3/8/11 - Into the Desert We Go

 

 

John 12:24-25

 

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.

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I'm using these verses as my guide as I walk into Lent 2011.

Jesus isn't just talking about his own death here.  All of us, if we are going to grow into what God desires of us, need to fall to the ground and die. 

A significant step in this process is truly understanding our place with respect to God, and the true level of our own sinfulness.  That leads to a realization that we are the product of our own desires.  When we are left to our own devices -- ie, acting on our own desires -- we go astray.   Way astray.

We need to learn to set our desires aside, and take on God's desires for us. That isn't something that is accomplished by believing, or stating, or even praying.  It can only be accomplished by doing. 

St. Paul referred to this as "putting the flesh to death."  Others have used the term "mortification of desire."  No matter what you call it, the process is to break our attachment to the physical world. 

That is how I'm approaching lent this year.  I'm giving up a couple of things that upon deep reflection, I can see are barriers that I've placed between myself and God.  Things that I've come to desire more on a minute by minute basis than I desire HIM.  

I don't want those desires.  But they don't go away just by wishing.  I have to willfully put them to death.

Into the desert I go!  I need a horse with no name.