A Message From Pastor

Afterglow

A member shared with me the other day that they ran into friend whom they had not seen in quite some time. The first thing their friend said was: “You look real good!” My member responded with: “Thank you!” The conversation continued: “What have you been doing? You’ve lost weight, your skin has cleared up and you look ten years younger!” My member, now becoming somewhat embarrassed over this rave review, said shyly, “Well, I just finished my Lenten Journey!” “What is that?” the friend inquired. The member went on to share how they had changed their diet by giving  up red meat, chicken, fried foods,  and the ‘whites’ – meaning anything that involves white flour, white sugar, salt, etc. They noted that they did leave in fish, mainly broiled, and baked. Oh, did I mention that they also gave up alcohol (beer and wine included).

The amazing thing about the Lenten Journey is how impressed my members are by their own God-given results. When we deny ourselves things that are clearly not in our best interests, not only do we see the results, but others affirm them also. What is this saying to us? What do we make of this? And, most of all, what do we do with these results? One of my Bible study students shared with us that Lent 2006 she quit smoking, and then the day after Easter she started up again. I told her satan was quite pleased, but heaven was not. She whispered to me in Bible study a few days after this Lenten season, “I haven’t started back!” to which I replied, “And you won’t!” We have to claim the victory of the resurrection with Jesus. I heard a Catholic priest share that whatever we have done for Lent or given up, come Resurrection Sunday, we are resurrected to a new level of our Christian journey with Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. I like that! We rise with Christ! As the old folk used to say: “Ain’t that good news!”

Another one of my members told me that she invited her brother to join in the Lenten Journey with her. He called her on Easter Sunday thanking her, and like many others, amazed at the results. He lost six inches off his waist line and probably added six years to his life. Someone said: “Our waist line is connected to our life line!” I believe this is true.

I shared on Resurrection Sunday with the Antioch Baptist congregation the passage in Luke 23:16 when the disciples did not recognize Jesus the same day of his resurrection as He walked with them on the way to Emmaus. The scriptures give different wording regarding the disciples’ condition. One translation noted “their eyes were shut,” another says “they did not recognize Him.” One commentator noted that Jesus was not ready for them to see Him. I choose to believe that they did not recognize Him. (Of course, the latter perspective suits my argument for this Pastor’s Page.) The fact that they perhaps did not recognize Jesus presupposes that Jesus did not look the same prior to His resurrection. So, it is only fitting that as we theoretically end our Lenten Journey that we should not only look different (those who did a dietary journey), but that we become different. We should be different spiritually, mentally, and physically. We share the joy, we claim the victory with our resurrected Lord and Savior! We live because He lives! We serve a Risen Savior.

The journey continues!

His Love and Peace,
Dr. Marvin J. Bentley, Pastor