Welcome to the 2012 Lenten Compact, 40 Days For Shelter. Each day from now until Easter (except Sundays), a Scripture, reflection questions, articles and information to hep you engage in the issue of home, housing and security will be posted on this site. While this could easily be an individual exercise, we encourage you to discuss your thoughts with others and make comments. Together, let’s “fast” and pray that God’s kingdom will come and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
How do you see God’s word through Isaiah (vs 1-5) applying to our nation? Think of an example of how we “seem eager” to know God, yet do what we please.
On this first day of Lent as we begin our “fast”, we are confronted with how empty fasting can be. Isaiah reminds us that self-denial for the sake of self-denial is pointless. It is meant to result in action on behalf of others. List the actions Isaiah identifies. Which actions seem easy? Which actions seem more difficult? Why do you think it is easier for churches to give money to a homeless shelter than to petition the county for funds to build more affordable or subsidized housing in their community? Why is “loosing the chains of injustice” so difficult?
Tongue on Fire 
I’m so excited about our two churches joining together again for another Lenten Compact! Looking forward to learning together.
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as i was reading this devotional, i was struck by the question re: petitioning the county for funds to build more affordable or subsidized housing. i know a person who has been looking at places to move to. one place looked promising until she found out that a certain number of units were set aside for lower income people. my heart sank when she crossed the building off her list. in essence she was saying, “i don’t want to live in a place where there is perceived potential for crime. do we say we need more affordable or subsidized housing in our city, but just not in my neighborhood? or can we embrace the idea of living next door to the family who was homeless and finally found a suitable place to live? or a single mom who has a teenage, pregnant daughter?
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The whole “not-in-my-back-yard” attitude is one of the reasons why it is easier for churches to give money to support a homeless shelter. The shelter is not usually in our neighborhood and we can keep a safe distance between ourselves and the problem while feeling like we are doing something to help people. Our action doesn’t require us to change our lifestyle or our patterns of thought and attitude.
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I was challenged to think about how the church can get a reputation for restoring streets with dwellings. I realized that the only way to get that reputation is to be where the streets have dwellings that need to be restored. On Monday, I drove through Gary, Indiana on my way home from Indianapolis. This time, I was on I-90, but there was one occasion when I drove through the city on US 20. Talk about streets with dwellings that need restoration. How sad to see a church in ruins right along with all the housing. How encouraging to see a Mennonite group opening a bakery/restaurant in Gary. An act of hope. An act of restoration. An act of defiance.
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Also, systemic institutional change is long and hard. Personal involvement at a shelter can open eyes and provide individual encounters of service and love, which has worth but a shorter, easier result in mind. People who disagree on larger solutions can still partner in the latter. Educating ourselves and building consensus on the former is the greater task, and has the potential for greater worth. I hope the American church will no longer forego the longer, harder task. However, allowing diversity of perspectives and beliefs, rather than requiring narrow conformity, would help…but that isn’t our strong suit now. There is a fog of division and divisiveness in the air, so I’m praying for perfect love to drive out fear.
Kudos to everyone who helps in any form. After all, a single encounter has a way of leading to an overwhelming passion. We’ve all got to start somewhere. Sometimes we just need someone to show us the way; I love that 40 Days for Shelter maps the way for those who will follow. We’re finding a path from shallow engagement to transformative investment. Cheers!
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Well said. I was thinking about how long and arduous the struggle for civil rights has been. Change happens so incrementally that it is sometimes difficult to see progress and it is easy to give up. As God’s people, we stand on this side of the resurrection. God’s shalom has broken through, giving us hope and the courage to stand firm. Keep on doing justice and loving mercy!
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