Our Immovable Rock

Scripture Focus: Zechariah 12.3
3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.

Luke 21.5-11
5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” 
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” 
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 

Reflection: Our Immovable Rock
By John Tillman

Zechariah spoke to those who had gone through exile and captivity. They knew what it meant for armies to gather, the city to fall, and the walls to be destroyed and burned. They heard their parents’ tales and tasted the fear and uncertainty. God’s words reassured these people that, in the future, no gathering of armies will be able to overcome Jerusalem, the shelter of his people.

Jesus spoke to his disciples, suffering under Roman occupation and puppet kings like Herod. Herod was “king”, but all were forced to say “Caesar is Lord.” They longed for liberation.

The Temple Zechariah knew was renovated and expanded by Herod. The disciples were impressed with the stonework in Herod’s expansion. If they had read Zechariah’s words at that moment, they would probably have thought that they were living in the time of their fulfillment. We know they expected Jesus to become king. We can easily imagine that they hoped to see Jerusalem become the immovable rock that Rome and every other enemy would break themselves against.

But instead of speaking of armies breaking against Jerusalem, Jesus spoke of Jerusalem being broken. Even the Temple’s impressive stones would be cast down, not one of them left on another.

Eschatological anxiety has waxed and waned in my lifetime. It’s easy for us to go to extremes on this issue. Some panic that the end is near and then, when it seems delayed, lose faith. Some throw their hands up in cynical doubt that the day will ever come. Some seek to bring the day to pass by taking the reins of power into their own hands. They long to build whatever kingdom they can using hastily baptized political power.

Christ told his followers to not be easily taken in by messianic movements. He warned them against fear and reactionary haste and encouraged patience.

It may seem impossible in our world to avoid anxiety, panic, cynicism, and power-mongering. But is our world more dangerous than Rome in 30 AD?

“Do” is easier than “Don’t.” Instead of thinking, “Don’t be anxious,” concentrate on resting in Jesus. Resist panic by resting in hope. Wrestle in prayer rather than for power. What Christ will establish will not depend on our power or wisdom but on his.

Remember that our immovable rock is not an institution, movement, country, or leader. Jesus is our immovable rock.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
The Lord lives! Blessed is my Rock! Exalted is the God of my salvation! — Psalm 18.46


– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 12-13.1 (Listen 2:30)
Luke 21 (Listen 4:18)

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If all we get from fasting is a measurable, earthly ROI, we will be unlikely to reap a spiritual benefit.

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Fasting Uncovers Our Hearts

Scripture Focus: Luke 21.34-36
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” 

From John: How’s Lent going for you? With only 13 days left until Easter, we are looking back on this Lenten reflection from 2019. What is being exposed in your heart?

Reflection: Fasting Uncovers Our Hearts
By John Tillman

During Lent we often focus on the fasting component of the season.

Our fasting in Lent is often compared to Christ’s fasting in the wilderness prior to his testing by the Devil. One of the chief temptations involved in public fasts such as Lent is to defend them publically or engage in them privately by citing worldly benefits.

We can focus too much on how we might lose weight by constraining our consumption of certain foods or gain time by constraining our consumption of digital content or entertainment. But our physical gains and losses are of little spiritual consequence. If all we get from fasting is a measurable, earthly ROI, we will be unlikely to reap a spiritual benefit.

Richard Foster, in his devotional classic, Celebration of Discipline makes it clear that we must engage in fasting with our eyes focused only on heavenly, not worldly benefits:

“God questioned the people in Zechariah’s day, “when ye fasted…did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?” 

If our fasting is not unto God, we have failed. Physical benefits, success in prayer, the enduing with power, spiritual insights —these must never replace God as the center of our fasting. John Wesley declares, “First, let it [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven…” That is the only way we will be saved from loving the blessing more than the Blesser.

Once the primary purpose of fasting is firmly fixed in our hearts, we are at liberty to understand that there are also secondary purposes in fasting. 

More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David writes, ‘I humbled my soul with fasting” (Psalm 69.10).

Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, that will surface during fasting. At first, we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger; then we will realize that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.”

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. — Psalm 51.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 39(Listen 5:24)
Luke 21(Listen 4:18)

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Fasting may be the most important spiritual discipline for the church to focus on in the next decade.

Fasting Uncovers Our Hearts

Luke 21.34-36
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Reflection: Fasting Uncovers Our Hearts
By John Tillman

As we continue through Lent we will focus often on the fasting component of the season. 

Our fasting in Lent is often compared to Christ’s fasting in the wilderness prior to his testing by the Devil. One of the chief temptations involved in public fasts such as Lent is to defend them publically or engage in them privately by citing supposed worldly benefits. 

We can focus too much on how we might lose weight by constraining our consumption of certain foods or gain time by constraining our consumption of digital content or entertainment. But our physical gains and losses are of little spiritual consequence. If all we get from fasting is a measurable, earthly ROI, we will be unlikely to reap a spiritual benefit.

Richard Foster, in his devotional classic, Celebration of Discipline makes it clear that we must engage in fasting only with our eyes focused on heavenly, not worldly benefits:

“God questioned the people in Zechariah’s day, “when ye fasted…did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?” 

If our fasting is not unto God, we have failed. Physical benefits, success in prayer, the enduing with power, spiritual insights —these must never replace God as the center of our fasting. John Wesley declares, “First, let it [fasting] be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven…” That is the only way we will be saved from loving the blessing more than the Blesser.

Once the primary purpose of fasting is firmly fixed in our hearts, we are at liberty to understand that there are also secondary purposes in fasting. 

More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. this is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David writes, ‘I humbled my soul with fasting” 9ps. 69.10).

Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, that will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger; then we will realize that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.”

Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Send forth your strength, O God; establish, O God, what you have wrought for us. — Psalm 68.28

Today’s Readings
Exodus 18 (Listen – 3:54)
Luke 21 (Listen – 4:18)

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It is our heart that we must rend in mourning and confession, because God looks at the heart, not our outward appearance. When we rend our heart in community with others, we invite God’s power to work in us for redemption and restoration.

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There are, alas! many blind men, who practise their castigation, whether it be fasting, watching or labor, only because they think these are good works, intending by them to gain much merit.