Lent, Week 5
Mario Romero • March 14, 2024
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You ever wake up and just feel off? I have vivid dreams, like 4k-style dreams, and sometimes the dreams are so real I wake up with residual thoughts and emotions. I’m not a jealous person, but I remember waking up mad at Jamie one morning because she talked to some guy in one of my dreams. I turned to her and said, “I’m mad at you…you were flirting with some guy in my dream”. I was able to laugh it off with her as we laid there.
“When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops (enemy), horses, and chariots everywhere. ‘Oh, sir, what will we do now” the young man cried to Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15).
Last week I woke up as if I was surrounded by the enemy. My dreams were not only vivid but also very intrusive. I had never experienced thoughts like this before, I was struggling… Like the servant of the man of God, I was scared, I was crying out to God. I went to bed just fine and now I am in this space where I’ve never been—what do I do?
“Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth,
As it is in heaven”
God’s kingdom, God’s will... Our culture is guilty of having an individualistic mindset, and because of that, we tend to read and interpret Scripture through that lens. God’s kingdom and God’s will, while it is made up of individuals, is meant to be lived out in community. Lent, while it’s an individual practice, is still being practiced as a community. And the more we engage with God’s will and walk closer to Christ, the more the enemy will try to detour us. Even though I knew this, I still woke up feeling exposed, threatened, and afraid as I sensed being surrounded by the enemy. For almost 2 days, the mental, emotional, and spiritual battle waged.
“Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:16-17)
On Thursday, I was vulnerable and authentic with two loving friends. They listened, provided a safe space, and prayed. They prayed over me, prayed for my mental/emotional health, and also for any spiritual attack I may be facing. God’s will is for us to listen, provide a safe space, and pray for one another as the Holy Spirit reveals the kingdom and invites us to walk faithfully. Praise God for people who pray for and over us so that God opens our eyes revealing His presence during this Lenten season.
Art and Poetry Inspired by the Book of Revelation
Some resources on the Atonement
Some thoughts on why we do things the way we do at RCB.
Going through Lent, allowing God to tune our hearts to worship.
An invitation into knowing God's faithfulness through pain.
A review of Christianity and Critical Race Theory
On trying to follow Jesus in a consumerist culture.
Mario's reflections on Lent and privilege.
This is how I remember Lent as a kid: go to mass on Ash Wednesday (I have no memory of any sermon, lol), vow to give up something (that lasted as long as a New Year’s resolution), and eat Long John Silver’s fried fish on Fridays (their hushpuppies and crunchies…mmmm). We didn’t eat meat on Fridays (unless we forgot, but we prayed, so it was ok); it was something everyone in the church did, right? I knew it was leading up to Easter--other than that, I had no real understanding or connection to it. Lent was taught more like an obligation rather than an opportunity. An opportunity to reflect, rejoice, rest, repent (what other “r” words can we think of?) on Christ’s journey to the cross. The next 40 days is an opportunity, an invitation to draw closer to the Giver of Life. For some, this might look sacrificial (giving something up), for others it might be a genesis (starting something new), or it can be a combination of the two. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth, As it is in heaven” Our Lord doesn’t just teach us to pray, he embodies prayer. He inaugurates God’s kingdom on earth through his presence with us; through his faithful obedience, we get to see and experience heaven on earth. This does not come without temptation, and trials, and wandering astray at times—yet our loving God invites. He invites us to remember, to reengage with the One who creates and holds all things; He invites us to lay down our lives and pick up our crosses. We want to invite you to participate with RCB, as we journey with Christ to Calvary, praying for the strength to be obedient… Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth, As it is in heaven.
A book review of Peter Sung's excellent The Post-Church Church.