Lent, Day - Day 11, March 7

The readings for today are: Psalms: 55, 138, 139; Deut 11:18-28; Heb 5:1-10; and John 4:1-26

Some more thoughts on weakness.

Lent is a forty day journey of renewal, re-discovery of what Christ Jesus has done for us on the cross. I've always been struck (really, even when I was little in the Lutheran church during Lent) with the determined path of Christ towards suffering. We didn't read Philippians 2 today, but you might remember that Paul says "Christ emptied himself", [from the Greek kenow", which is pronounced like "ke-new-oh". It's one of the great doctrinal statements about Christ Jesus, that he let go of all of the rights, privileges, status, and power and embraced weakness, humility, obedience, and even death.

The word "weakness" in our English translations comes from the Greek word, "astheneia" and often notes aspects of human weakness. Nine times it refers to physical illness, fifteen times it's used in a larger sense and Paul uses it the most in a distinctive way. For example, in the letters to the Corinthians Paul speaks of his own "astheneia" (weakness). 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 (NASB)
1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, -- note also Galatians 4:13 where "astheneia" is translated "bodily illness", or "illness", or "physical infirmity".

In the great resurrection chapter of 1 Cor. 15, Paul states, 1 Corinthians 15:42-43 (NRSV)
42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. . In Romans 8:26, he writes that the Holy Spirit helps us in our "astheneia" (weakness).

But, it's in 2 Corinthians that Paul uses it the most - six times he uses the word in 11:30 - 13:11; his lengthy apologetic to the Corinthians of what it has meant to be an apostle. What is curious to me, and perhaps to you, is the conclusion that Paul reaches towards: "It is good to be weak". Nothing states that more emphatically than 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. .

This text is what I'm preaching on in late March at Mad City where I serve. I've been meditating on the idea of weakness for weeks now. One thing I realize is that I'm nowheres near Paul in embracing weakness.

Yet here we are... Christ Jesus emptied himself...gave himself up for us through his death on the cross. What did he say to me? "If anyone is not willing to pick up his cross and follow me..."

Lent, 2009, has taken on a whole new depth of meaning for me than ever before.

A Prayer:

"Christ Jesus, my Lord, my heart's desire is to follow you, to be obedient in every pathway you lead; but I have to be honest in admitting that I would prefer that to be on my terms...yet, it cannot, and for that reason I repent, and ask for your forgiveness. My heart's desire must be to pray as you taught: "Let your will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven. Amen."