Thursday, December 4, 2008

For the love of God!



“Living in awareness of our belovedness is the axis around which the Christian life revolves. Being the beloved is our identity, the core of our existence. It is not merely a lofty thought, an inspiring idea, or one name among many. It is the name by which God knows us and the way He relates to us.”


–Brennan Manning

“Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation that you believe to be the will of God.”


–Jim Elliot

"The great spiritual task facing me is to so fully trust that I belong to God that I can be free in the world - free to speak even when my actions are criticized, ridiculed, or considered useless; free also to receive love from people and be grateful for all the signs of God's presence in the world. I am convinced that I will truly be able to love the world when I finally believe that I am loved far beyond its boundaries.

-Henri J.M. Nouwen



Just some thoughts ... The hospitality that Jesus demonstrates and further offers us, creates space for moral failures to be accepted, to be loved, to be given possibilities, opportunities, and the room for further growth and failure. What would it be like to offer this kind of hospitality to myself? To give myself the space for failure and growth, and to learn to accept and love myself as opposed to the false self that I have created? There are many of us who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God. Sheesh! I am beginning to see that God does love us so much more than we can know. "Morning by morning, new mercies I see." That's day after day, new sins I commit. I feel a tremendous optimism! God's is the author of all our lives. God wants to forgive, heal, restore, show us endless mercy, and see us come home!

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