Help! My Daily Bread Dilemma
I need you help.
I started this blog just prior to Ash Wednesday last year with the intention of posting a daily devotion on Mark’s story of Jesus’ passion. It was a way, I thought, of responding to the number of church’s I’d noticed that weren’t producing parish Lenten devotions any more. And then I figured that as long as I had a blog up and going, I could maybe post on something else once in a while
Well…the once in a while became everyday (Sundays excepted!) and I enjoyed writing and sharing the Lenten devotions so much that I decided to continue, and so was born the “Daily Bread” devotions. Mark’s story of the resurrection seemed like a natural to continue along with, and then I just went back to the beginning of Mark and started from there until I’d caught up to the Passion. After Mark came Philippians, thinking that after Paul’s “letter of friendship” I’d start on Luke just as the new church year also turned our attention in that direction.
All well and good. Except for one thing. I was hoping to use this Lent once again to delve into the story of Jesus’ last days in Jerusalem and his crucifixion – the kind of thing we’re supposed to focus on in Lent! But the thing is, there’s no way I’m going to make it to that part of the story by next Wednesday, which happens to be Ash Wednesday. Partly that’s because Luke is a lot longer than Mark. Partly that’s because Easter (and hence Lent) is earlier this year. And partly that’s because I don’t rush through the passages but linger, sometimes looking at the same passage from a couple of directions over a couple of days.
Wherein lies my dilemma. I can either continue plodding – actually, let’s say “walking deliberately,” as that sounds better than “plodding” 🙂 – my way through Luke and get to the cross when we get there – probably in June! Or I can jump from wherever I am next Tuesday – probably still on the “sermon on the plain” – to the start of the Passion narrative and follow it through the resurrection, returning to the middle part of Luke’s story after Easter.
As much as I hate to jump around, at this point I’m kind of leaning toward jumping to the passion to preserve the sense of “Lenten devotions.” Jumping back to the beginning didn’t seem to throw anyone last year, and I think we’d be just fine this year as well.
But I’m torn. I really do like to do things in order. (My German ancestry, perhaps. 🙂 ). And if folks don’t care much about reading the passion during Lent or really don’t want to mess with the order of the story, I could certainly be persuaded.
Which is where you come in. I need your help. Let me know what you preference would be in the comments (my mailbox is already overfull so registering your opinion in the comments if you can do that would be helpful to me). I won’t make this a vote or tally up all the comments, but I will read them and what you say will, trust me, help me tremendously in making a good decision.
Thank you so much. For reading. For praying together. For helping me look ahead to Lent.
Post image: In case you’re wondering what in the world this painting has to do with the post… It’s Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s painting “The Fight Between Carnival and Lent” (1559) and seemed, somehow, weirdly and goofily appropriate. I’ll put the whole below:
My two cents (which may no longer apply if the US gets rid of the penny) is for you to jump to the passion texts now. BTW, my Bible study groups are working on the 2nd of your three Making Sense of books…they promote great discussions. thanks!!
I also prefer to focus on the Passion story during Lent. Thank you, David, for the daily devtions you share! They are wonderful!
Blessings!
Olivia
I would go ahead with the jump. We church folk are generally used to the jumping around with the RCL and all, and it would be good to be in tune with the season.
David, I think I understand your dilemma. Frankly I can’t fathom how you process so much stuff on a daily basis, so I would say whatever is easiest for you do do : ) But if you would rather have a more useful response, I would prefer devotions about the passion during Lent. I’m a pastor and will be taking my congregation through Making Sense of the Cross for Lent so devotions about the passion would be more easily “shareable” in my setting. Thanks for asking.
SKIP TO LENT – YOU WILL MAKE PREACHERS HAPPY!!!
I’m game for going to Ash Wednesday & Lent. Its fine with me if you pick up in April where you left off…. I think its important that you be writing about what your mind is on, and if your mind is going to be on the passion narrative, then, voila!
I second Becky’s comment and add “follow your heart.”
I would prefer going to the Passion. I planned on linking your devotions on the congregation’s web page.
Reflections on the narrative lectionary Luke texts would be most helpful for me as a pastor struggling with few resources for the narrative lectionary.
This time of year, no matter what text you write about, Lent will be a part of it — and I will benefit, one way or another.
thank you!
Yes, I would prefer going straight to the Passion. That’s where my mind will be, anyway.
Follow your ‘leaning’. I like the idea of reflecting on the passion story during Lent.
I will vote for jumping to the Passion – we can come back to the begining later.
Thanks for all that you do for us preachers in the ‘trenchs!’
I agree that going to the passion would be natural, and, I would even argue following through the resurrection during Easter, and then going back to where you leave off on Tuesday after that.
I would appreciate taking the Lenten journey “in the meantime” and then circling back to the the Lukan sequential narrative. Thank you
Any/Every “…in the Meantime” message is enlightening. Make it easy on yourself.
Please go to the Passion story and come back after Easter to where you left off.
If you PROMISE to return to where you left off, I think it would be most helpful to us all – working preachers and others – to live in the passion narrative with you in Lent (and as Carrie suggested, Resurrection and appearances in Easter after that?). And I’m even German, too, and get that whole order thing!
I will stick with your blog whichever way you go, but I like making the skip to the Passion and then picking up the story after Easter. We read your Bible message at lunch each day so it has become real daily bread for us. Thank you!
I’ve really been looking forward to something meaty for Lent this year. So many “Lenten devotions” are too short, too superficial. I like going deeper. I’d add my weight to your lean toward Lent!
Being a Lukan fan and having done a scripture study with Luke in the past, I’d say stay on the road with Luke! He really is taking you on a journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.
Focus on the passion during Holy Week.
thats just 1 opinion from a non-preaching minister.
I agree – go to the Passion. I’ve already encouraged our congregation to consider using your blog as a source for daily devotions – especially during the days of Lent.
“Our Lenten starts with ashes, pointing to our mortal state … ” I’m with the others. Jump.
I too am for the jump.
We are reading and praying right along with you. It would be a privilege to journey through Lent with your guidance and deep insights.
Our church used your book, “Making Sense of the Cross” last year during Lent, and it enriched our understanding of the passion story in so many ways. As many other people have said, thank you for your ability to open the scripture to us, your grateful readers.
Two final thanks: the W. H. Auden poem you included on February 3 and this painting today have provided such food for thought. The wide range of your interests is a gift!
Jumping to Lent will help me most. I’m with most of those above. Thanks for all you do David.
David,
I would much appreciate the Passion story focus. We are having Lenten evening services and I am going to share with the congregation the last seven words of Christ. Thank you for involving us your readers. And your Bible Jam sessions are awesome.
Blessings as we enter into Lent
I would appreciate living in the passion story during Lent as you provided for us last year. Your devotions helped me be steeped in the story. I am very grateful for “Daily Bread” that came out of your doing the in the meantime between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Your devotions are a daily gift! Thank you.
I would appreciate it if you jumped to Jesus’ passion. I’m not a pastor…so there’s no ulterior “preacher” motive 🙂
I’m an everyday layperson who has strayed from regular church attendance. Your devotions strengthen my faith – thank you.
Please jump to the passion story. I’d like to forward your daily devotions to all those congregants on my email list during lent — just like last year.
Doing what you did last year works fine for me. Your reflections are always meaningful and provoke thought regardless of the sequence. I would say do what is most workable for you. Thank you so much for the Daily Bread. I find the use of art/videos, etc. to be most inspiring, nearly always. Good work, faithful preacher.
My preference would be to follow the Lenten passages and then go back to where you left off. But do whatever is best for yourself.
Give in. Follow the Spirit.
Your writing and your sharing are so meaningful and thoughtful, it seems to me you might ponder whatever topic the spirit moves you to consider. Whether it be Lenten devotions or the continuation of Luke! i I will be grateful to start my day reading your thoughts
I also would appreciate your jump to the passion – you do ‘amazing’ work thank you so much
I love being able to “swim in these waters” each day so I will follow wherever the spirit moves you. I think that it worked quite well last year (passion in Mark and then back to the start) so I think jumping ahead would work. Thanks SO much for this amazing work! Blessings!
Jump to Lent
Thanks!
Leap away….
Take a leap…of faith.
Jump joyfully. You know you want to do so; watching you have fun is a deep pleasure to this non preaching reader.
Jump!Those of us who are in the “logical, sequential” frame of mind need more flexibility!!!
Jump!
After all the comments I’ve just read there’s probably not much left to add – except that my preference seems to fit right in with all of the above!
I’ve only just found your blog, and this was because I was searching for something substantial that I’ll be able to use for this years’ Lent. I can tell you: there’s not much out there …. One of the several aspects that spoke to me is your illustrations, which make for some good meditation, even all by themselves (and what a great choice Bruegel is for the tension between this weekend and next Wednesday!)
Yes, please jump.