Lent and the Sermon on the Mount

For years I have consider varies ways of observing the season of Lent, by giving up something, doing something or reading something. I have never been successful. This year I am making the most serious attempt ever by focusing on listening to God. I have three elements that I am trying to incorporate in this.

Avoiding distractions that fill time but not by soul, my heart or my mind. i.e. I am giving up my games I play daily on Facebook because they occupy me but do not fill me.

I am going to spend 40 days reading, studying and praying the Sermon on the Mount.

I am keeping myself accountable by asking Scott to parallel me on a daily basis and by asking Peter in pray for me this lent.

I have chosen the Sermon on the Mount because it is simplest sermon ever and the most profound. Jesus speaks simply and directly on how we should live our lives, relate to our God and our neighbors. At times it is painfully blunt. I have so much difficulty with this laconic call to live my life in such straight forward way. I love the loopholes in life, but Jesus leaves us none.

I recently read a book about how the Amish community reacted to and dealt with the killing of five young school girls . They began with forgiveness and then through prayer worked to let God help and lead then through this tragedy. I have done the opposite. I have spent 42 years trying to reach forgiveness in the death of my first wife Kathy. As I have reflect on this difference in approach, I became aware that the Amish consider the Sermon on the Mount important enought to spend time every year studying, listening, and praying about it.

God, you ask so little of me, yet I find it difficult to enough remember for a day, a hour, even a minute. Forgive me!