the value of reason. He said, “Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles.” Rather than merely memorizing truths and doctrine, he encouraged people of faith to reflect deeply and grow in their understanding.

Over the course of my ministry, numerous people have inquired about the best way to get around doing the study and thinking for themselves. One person was even quite straightforward in their request, “I really don’t want to think about all this, ” they said, “Can’t you just tell me what to believe and do?” I don’t think they liked my answer, but loving leadership does not just tell people all the answers. We need to engage our faith in thoughtful ways in order to truly understand it, and live it.

Yesterday, I was blessed to have lunch with a friend and colleague. He and I hold many things in common, but we also see some things quite differently. During our conversation, we engaged some significant issues. Rather than argue our positions in an attempt to convince the other, we shared our thoughts and positions in order for both of us to grow in our understanding. I am still unpacking some of the powerful things he said, and will be for some time. His words drove me back to Scripture, Tradition, and my experience, causing me to reason through some things I strongly believe. I may discover that I need to adjust my position, or I may better understand, and express, what I already believe. Either way, reasoning together, and on my own, will be worth the effort.

This leads to an important point. Incorporating reason in our spiritual discernment involves more than just our own thoughts. We need to listen to, and engage, the reasoning of others. While our faith is deeply personal, it is never private. We are a community of faith, and each person has something of great value to bring to the discussion. We need to value others, even those who radically disagree with us, so that together, we can discern the will of God.

A final thought worth consideration is that our reasoning is not just about our human abilities. Christian reason is always assisted by the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (14:26) Truth faith is not of our own making, it is grounded in the revelation of God. To rightly reason regarding God’s involves a harmony of my thoughts, the thoughts of the community of faith, and the instruction of the Holy Spirit.

A Bonus Note

While the heart of the discernment process involves these four steps, Wesley did include a final step in his practice as a litmus test of our insight. Knowing that we can travel down wrong paths, even with the best of intentions, he encouraged taking our discoveries and testing their agreement with Scripture. Since the Bible is the foundation for true religion, any revelation we receive must remain consistent with the teaching of Scripture. Just as we must check our math after solving a problem, so we must check our theological discovery against the word before we accept it. We may find that we reasoned well, or we may need to revisit the process to discover where we went off track. Either way, we will continue to grow though our reflection, our conversations, and our listening to the Holy Spirit.

May your weekend be blessed, and your days ahead, as you grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

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Incorporating experience into our discernment process is much more than merely deciding what we want to be true, or what we think Scripture says on a particular subject. Rather, it is adding the knowledge each of us accumulates to the mix, along with the stories and key moments that shape our lives. This allows us to ask good questions of our interpretation of Scripture and to rightly examine our experiences, allowing the Holy Spirit to use these sources to guide us in our beliefs and actions.

Some Cautions with Experience

Our experiences can be wrong, or at least, misinterpreted. We may think our view of the world is correct, but sometimes our lens is skewed and things are not exactly as they seem. This happens frequently on social media. We read posts or comments, convinced we understand what they mean, only to find out that we misread, or misinterpreted, the words we read. We may be sure that someone is angry with us, only to discover that is far from the truth. Of course, it can go the other way as well.

We also see this concern play out in bigger ways as posts are made by those we trust, and reposted by others declaring something to be true. We may be so sure of our source that we post them as well, only to fact check later and discover we are all in error. These near daily occurrences should give us caution when we are assessing our experiences. We must always be open to the truth that our view of our experiences could be wrong.

Our world is not the whole world. It is important to incorporate not only our own experience in our discernment process, but the perspectives of others, especially those who do not see things our way. This may be difficult at times, but the result is worth the effort.

As a pastor, I frequently have church members who will approach me on an issue saying, “Everyone feels this way.” When I press them on who they spoke with, we soon discover that “everybody” is only their family, or just their circle of friends. This does not necessarily mean that their perspective is wrong, but it does mean that it is not fully informed. Incorporating experience goes beyond our thoughts and stories, to include those of others.

Emotions can help and hurt our understanding. Our emotional experience can be a great blessing in discernment. How we feel about something can be a revelation in itself. If a path doesn’t feel right, we may need to be careful before we proceed, or if we feel positive about something, it may be the Holy Spirit encouraging us to move forward. Of course, our emotions can be shaped by things other than the Spirit. Our fears and frustrations can discourage us from that the right path, and our passions can lead us to places we never wanted, or intended to go. Sober judgement is certainly called for when we examine our emotions.

While there are some cautions to consider when we engage our experiences, there are many blessings as well.

Blessings of Experience

We learned it for a reason. Our life is more than just a series of random experiences. If we believe that, “the steps of a righteous person are ordered by the Lord,” (Psalm 37:23) then we must believe that our experiences have a God-ordained purpose. They shape us and our understanding to prepare us for future decisions and discernment. We should never discount our experiences. We may need to learn to rightly understand them, but they are a valuable gift from God.

Experience makes it personal. It is all too easy to have lofty thoughts and ideas, but the real “rubber meets the road” of the Christian life is understanding the impact of our theology and beliefs on our actions, on our witness for Christ, and on how we treat others. While the “What Would Jesus Do” movement often seemed to go a little overboard, the question is still of great importance. Knowing what we know from Scripture and Tradition, asking what God wants us to “do” with that insight central to our faith walk. It is all too easy to “know what is right” and yet, live wrongly.

Application helps us understand. I love to fly fish, and I love to read about fly fishing. I can assure you, there is an amazing difference between knowing how to fish, and fishing. All of the book learning is helpful, but putting it into practice teaches what no book ever could. Likewise, our experience of putting Scripture and Tradition into practice refines our understanding. Even our mistakes and failures help us better understand the truths we live by, and refine the way we put them into practice along our journey.

Scripture, Tradition, and experience all inform our discernment process. Tomorrow, we will see how God’s gift of reason helps us bring these sources together. Until then, seek God in your circumstances and discover what the Holy Spirit is saying to you through them.

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I once thought
happiness came in packages
with dollar signs attached.
Quantity mattered more
than quality, unless
a name gave you status.
I wanted more because
peace had a shelf life.
Some, new thing was always
ready to be my source of joy
and self-worth.
Love had a price,
contentment a cost.
It was exhausting.

Imagine the joy
discovered in revelation;
a knowledge of life
currency cannot capture.
Delivered from a second master,
peace saturates each day.
Consumer captivity’s weakened grip,
frees me to the divine quest,
incorruptible treasures:
relationships, memories, and
moments of love.
This is abundant life.

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I wanted to be sure that the ones I purchased had no cleaning products in them, so I checked the back of the package. They were exactly what I was looking for, but when I checked, I was surprised to see directions and I wondered what directions I would need to safely clean my touchscreen. They read, ” Wipe desired area.”

I actually laughed out loud in the office supply store. “So, it’s come to this,” I thought, “We are at a point where we need to be directed to use a microfiber wipe to wipe something.” It was funny, and a little scary. Did someone really need those instructions?

The more I thought about it, I realized we are bombarded by shallow advice and information all the time. From near magical diet tips to another set of “Ten Great Secrets to Save Your Marriage,” the priceless tidbits abound. Most of these offering little more new knowledge than the back of my microfiber cloths, but somehow making us feel like we have a deeper understanding.

Sadly, this cheap guidance frequently enters our spiritual lives, as countless voices attempt to reduce our faith down to a few simple directions. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus was clear that the message of the Gospel could be expressed as, “Love God. Love people.” It is a truth grasped in a moment, but learning to live it out takes a lifetime.

Our faith demands an investment on our part. There are no shortcuts or cheap advice, only a willingness to be led by the Spirit as we grow deeper in our faith. It is my hope that the people of God will never be satisfied with another round of obvious advice, but will seek out a deeper relationship with God. There, we can daily grow in the knowledge and love of God, and prepare ourselves to bring substance to a world drowning in the frivolous. It is a challenge worth taking for ourselves and for the world.

Today, let’s choose to go deep; to move beyond a superficial relationship with church or religion, and take hold of the Savior of the world. Let’s echo the words of the first disciples when they said, “Where else can we go? For you alone have the words of life.”

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It would have been easy to spew out anger and frustration, but accidents really do happen, and the easy path is typically not the Christ-like path. Who knows how many people shared their anger with her before I arrived, or what was happening in the rest of her life. She did not need another angry customer, she needed to experience grace, love and forgiveness, just like we all do. It can be challenging to extend grace and forgiveness, but since we need it in our own lives and continue to receive it from God, shouldn’t we try to share it with others?

Jesus told a story about a man who owed his employer an excessive sum of money, an amount he could never fully repay. When he was brought before his employer he appealed for grace and in an unexpected act of love, his entire debt was forgiven. It is a wonderful expression of unmerited favor, and a beautiful illustration of God’s loving grace. If the story ended there, it would be great, but Jesus went on to tell how this man, forgiven of a great debt, received such grace only to search out a man who owed him a small sum, accosting him and demanding he repay the money immediately. His fellow workers were so disturbed by his actions they went to the employer to report what happened. The story ends with the employer calling the man “wicked” for receiving great grace and yet, being unwilling to share grace with others.

You and I receive great grace from God. We experience divine love and forgiveness, when we do not deserve it. God forgives our grand debt and then sends us forth to represent that same grace to others. It can be difficult to share, but when we recognize the great grace we receive, the difficulty seems to vanish, and we go forth to comfort others with the same comfort we received from God.
What happened in the restaurant was a small thing that required only a small sacrifice on my part. Considering the significant forgiveness I needed, and continue to need from God, it was the only reasonable response. I only wish I recognized it more frequently. Too often, I respond with my emotions, rooted deeply in a false view of what I am entitled to and a distorted sense of my importance. Like the man in Jesus’ parable, I celebrate God’s grace, only to withhold it later when it should have be freely given.

Grace really is too great a gift not to be shared. When we humbly recognize our need for grace, we can offer it to others in the same spirit and trust that God will use the moment to bless the giver as well as those who receive. With our attention turned outward, maybe we will see the “grace moments” all around us and lovingly share the amazing grace we love to sing about and receive. Then, others will have the chance to experience the gift with us.

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I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard those words, and how many times I said them. There are times when all of us would rather not expend the metal effort to take in more information. Sometimes we feel too tired or maybe the material does not excite us, but whatever the reason, we don’t feel like learning any more.

Most of us can relate to feeling little or no motivation to study, but there is a deeper challenge when it comes to living our faith that threatens to leave us unprepared for the work of ministry and the challenges of life that we will experience. That challenge is not the lack of motivation, but the lack of desire. When we move beyond “I don’t feel like it” to “I don’t want to” the situation is much more serious, and when the subject is our faith journey the impact can be devastating. That may sound dramatic, but when it comes to living and sharing the Christian life, the results of our choices have eternal significance.

The Apostle Paul told his younger protege, Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved.” (2 Timothy 2:15) There is a real need for Christians to invest time and themselves in the work of study for the sake of their faith journey and their impact with the Gospel. It is true,that many modern translations of this verse replace the word “study” with “discipline yourself” but a necessary part of that discipline is renewing the mind and spirit through study.

Too many times as a pastor, I hear people say, “Just tell me what to believe (or do).” The implication is that they would rather blindly follow someone else’s direction than do the hard work themselves, yet that is exactly what they need. More than a simple answer or a personal direction from the pastor, the real knowledge lies in allowing the Spirit to use their studious efforts mingled with divine revelation. Pastoral insight may be a part of that process, but there is so much more. I once has a door hanger that read, “I trust in the Lord, but I still have to study.” The quote is cute, but full of truth for all of us.

Our faith is surely more than academic, but it still requires our study. No sermon or teaching will replace time spent reading the Word of God, engaging the reflections of the community of faith over several millennia, and gaining the insights of the knowledge and wisdom of others. John Wesley, the founder of the Wesleyan denominations (including my own, the United Methodist Church) exemplified a model that engaged Scripture, tradition, experience and reason. We need to incorporate all four, and we need to do the work, not wait for someone else to do it for us.

We want to offer God our very best and that includes the mind and intelligence we were blessed with. Our study need not be laborious, but it must not be avoided.

In the coming days, I will be sharing some suggestions to help encourage and empower your study. For now, however, it is enough to encourage us all to take Paul’s advice and study so that we can show ourselves to be those approved.

Be blessed in this day and in your study. May God’s divine revelation multiply your efforts.

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There are so many different ways to read the words of that question. It can be spoken in the tone of a parent asking a precious child what would bless them, or with the drone of a bored cashier who would rather not be bothered. It is the terse expression of an annoyed coworker, or the heartfelt request of someone who really cares. At its best, it is a searching question aimed at revealing motive and desire.

In the Gospel of Luke, we find the story of Jesus interacting with a blind beggar just outside of Jericho. The man is seeking a touch from the Lord as he passes by, yet Jesus asks the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”

At first glance, we might think to ourselves, “Come on, Jesus, don’t you know what he wants? Can’t you see that he can’t see? Isn’t his need obvious? Why would you ask such a question?” The man, however, responds directly to the question, “I want to see!” and with this declaration, Jesus heals him.

Why would Jesus ask such an obvious question to someone with such a recognizable need? If others knew his need, wouldn’t the Son of God be able to perceive it as well? Maybe, there is a deeper meaning to be found in Jesus’ request. Maybe, Jesus had a bigger purpose in mind.

I once heard Joseph Garlington, a pastor from Pittsburgh say, “When God asks you a question, he isn’t looking for information.” God is not lacking understanding or information, but we might be. We might not have a clear image of what we are seeking, but God does. And that is why we need a clarifying question.

Jesus was not oblivious to the beggar’s need, but he wanted him to identify it. He invited him to become a part of the miracle by clarifying his desire. The man paused, even if only for a moment, to consider his need and to ask specifically for Jesus to meet it. Maybe, we need to do likewise.

In our home, we often have conversations that go something like this:

“Let’s go out for dinner.”

“Okay, what do you want to eat?”

“I don’t know…”

It can be very easy to know you want something, but not know what that something is. Likewise, most of us know we need something from Jesus in our lives, but the real nature of just what that need is often eludes us. It is in these moments, that we too, can hear Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” What, specifically, are we seeking from him? He already knows what we need, but this is our opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to show us our real need so that we can present it to God and receive our answer.

Too many times I’ve said, “God, fix it,” or, “God forgive me.” with no idea what I wanted God to do, or what God might be asking me to do. It is not that God will not answer such requests, but God is so much more than a genie in a bottle, there to grant our wishes. God is a loving friend who wants to share the journey with us.

So, the question stands, not as an expression of ignorance, but as an invitation to share our needs, our requests, our very selves with God. It is an opportunity to see our real need more clearly and to see who Jesus is in the midst of our need.

As the Lord journeys with us, perhaps he is asking us, “what do you want me to do for you?” if that is his question, what is your answer?

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The wrong understanding of knowledge can lead to negative consequences. It is this type of knowledge that “puffs up” giving us a false view of ourselves and the world. Most of us have heard the phrase, “a little information is a dangerous thing,” and it is true. A little information can lead us to believe we have more understanding and more ability than we actually do. We begin to think too highly of ourselves and pride edges out the much needed common sense that asks for help before our need for it becomes desperate.

The same attitude many of us faced when we graduated, believing we knew everything and there was nothing we could not handle on our own, can still emerge from within us. We can be so impressed with the facts we know, the degrees we earned, and the life-experience we possess, that we fail to see our weak points. This intellectual blindness can lead us in the wrong directions and leave us wounded by our own choices.

In the book of Proverbs, we find an oft quoted treasure that has real-life impact. Early in the first chapter, the writer says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (1:7) Real knowledge originates from a right understanding of our place in relationship to God. The word “fear” is not about being frightened by God, but rather, respecting God. Filled with awe and wonder, we look to God to define what real knowledge looks like.

Putting God first in the pursuit of knowledge helps us avoid the pitfall of pride. It keeps us grounded in reality. We are not swayed by popularity or popular opinion. We are not impressed by what we know, nor do we expect others to be. Instead, we rejoice in God and the wisdom the Holy Spirit imparts. Then, the information we accumulate, the training we experience and the life journey we take can blossom into the fullness of truth within our lives. Instead of being prideful in our accomplishments, we offer them as gifts to God, to be informed by God and transformed into tools of ministry in our lives.

We should seek wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We should be life-learners who continually grow in these ways, but we should grow by being firmly rooted in God. James wrote, “If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God.” (1:5) if we want to truly develop our knowledge, we should start by asking God and then, rooted in him and led by the Spirit, we can truly mature our understanding.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. May our eyes be opened and our spirits awakened to the awe and wonder of God so that we may become truly knowledgeable and wise for our sake and the sake of the world.

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The psalmist wrote:

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me. (Ps. 16:7)

When we orient our hearts toward the praise of God, and when we seek and receive the counsel of God, then even in the night our heart will lead us to a deeper understanding of God and his direction for our lives. Our active attention to the Lord makes the way for even the hours of rest to become moments of growth with God.

Recently, I was confined to the sofa for a while to keep my leg elevated due to a serious infection in the skin. My wife was busy caring for our son who was injured at work, so there was plenty of time by myself. I used that time to read some books on the Bible and foundational theology, to meditate on some Scripture and to enjoy some worship music I recently purchased. After just a few days, I found that I would awaken in the middle of the night with a praise song on my lips or a word of Scripture in my head. The time spent saturating myself in God during the day, led to praise even in the wee hours of the morning.

More importantly, God began to use the words I listened to and read, to speak to me about important issues in my life. Even as David once prayed, “search me and know me, O God,” the Word of the Lord began to search my heart. Many things I needed to see were revealed. Some were very comforting, while others were quite challenging, but all were meaningful and necessary.

When we make time through conscious effort to place our attention on God, and when we saturate ourselves in the truth of his Word, then our quiet moments can become times of great revelation, instruction and encouragement. The things we actively took in begin to bear fruit, unfolding the truth of God before us. Yes, we learn and grow during our active study and meditation, but when we fill our spirits with the things of God, even the passive moments can be full of revelation.

As you walk through this day, may your eyes and ears be open, and your spirit receptive to all that God is doing around you. May you actively seek God and soak in his truth. And tonight, while you rest, may the Holy Spirit speak to you through all that you have seen and heard that you may draw closer to God, know his great love for you, and discover more of the destiny he has in store for your future.

Be blessed in the day, and in the night.

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Lent began yesterday, and once again we embarked upon our 40 day journey toward the joy of Easter. These precious days give us an opportunity to reflect on our humanity and our need for Jesus Christ. They allow us to consider the frailty of our lives and the brokenness of humanity, while celebrating the transforming presence of God in our lives, and the need that all of us have to experience the grace and salvation Jesus offers.

As special as this season is, many Christians miss the full beauty of Lent. They attend most of the six Sunday Worships, but they miss the power of the special services on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Yet, these special times of worship offer some of the most meaningful moments on the Lenten journey. It is within these holy moments that the traditional symbols and scriptures impart their deepest meaning.

Growing up, my church never offered a service on Ash Wednesday. To be honest, we hardly even mentioned Lent. In fact, I was well into my teens when I first understood what it was. Rituals, symbols and seasons of the Church calendar were not included in our church life. At first, the whole idea seemed foreign to me – something that belonged to another denomination, but not to me. However, as I learned about their meaning and took the risk to participate in the experience, I began to see the beauty and wonder they created.

I felt a little silly as I approached the pastor the first time to have the dust of burnt palm branches placed on my forehead, but as his finger traced the sign of the cross and heard the words of imposition, I felt the emotion well up inside me. Here I was, connecting to Christians around the world and throughout history, being reminded of my need for the cross of Christ to connect with the broken dust of my life. Without Christ in my life, all I was, was a creature of dust, but through the cross, that dust had an eternal future.

The symbols and rituals of Lent are new, and different for many of us, but when we allow ourselves to participate in them, we can experience their power as they re-present Christ to us in ways that connect us to one another and to all the faithful throughout history. While there is no magic in the palm ashes or in the words of the ritual, there is tremendous meaning that can change, not only our experience of Lent, but our entire journey of faith.

This year, will you let the symbols of our faith deepen your spiritual journey as you share in these special experiences together? You may just discover something you never expected.

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