Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 78:1-31; Isaiah 10:20-27; John 4:16-30; Romans 4:9-15; Psalm 87
Routines play a huge part in our daily lives. If you have any doubts about this, Christmas is a great time to be reminded of this. Many of us have many routines that inform almost every aspect of our holiday celebration. Most folks, for instance, have a routine about when to put up the Christmas tree (i.e. the Friday following Thanksgiving). Others have a routine about when to mail the Christmas cards (i.e. no later than December 15 to make sure they arrive in time). Still others have routines established around when to open the Christmas gifts (don’t even get me started on the Christmas Eve vs. Christmas morning debate here!). The Samaritan woman’s words in today’s passage from John let us know that routines are nothing new – they had them 2,000 years ago as well. Routine told her that Samaritans were supposed to worship on a mountain while Jews were expected to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. But then something happened to her that caused her to revisit the unexamined routines of her life. She met Jesus, and he did something totally unexpected. He presented her with a world that defied routine. Instead of validating the religious practices the Samaritan woman raised, Jesus presented worship in an entirely new light. Instead of focusing on the location as the basis of worship, Jesus presented another basis: “God is spirit, and God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 – NIV). That’s the thing about this Christ-child we are preparing ourselves to welcome once again. He’s not a big fan of unexamined routines. He has a way of taking those routines and turning them upside down – of getting us to connect with what’s really important – of reminding us why it is that we do things. As you begin to unconsciously slide into your last minute routines in preparation for the final days before Christmas, I invite you to follow the Samaritan woman’s example and have your own encounter with Jesus. And just see what happens to the routines and expectations in your life! Til next time…
Routines play a huge part in our daily lives. If you have any doubts about this, Christmas is a great time to be reminded of this. Many of us have many routines that inform almost every aspect of our holiday celebration. Most folks, for instance, have a routine about when to put up the Christmas tree (i.e. the Friday following Thanksgiving). Others have a routine about when to mail the Christmas cards (i.e. no later than December 15 to make sure they arrive in time). Still others have routines established around when to open the Christmas gifts (don’t even get me started on the Christmas Eve vs. Christmas morning debate here!). The Samaritan woman’s words in today’s passage from John let us know that routines are nothing new – they had them 2,000 years ago as well. Routine told her that Samaritans were supposed to worship on a mountain while Jews were expected to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. But then something happened to her that caused her to revisit the unexamined routines of her life. She met Jesus, and he did something totally unexpected. He presented her with a world that defied routine. Instead of validating the religious practices the Samaritan woman raised, Jesus presented worship in an entirely new light. Instead of focusing on the location as the basis of worship, Jesus presented another basis: “God is spirit, and God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 – NIV). That’s the thing about this Christ-child we are preparing ourselves to welcome once again. He’s not a big fan of unexamined routines. He has a way of taking those routines and turning them upside down – of getting us to connect with what’s really important – of reminding us why it is that we do things. As you begin to unconsciously slide into your last minute routines in preparation for the final days before Christmas, I invite you to follow the Samaritan woman’s example and have your own encounter with Jesus. And just see what happens to the routines and expectations in your life! Til next time…
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