I recently read the most challenging and inspiring book I’ve read in a long time. Unbelievably, it’s a book on tithing! Douglas Leblanc’s Tithing: Test Me in This is the latest title in the Ancient Practices Series. In this book Leblanc challenges us to practice the discipline of tithing. He does this not by undertaking an exegesis of relevant bible passages or preaching a sermon, but by interviewing people whose lives have been decidedly marked by tithing and generosity. These interviews include members of a 1970s intentional community, an author who has given away millions of dollars in book royalties, and a pastor helping a New Orleans’ neighborhood rebuild after Katrina. An interview with a Jewish rabbi gives useful background to the Old Testament commandments on tithing and generosity.
Leblanc looks at tithing not as an act of legalism but as an act of grace that is the doorway to a life of generosity. Tithing is discussed as a Christian practice through which God invites us to participate in His purposes in the world. Tithing is a means of grace through which one learns to live in the fullness of the Kingdom of God that is present now.
When I received a review copy of Tithing from Thomas Nelson, I anticipated reading it a few pages at a time, but was so inspired that I read the entire book in one day. I pray that my life would be marked by the radical dependence on God and joyful partnering in His work in the world that is seen in this book.
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I’ve been able to watch a bit of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics this week. It is always amazing to watch the world’s top athletes perform. The training programs these athletes undergo for just a few minutes of Olympic competition is inspiring.
As an Olympic athlete trains for the games, Paul instructions us to train for godliness: “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
Training makes it possible for us to do things that would otherwise have been impossible.
What would a training program for godliness look like?
We would practice focus—removing those things that distract from our goal.
These are disciplines of abstinence like fasting, silence, solitude, simplicity, and rest.
We would practice action—adding things to our lives that help us reach our goal.
There are disciplines of growth like worship, bible study, journaling, confession, prayer
We would join a team—working together with others who bring out the best in us.
These are disciplines of community like hospitality, authenticity, encouragement, and submission.
We would find a coach—a wise mentor who can lead us toward the goal.
This is the discipline of spiritual direction through a pastor, counselor, mentor, or friend.
We would train for a purpose—eventually an athlete must enter the competition.
These are disciplines of mission like forgiveness, praying for others, working for justice, giving, serving, and proclaiming the good news in word and deed.
What about your training? Which of these disciplines have been helpful? What would you add to the program?
Today is the beginning of Lent, a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, leading to Easter. Lent is a time of prayerful personal reflection to prepare ourselves for the upcoming Easter Celebration. During Lent we pray “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
During Lent we grieve over our sins and earnestly seek God to transform us. Because this time of grief ends with the great celebration of Easter, the Eastern Orthodox Church refers to Lent as “The Bright Sadness”.
Lent is an excellent time to practice a Spiritual Discipline that isn’t normally a part of your life. Many people find fasting and praying one meal a week to be a meaningful Lenten practice.
Lent is also time to practice self-control as an intentional spiritual act. (It is one of the fruit of the spirit you know! –See Galatians 5:22-23) Many people find it very meaningful to give up something they usually enjoy during Lent. Some people choose to celebrate each Sunday as a “little Easter” by enjoying what they have otherwise given up for Lent.
May your sadness be bright, for as we grieve our over our sin, even our grief anticipates the joy of the resurrection!
Last year I developed a running habit. After years of not being a runner, my feeble attempts at running turned into a real running habit. I’ve realized that what worked to finally help build the habit of running could be used to help build other habits as well. So, I’ve reverse engineered my running habit to find these 8 keys to unlock new habits. This post serves as an outline of these keys. Perhaps one day I’ll fill this out in more detail.
1. Think Long
• Mark Batterson writes: “We tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in two years. But we underestimate what we can accomplish in ten years. Who knows what God could do in you and through you by 2020!”
• Who do you want to be in 10 years? Take steps now!
2. Get Motivated
• Why are you going to do this?
• You need a reason to keep doing it when it’s hard/boring/you just don’t want to today.
• Why are people often transformed at the lowest point of their lives? That’s when they are finally desperate enough to get motivated.
3. Act Small. Repeat.
• Choose small, repeatable, manageable actions and do them repeatedly.
• Goal is to form a habit
• 5 minutes a day of prayer forms a habit. An hour of prayer once in a while will not.
4. Get Buy In
• Important people in your life need to support you.
5. Just Start
• Don’t wait until you have it all figured out. Figure it out as you go.
• You don’t even know what you really need to figure out until you’ve tried it.
• It’s easier to steer a moving rocket.
6. Track it
• Keep a log of your new habit.
• Great encouragement to see the time added up.
7. Resist Resistance
• Don’t wait until you feel like it.
• I hated running for 9 months. Now I love it.
8. Keep Showing Up
• Don’t let failure yesterday keep you from success today.
Have any of these keys helped you to unlock a new habit?
Have you found something else helpful?
I’ve never been a LOST blogger, but after last night’s season premier I thought I’d jump in for the final season. NOTE: If you are reading this I’m assuming you have watched the season 6 premier or that you don’t mind finding out what happened.
Questions Answered-ish
Since the season 5 finale, we’ve all wondered “Did the bomb go off? Or was the white flash a time travel jump? Did they keep the plane from crashing? Or will they still be on the island?” Well, keep wondering.
Early seasons of LOST told the story with flashbacks. Season 4 started using flashforwards. Season 6 begins with a new storytelling technique: concurrent alternate story lines. Which one is the real story line? Which one actually happened? Are they somehow both happening?
My first thought was that Season 6 is following along with Season 4, giving us the new story line of what happened in 2004 since the plane didn’t crash and flashing forward to 2007 where all the LOSTies end up on the island anyway. If this is the case, these two “alternate” story lines will eventually connect and conclude as one story line.
However, I’m starting to think these really are alternate stories, not one story that appears to be an alternate. Why?
The Title
The title of the episode “LA X, parts 1 and 2”. Notice it is not LAX, the airport, but LA X. This follows sci-fi convention for an alternate universe with alternate story lines.
The Book
As the LOSTies first enter the temple, I noticed a quick flash of a Kierkegaard book. Kierkeggard was an incredible Danish philosopher. And a Christian. So, even though it only flashed on the screen, I noticed it right away. The particular book shown is Fear and Trembling, Kierkegaard’s retelling of the Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac. In this book Kierkegaard addresses issues of God, faith, and ethics through four alternative retellings of the Abraham-Isaac story. HMMM, alternative rettellings of the same story as a way to address philosophical questions……
Nothing Subtle About This Allusion
On another note, we were given a not-subtle-at-all messianic allusion. Last night Sayid becomes a middle eastern man who is “baptized”, comes out of the water in the form of one crucified, dies, and returns to life. This is after we are told that there will be great trouble if Sayid dies. Oh yeah, and this all happens in the temple. Sound at all familiar?
Props to my wife
Congratulations to my wife who figured out the pseudo-John Locke was the man in black was the smoke monster….well before they made it obvious in the story. :)
What stood out to you in LOST Episode 6.1?
I didn’t grow up in a church tradition that valued Communion as a regular practice. Instead, communion was an event, saved for a few special times a year. Like the family’s fancy china dishes, Communion was ensured to be special by its infrequent use. In The Sacred Meal
Gracefully reflecting on the practice of Communion in her life, Gallagher walks the reader through a threefold path of practicing Communion: waiting, receiving, afterward. In waiting, we prepare ourselves to enter into the practice of Communion, examining how we have lived-or not lived-in the reality of the present kingdom of heaven. In receiving, we open ourselves up to the presence of God, not through our effort, but by simply accepting the gift of God. In afterward, we allow the experience of Communion to seep into every aspect of our lives.
The Sacred Meal
There are several goals I really want to make for 2010. You know the routine: health, finances, family, work. However, I am forcing myself to leverage the power of focus and making only one resolution this year. And I am following my own advice by making it public here.
I resolve in 2010 to finish my D.Min. dissertation.
Any tips for living out my resolution?
Are you trying to read the Bible more consistently this year? Perhaps the reading guide I made for my New Testament courses will be helpful for you. It is designed to lead you through the entire New Testament in 14 weeks.
