February 24, 2016
Change of Habit
Jeremiah
the great prophet of the Old Testament asked a question that clearly speaks
about the challenge of Change of Habit.
Jeremiah wrote, (Jeremiah 13:23) “Can
the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots?” Basically Jeremiah is asking can one change
who they are, their very nature, their very habits that they have developed
over their lifetime in an instant?
All of
us have probably heard the saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks.” We know this to mean that once
we are stuck doing the same thing it becomes not only part of who we are, but
also a clear habit that cannot be easily broken.
Though
Change and Habit are neither four letter words, the idea I would like to
suggest is that we in and of ourselves cannot change. We are unable to change our habit. We cannot make a radical change in our lives,
our family, our ministry as a church in and of ourselves. The reason we are unable to change is because
we are unwilling to go against the grain or habit we have either been born
into, created with our friends and family or take the necessary steps to make
the change, because change requires the loss of something.
If you
were to ask any famous athlete, whether they play football, basketball,
baseball, soccer, wrestling or any sport.
If they are well known, they know that their natural skill is only part
of the equation. To be a top athlete it
takes dedication, willingness to learn and listen to a coach who can help them
change in them what has become a habit.
Like a golf swing, swinging a bat or the follow through of a pitch,
where the ball will go can radically change with minute changes in spin, angle
or speed.
This is
true for us in the Christian walk and life as well. In our first reading, we heard about Joshua
who became the leader of the Israelite people.
Joshua had to have a change of habit.
Previously, he probably didn’t know nor understand the trust that would
be placed upon him when he would be made the leader of the Israelite
people. But God said clearly, “I will be with you; I will not fail you or
forsake you.” God made a clear
promise that He would not fail Joshua, but Joshua would have to trust God with everything
he had been given. And the trust that
Joshua needed was a change from his former subservient position to a position
that required he be “strong and
courageous”. But God saw
potential in Joshua, but also warned him, “Be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant
commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left”. Though very clear boundaries from the law of
Moses, Joshua knew he needed to change.
And the change that Joshua made also came with a promise.
The
promise made from God is “so that you
may have success where ever you go.”
God was telling Joshua when you make this change, I will insure that you
will succeed. God was promising not only
His presence, but a clear and manifest guidance throughout his life. But it would first require the change of
Joshua. A change not just of nature, but
of habit.
We who
gather here this evening are called to change our habit as well. As difficult as that is for each and every
one of us, God is calling us to change our habit. And just like Joshua, God makes a promise to
us as well.
You see
the promise God makes to us begins not only in the Word of God we hear, but
finds fulfillment in the font where we have been baptized. The promise of God to help us in our change
of habit finds completion first with Jesus innocent death on Calvary, but
ultimate completion with simple Water connected to God’s Word as it is poured
over our heads and hearts. In Holy
Baptism, God enables us to not only change with the seasons as we heard last
week, but change our very habits and who we are. No longer are we stuck in the muck of life or
of our sin, we are set free to be the people of God.
For just
as Paul said to the Galatians about the ability of the Spirit of God, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk
by the Spirit.” We can through
God’s offer of forgiveness change our habits we have created for ourselves and
be the children of God with great potential that God sees in each of us, that
He has made us into with our baptism.
This is
the reason Jesus told the parable of the house for the people of God. Our foundation as Christians in our baptism
is not built on sand, but on the bedrock of the Word of God that finds root in
the truth of Jesus Christ. For the truth
is that Jesus Christ offers us in our baptism the tools and abilities to change
our legacy and our impact.
Ron
Olson, penned a book entitled, “The Legacy Builder”. One particular quote speaks volumes about the
opportunity we Christians have. Ron
writes, “The only people who don’t [change] are the ones who stop trying, stop
achieving.” If we stop achieving or
changing, we then relegate ourselves to only watching as the world goes
by. We can reorient ourselves and as Ron
alludes to, ‘choose to try’, choose to change and choose to be empowered by
God’s Spirit for His Glory.
For this
is what Lent is meant to be a time, 40 days, where we can not only see the
seasons change, but change our habit. A
change that will enable us as God’s children to be empowered like Joshua to
accomplish the God given vision for our congregation, our community, but
especially our Creator of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let’s come to the font and allow God to
change us into His holy creation. AMEN.
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