Lent is half over this Sunday and we join Jesus and his disciples on their walk toward Jerusalem and the cross of salvation.  Certainly, to walk with Jesus Christ means to be ready to use the time and gifts God has gifted us with, all for the Glory of God.  Why does God use us do you think?  Wouldn't it be easier for God to just zap the world and make everything right again?  Have you ever wondered about this?

     Clearly, God is not interested in being a puppeteer.  God is interested in relationship and just as Adam was a part of allowing evil to be known in the world, God will use our time and effort for good,  as a part of "putting things right" in the end.  I believe this is so because God always meant for our relationship to him and to all of creation to be a mutual one.  God was never interested in being above it all, but wanted to be with us; getting his fingers dirty in the creation that we might receive the breath of life.

     Jesus' willingness to become human is just an extension of that "playing in the dirt" attitude.  Make no mistake though, it cost God everything to clean up the mess Adam and Eve started.  Yet, God was not above doing whatever it took for us to be free from sin and dead, reunited with our Holy Father by His Spirit as recipients of eternal life.  By his grace can we do any less?  Can we understand the depth, height, width or length of such love, without offering back to God a part of the time he so graciously gave us so that others may share in the glad tidings of great joy?  Will you allow your fingers to get dirty that those mired in the mud of sin and death might receive the breath of eternal life. Give your time to the Lord!