Friday February 23rd, 007

Friday after Ash Wednesday
February 23, 2007


“Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Matthew 9:15

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Ten minutes in a twenty-four hour time span is barely a blip on the screen. It is very doable. Each of us could set a time and place for those ten minutes each day. It would be no big deal to do that, right? Or maybe it would be a big deal?

A Christian song offers this enticingly provocative question, “What if his people prayed?” Yes, what if every person on this earth was committed to praying for ten minutes a day? We could call that praying each day for ten minutes the ten minute rule. How would our world be different?

I traveled around the United States for two years doing evangelistic retreats for youth. The goal was to invite the youth into the good, loving and saving relationship with Jesus Christ lived out in the church and the world. One of the most common things the youth would say about coming to personally know Christ was, “I did not know that you could get to know God and have fun at the same time.” That sentiment needs to be looked by us all who are in the church. Do we have joy with our God?

If we do not have joy with our God then we do not have our God! A joyless Christian is an impossibility! You cannot be in the presence of Jesus and be sad. So, if you are sad, you are not truly in the presence of Jesus. The disciples of John asked Jesus why his disciples did not fast and Jesus told them that they could not mourn while with him (Jesus). So why is there so much sadness and mourning in the church? If that is our life with God, then why would the unchurched ever want to walk in our doors?

So, let us get back to the ten minute rule. No big deal or a big deal? I propose that it is a huge deal. I think it is revolutionary. It is a revolutionary deal that can lead to a continual explosion of joy in your world. Only Jesus can give continual joy and if we are not going to him to get that each day that is the reason for our sadness.

Let us make a deal. Obey the ten minute rule for one year- one year. Commit to a prayerful time and place each day for ten minutes for one year and see what happens. Watch mourning and sadness flee. Learn why Christians are always smiling and laughing so much.

Live the confronted life!
+Fr. John