Risen Indeed, April 12

Nouwen speaks often of his experiences in the L'Arche community where he and others lived among persons with varying physical and mental challenges, not just as caregivers, but as brothers and sisters, co-equals before God. In the context of resurrection he speaks of their bodies being made new. He is careful to point out however, that their existence now is not a diminished one. He writes, "The body is not a prison to escape from, but a temple in which God already dwells, and in which God's glory will be fully manifested on the day of the resurrection." (p.178) We are not a captive people who wait only for the return of Christ or for our journey to him in death. God lives and dwells among us. "The Word became flesh..." and we are the benefactors today. Easter Sunday calls us to embrace once more the peace that is offered through the Holy Spirit, and the living hope that dwells within us through the resurrected Christ. With that in mind, we pray with Nouwen, "Make us new through your Spirit, so that we too may rise and walk in the light of life." Amen my brothers and sisters. Christ is risen...He is risen indeed!

JKA

Mortification, April 11

Sandwiched between the horrors of Maundy Thursday/Good Friday and the celebration of resurrection on Easter Sunday, is the mourning of Holy Saturday. Nouwen reminds us in today's devotion that death is a part of life, and for the person of faith, it is a bridge to eternity. For the disciples however, the long hours of the Saturday after Good Friday were probably filled with doubt, fear, and unrelenting grief. Nouwen reminds us amidst consideration of our own mortality that death will not be denied. This is not a morbid view, but a recognition of life's realities amidst the hope of faith. He writes, "In every arrival, there is a leave-taking; in every reunion there is a separation; in each one's growing up there is a growing old; in every smile there is a tear; and in every success there is a loss." That is the reality of life and death...but hope is coming...hope is coming...hope will not be denied!

JKA

Cross of Hope, April 10

One would not normally look at an instrument of punishment and death as a sign of hope, and yet, for those who have experienced the forgiveness and grace of God, purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the cross is such a sign. To view the cross is to catch a glimpse of God's love, for it was there that God paid the greatest price for your sin and mine. In today's devotion, Nouwen imagines the world, overshadowed by the outstretched Jesus. His wounds cannot be ignored, his pain and suffering cannot be denied. But in that vision, he also embraces the reality of Christ hovering over the world again with love reaching to the hurting, the infirmed, the broken and weary, the wheelchair-bound, the blind and deaf. The Christ of the cross reaches out to all, and so, on this day, this Good Friday, do not turn away, but look intently at the cross and find there God's great love for you.

JKA

The New and Eternal Covenant, April 9

Responding to the honest question of Thomas pertaining to direction in the fourteenth chapter of John's gospel, Jesus replies, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." He was, in that moment establishing himself as the pattern his disciples were to follow in life and in death. We are often enamored with the patterns others leave us, choosing to mirror our lives after the qualities of another that appeal to us or challenge us at some level. In these last days of Lent, as we view the upper room, the Garden, the cross, and the empty tomb, the example to be followed is found in Jesus alone. In humility he washes the disciple's feet, serves them a final meal, allows himself to be handed over to his betrayer, endures the travesty of the Sanhedrin trial, and carries his own cross upon which he dies. He exemplified in those last days and hours the servant attitude that he called his disciples to follow, and he established a meal that has been observed again and again and will continue to be observed until he returns. The bread and cup, symbolic of his broken body and shed blood, remind us each time we receive it, of God's great love and the willing sacrifice of God's servant Son. In remembrance of Him, we receive...and in commitment to follow Him, we serve. "Do this," He said, "in remembrance of me."

JKA

Eyes That Heal, April 8

Nouwen reminds us often of the significance of intimacy with Christ. In today's devotion we are called to see with the eyes of Christ, for his penetrating eyes see through the evidence of our sinful ways to the need of our hearts. An old gospel song says, "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need." The Psalmist implored God, "Search me, O Lord, and know my heart..." The penetrating eyes of Christ search our hearts and love us still. Oh that we could love others with such a love. Nouwen writes, "Lord, let me see what you see...the love of God and the suffering of people so that my eyes may become more and more like yours, eyes that can heal wounded hearts." (p.162) As the eyes of Christ bring healing to our wounded hearts, we too can become healers to the wounded around us.

JKA

Handed Over, April 7

I believe it was Doris Day who sang many years ago, “Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be…” Now I know I am dating myself when I quote the lyrics of a Doris Day song. Some of you will have to google her name to find out who she was. The message of her song, however, intimates a certain fatalistic view of life…what will be, will be. Is Henri Nouwen offering a fatalistic view in today’s devotional? He speaks of passion not as a matter of choice, but rather as what is thrust upon us. He cites the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus as an example, saying, “From the moment Jesus is handed over, his passion begins, and through this passion, he fulfills his vocation.” I would not view this however as fatalism for while the actions of others impact the Passion stories, Jesus walked willingly to the cross. This decision was made long before Judas betrayed him with a kiss. He allowed himself to be handed over, to be taken to a cross as a matter of choice, “for God so loved the world that he gave his Son…” The purpose of this gift was not fully revealed until Jesus allowed himself to be taken and then submitted himself to the humiliating torture of his trial and crucifixion. Dying on the cross, he allowed himself to be placed in the hands of the One he came to glorify, saying, “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Giving himself up, he died and then lived to bring glory to God. Nouwen writes, “I, too, have to let myself be handed over and thus fulfill my vocation.” Que sera, sera.

JKA

The Little Way, April 6

"The way of Jesus only can be walked with Jesus." (P.156)

The words of Henri Nouwen are often profound in their simplicity. At times we make the gospel message more complicated than it is, leaning more on our own understanding and interpretation instead of listening for the voice of the Lord. The statement quoted above reminds us that we are nothing apart from Christ. "I am the vine, you are the branches," Jesus said. "Abide in me... for apart from me, you can do nothing." To love others as Christ loves is impossible apart from walking with Jesus. John wrote, "We love because God first loved us." To experience God's love and mercy empowers the follower of Christ to live and love in that mercy...regardless. For today or tomorrow, ponder deeply this love and mercy, and walk with Jesus wherever you go.

JKA

Christ on a Donkey, April 5

Have you ever studied the expressions on people's faces? You can really tell a lot by looking at a person's face. You can see the sorrow on the face of a relative after they experienced the loss of a loved one in another of our country's tragic shootings. You can see the sense of happiness and celebration on the face of the basketball player whose team will play for the championship Monday night. You can see the innocence of a child when you look at their face as they listen to you read them a story. Nouwen looks at the face of Jesus in a sculpture at the Augustiner Museum in Freiburg, and sees something that is out of place with the scene. The scene is excited, noisy, and celebratory as Jesus rides into Jerusalem, but Nouwen sees that Jesus is thinking about something else. He is thinking about "an agonizing journey of betrayal, torture, crucifixion, and death." Nouwen sees in the face of Jesus melancholy, peaceful acceptance, insight into the fickleness of the human heart, immense compassion, an awareness of pain, determination to do God's will, and above all, an endless, deep, and far-reaching love. When you imagine Jesus riding on the donkey, what do you see in his face?

Nouwen is reminded every time he looks at this sculpture of Jesus that he is "seen by him with all my sins, guilt, and shame and loved with all his forgiveness, mercy, and compassion." Let us take comfort in knowing that Jesus sees us for all that we are and loves us fully, with the love that was present in his face as he rode on a donkey on that Palm Sunday.

Where He Wills, April 4

Even though Nouwen wrote today’s devotional nearly 20 years ago, it is as relevant now as it has ever been. Much of the turmoil going in Christendom has at its heart a claim by some to speak with certainty about the mind of God. It is always dangerous when the finite is sure that it knows the mind of the infinite.

One thing that keeps us from knowing the mind of God is a strict adherence to tradition. A few years ago a seminary professor defended his fatalistic view of the Book of Revelation by saying, “That is how I was taught to interpret this book of the Bible.” He seemed to be saying that he was not open to understanding a way other than what he had previously learned. We humbly must be open to different views and to a fresh revelation of God if we limited humans are ever going to know anything about our limitless Father.



Mark Brasler

Divine Humanity, April 3

"He became lost with the lost, hungry with the hungry, and sick with the sick."

(Nouwen, p.145)

Nouwen reminds us that Jesus was aware of and experienced much of what we experience as human beings. John establishes this divine/human connection as he writes, "And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us." That is the unmatched message of the Gospel, that God came in human form to purchase salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. His sensitivity to and compassion for the brokenness of our human experience proves once again the depth of God's love, and that empowers us to live hopeful lives. Again, Nouwen writes, "His compassion makes it possible for us to face our sinful selves, because it transforms our broken human condition from a cause of despair into a source of hope." Praise God for such a hope!

JKA

Listen to the Church, April 2

"...the greatest spiritual danger for our times is the separation of Jesus from the church." (p. 143)

As I write this response, Alan Jackson is singing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," in the background. The text says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow stangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." It is one of my wife's favorite hymns, and mine as well. It is a powerful text that calls the believer to focus on Jesus, for in doing so, everything else finds its proper place. Nouwen's concerns raised in the above quote are a reminder to the church to keep Jesus at the heart of its identity and purpose. Amidst the distractions and challenges that face the modern church, none poses a greater threat than taking our eyes off of Jesus. As Nouwen asserts, "Without Jesus there can be no church." Amen.

JKA

Sent Into the World, April 1

Christians are quite skilled in isolation. Though Jesus challenged his followers to be in the world, it would seem that we have embraced just the opposite. Somewhere along the way we have decided that being separate from the world is best, but how can we fulfill the call of Christ to make disciples in his name if we do not engage the world? Nouwen makes the case that those who have been transformed by the love of Christ are best suited to live in this world for we have been freed by the power of love to be what God intended us to be. Nouwen writes, "...those who have entered into the spiritual life are precisely the ones who are sent into the world to continue to fulfill the work that Jesus began. The spiritual life does not remove us from the world, but leads us deeper into it." (p. 139) As we make God's word our home, we are truly freed to live for Christ no matter where we are. (John 8:31)

JKA

Listening to God, March 31

"In order to be a ministry in the name of Jesus, our ministry must also point beyond our words to the unspeakable mystery of God." (p. 135) Nouwen's words build on the message of Jesus that everything he did was to bring glory to God. If that was the purpose of Jesus' ministry, shouldn't our lives reflect that purpose as well? To that end, we cannot achieve this purpose unless we are listening for the voice of God and then being obedient. "You are my friends," Jesus said, "if you do what I command." Our Lenten journey cannot find its greatest meaning apart from these two elements...listen and obey.

JKA

Immanuel, March 29

The great good news of Christ incarnate is that God has come to be among us. By humbling himself and coming to this earth in human form, Christ entered into an intimate relationship with sinful people, people like you and me. His compassion drove him to act on our behalf, walking the way of the cross to offer salvation to all who will receive. This sacrifice calls us to look at our relationship with the Creator God in a different way, seeing this relationship not as a distant connection, but an intimate bond, established in love. Therefore, we witness again in this Lenten season the cross as a symbol of love and compassion, as well as a bridge that covers the chasm of sin that separates us from the living God. In the text that Nouwen cites for today, John 8:3-7, Jesus becomes the bridge that spans this chasm between the woman caught in adultery and the God whom she most likely thought had abandoned her because of her sin. Jesus did not condemn her, and as a result, no one else dared cast a stone at her either. The compassion of God looks beyond the dirt and filth of our sinful ways and sees the beauty of the soul. God-with-us is the blessing of the incarnate Christ. Amen!

JKA

The Sign of Jonah, March 29

"If I could just see a sign..." Who among us hasn't wanted some miraculous marker along our journey to point the way to an obvious decision in the midst of confusing circumstances? We ask God for this kind of sign, believing action on God's part will strengthen our faith and illuminate our darkened way. However, God has already given a sign that has application for every circumstance of life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That is the sign that leads and guides. Witnessed in the context of Jesus' death and resurrection, we find all that we need. God has nothing to prove...the proof is in the sign...Jesus the Christ.

JKA

Like Nicodemus, March 28

Perhaps Nouwen is right in portraying Nicodemus as being afraid to lose the respect of his colleagues. And yet, I’m not as sure as Nouwen is.

The Gospel of John’s account of Nicodemus is ambiguous. John 3:2 tells us that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Does that mean that he was afraid of being seen—either by his fellow Pharisees or by the public at large, since he was a prominent man? Or did he choose this time for an uninterrupted interview? During the day, Jesus would have been busy, and there were crowds to deal with. Or does “by night” symbolize the spiritual darkness in which Nicodemus found himself?

In the account Nouwen speaks of in John 7, Nicodemus doesn’t defend Jesus, but he a raises procedural point that would work in the Lord’s favor.

And while the apostles have scattered in John 19, Nicodemus is present to minister to Jesus’ body.

The biblical writers can frustrate us by their lack of detail and interpretation. Perhaps that was intentional. It is easy to label someone as being fearful and even a coward. But we are more complex than simple labels. And when we label others in this way we diminish them and ourselves. Perhaps that is a lesson we can learn during Lent: Accept the complexity of others and ourselves.

Mark Brasler

Obedient Listening, March 27

"Fellowship with Jesus Christ is...a commitment to listen with him to God's love without fear."

I wish I was a better listener. Now sometimes I am very attentive, particularly if it is something that holds my interest or has some specific application for my life. There are however, other times when I get distracted, am physically or emotionally weary, or maybe just bored and disinterested. My grandfather was hard of hearing and if not for his hearing aids, would have been unable to carry on conversations. Of course, he also had an ability that others of us did not possess to turn the hearing aids off when he did not want to hear the conversation. His "selective listening" was often a source of both humor and frustration for those who tried to communicate with him.

Do we listen selectively for the voice of God? It would seem at times that we strain to hear some words, while intentionally "turning a deaf ear" to others. We do not honor God through this selective listening. We cannot only listen for what we want to hear. To listen obediently is to listen without filter, and as a result to recognize that when we do, "we are invited to be no less compassionate than Jesus himself." (p. 122) Are you listening?

JKA

Glory, March 26

Nouwen spoke earlier on our Lenten journey about the downward pull of the Christ-way. He cited Philippians 2 and the act of Jesus humbling himself by coming down to earth in human form and dying a humiliting death on a cross. In today's devotional thought, he writes, "If we truly want to see the glory of God, we must move downward with Jesus." Unfortunately, we find ourselves often motivated by the upward movement of pride and arrogant competition, comparing ourselves, our children, our work, even our church to others, challenging ourselves to be better than instead of less than. The way of Jesus is not a lazy or settled way where we with resignation simply wait for God to act on our behalf. Moving downward with Christ is moving to help the hurting, encourage the broken, and carry water to the thirsty. Jesus said that he came not to be served but to serve and he called his disciples to do the same. The season of Lent pulls us gently sometimes, quite forcefully at others to the downward way. This descending path is a precarious place where the values of the world are turned upside down in the shadow of the cross. Glory is found not in the upward reach for power and recognition, but in the downward plunge where unmeasured words heal broken hearts, unfettered love embraces forgotten souls, and unguarded generosity provides for the poor and disadvantaged. To do so is to know glory as Christ intended.



JKA

Father, Son, Spirit, March 25

Meaningful relationships are built on the connection between the involved parties. John 5:19 speaks of the connection between God the Father and God the Son. In the fifteenth chapter of John's gospel, Jesus talks about the connection between himself and his followers as he says, "I am the vine and you are the branches." Nouwen makes the heart the point of connection where intimacy characterizes genuine relationship. He writes, "We will never understand the full meaning of Jesus' richly varied ministry unless we see how the many things are rooted in the one thing: listening to the Father in the intimacy of perfect love." Jesus spent a great deal of time listening for the voice of God. On this Lenten journey to the cross, what better place to find one's self that "in the intimacy of perfect love?" Are you listening?

JKA

A Clean Heart, March 24

How easily distracted we are! We focus our eyes on Christ, only to be distracted by the fears, frustrations, and disappointments of life. Though embraced by the blessing of God's promise and presence, we lay that blessing aside to chase after that which defeats and destroys. The love of God however, cannot be defeated. Paul wrote that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. With that assurance, we can, as Nouwen writes, "...come to know God's love for us and discover how safe we are in his embrace." (p. 108) That security enables us to step out in faith, to trust and obey, as we said yesterday..."for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

JKA

Faith in God's Love, March 23

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

I have been singing these words in church for many years. Faith and obedience are non-negotioable elements of a personal, growing relationship with Christ. To trust and obey empowers one to live in the assurance that God is at work in every circumstance and interested in every aspect of our lives. To this end, Nouwen writes, "The truly good news is that God is not a distant God...but a God who is moved by our pains and participates in the fullness of the human struggle." (P. 106) Many times during Jesus' earthly ministry, he is moved to action in meeting the needs of hurting people because of compassion. That compassion still motivates the action of God in our lives. To know that such love can be trusted empowers one to live for Christ every day. Trust and obey.

JKA

The Seclusion of Our Heart, March 22

"Solitude is the furnace of transformation."(Nouwen, p. 103) What a powerful statement! Also, what a powerful indictment against our twenty-first century way of life! Many are willing to step away from the crowd for a moment or two, but to shut out the noises and distractions, not only of the world around us, but also the ones we clutch tightly in our own hands, is something we are less willing to do. Solitude before God can be an uncomfortable thing. To sing a hymn of praise, to verbalize our prayers, to write a check for a worthy cause or listen to a preacher or teacher speak from God's word are things we readily do as expressions of faith. But to be quiet, to listen, to ponder, to be still before God...that is something altogether different. Nouwen calls solitude the "place of great struggle and great encounter." We welcome the encounter, but would prefer less struggle. Yet, the struggle often is what draws us closer to the encounter or is at the very heart of the encounter. As God looks at the heart (I Sam 16:7), God sees, embraces, and love, all that you are. "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

JKA

Conversion, March 21

Some people remember a specific date, time, and place where their personal conversion to Christ occured. It is a clear moment of transformation that is undeniable in their personal faith experience. Others speak of a process that is ongoing, leading one to a growing relationship with Christ that is ever maturing. While one's connection with Christ is indeed unique, those who claim faith in the risen Christ share a bond that has been and is to be transformational. One does not arrive at the conclusion of faith by embracing Christ as Lord and Savior, nor does one wander along hoping one day to happen upon a closer relationship with Christ. There are moments of transformation that bring change to the heart that set the human soul on a different path. Such moments may occur in the midst of great triumph or trial, for God can be at work in the midst of both. Nouwen writes, "What matters is to listen attentively to the Spirit and to go obediently where we are being led, whether to a joyful or painful place."(p.100) If I could choose how I would encounter God, I would probably always choose the joyful place. However, some of the greatest lessons of faith that truly transform are learned in painful places. Wherever you are today, listen for the voice of God, and allow the presence of God to guide, care for, and tranform you.

JKA

An Oratory of the Heart, March 20

One does not stumble into a growing relationship with God. Living a spiritual life is an intentional act that invites the Spirit of God to be at the heart of everything one does. Nouwen cites Brother Laurence, seventeenth century French Carmelite, who writes, "We may make an oratory of our heart...to converse with him in meekness, humility, and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God..." "Familiar" should not be understood as routine or frivolous, but a compelling place of communication where the heart is open and the mind focused on the living God. What are you doing to experience such familiarity with God?

JKA

Spiritual Discipline, March 19

I remember a teacher in elementary school who had a big voice. On the playground or in the cafeteria she could command the attention of her class with her booming voice. But sometimes, she would also get our attention by speaking so softly that we had to stop talking or making noise and listen for her quiet voice. As I recall, she held our attention more when she spoke softly and drew us into quietness rather than when she had to yell to gain our attention. Nouwen speaks of the prophet Elijah who looked for God in the earthquake, wind, and fire, only to hear God in a still, small voice. To listen for the still, small voice of God is an intentional act. Nouwen says that to do this is to be "all ear for God." He continues, "The core of all prayer is indeed listening, obediently standing in the presence of God." (p. 95) In the words of the old spiritual, "Hush, Hush, somebody's calling my name." Listen...Listen...

JKA

Life-Giving Memory, March 18

Sometimes we identify the blessing of God through the rear view mirror. In other words, it is often as we look back, as we remember life's experiences that we trace the hand of God at work in our lives. This in no way negates the comforting presence of God at work in the present, nor does it imply that the revelation and calling of God upon our lives cannot be discerned in the present. At times, however, we are so consumed by the circumstances and events of the moment, the reactions of others, and the anxiety and uncertainty of the unknown, that we fail to see how God might be at work until we look back, somewhere down the road. In that manner, history informs and encourages our present and future. But we cannot live our lives always looking in the rear mirror. Faith calls us to step forward, trusting that God is still at work, still guiding, still calling us to follow Christ. To reflect upon God's written and living Word is to acknowledge a power and strength for today. As Nouwen writes, "The memory of Jesus Christ is much more than the bringing to mind of past redemptive events. It is a life-giving memory, a memory that sustains and nurtures us here and now and so gives us a real sense of being rooted amid the many crises of daily life." (p. 91) Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Remember and give thanks.

JKA

God-with-Us, March 17

Nouwen is right on target when he describes compassion as "a concrete, specific gesture in which God reaches out to us." As I talked with Randa about today's reading, she mentioned that the first thing that came to her mind was an email that she received from our friend Angie, whose son died last summer. Angie mentioned living now with more thoughts about heaven, living more conscious about what heaven will be like. Angie and her family were the recipients of much compassion, of many specific gestures of God reaching out to them through friends and extended family. I believe that this experience has brought them to embrace the understanding of the compassionate life that Nouwen speaks of, a life that can be lived "to the fullest only when we know that it points beyond itself." We already see the vision of a new heaven and a new earth - when we feed the hungry, when we fight injustice, and when we comfort the family that has experienced the grief of a lost son.

A Hidden God, March 16

If/then statements are familiar to most of us. We apply these at times to our relationship with God. It is as if we ask God again and again to prove God's self, more often than not in the context of granting some request we might make, or to deliver us from some difficulty we face. "If you are there God, then..." and you could fill in the blank. On the cross, Jesus was harrassed by those who mocked him with an if'/then statement, challenging him to deliver himself from the cross. But Jesus didn't allow himself to be baited into such action and therefore distracted from his mission. Jesus did not need to prove himself by human terms. Neither does God. The love of God was displayed on a cross and nothing more needs to be said or done, particularly to impress sinful human beings who too often are looking for some sign to prove their faith.



JKA

Eat and Drink, March 15

Nouwen reminds us that the act of forgiving an enemy does not rely within our own power. Such forgiveness is divine and if the divine is to be at work within us, there must be a yearning, a thirsting for that which we cannot provide for ourselves. The prayer Nouwen closes today's devotional with is taken from the forty-second Psalm. The thirst the writer speaks of is not a casual thirst, but a panting-after, must-have thirst that will only be satisfied by the presence of God. To drink from the eternal waters is to become a debtor to the transformative power of God that convicts, forgives, and restores..."welling up for eternal life."

JKA

Returning, March 14

The prodigal son returned to his father out of necessity. Broken, penniless, hungry, he thought, "even my father's servants are treated better than this." When the father sees his son returning, he goes out to him and doesn't ask why he has returned or if he is sorry for his rebellious actions...he welcomes him home without question and restores him without requirement. This is a powerful picture of grace. Nouwen points out here that we wind up returning to God again and again, yet God's love and grace are sufficient every time. Rational thought might question such grace, but God's thoughts and ways cannot be confined by such thinking. That is our only hope and the best reason to return again and again and again....





JKA

A New Creation, March 13

We celebrate the personal salvation experience as the apex of our spiritual journey. Indeed, the decision to follow Christ is the most important decision one can make, but there are many decisions along the Christ-path that call us to Christ-like action every day. Yes, we are made new when Christ comes to live within our hearts, but as the mercies of God are new every morning, with each day's grace comes the opportunity to be reborn in the image of Christ. This message of rebirth we live, but also share. This message moves us away from status quo toward the life changing pattern of Christ, because as Nouwen writes, "something great is coming of which we have already seen the first rays of light." By faith in Christ we have seen the "first rays of light." But something great is coming, and we can help point the way as disciples of the living Christ.

JKA

Measuring Our Worth, March 12

If indeed one's value is measured by one's successes, there is a pressure to perform that hangs over every moment of every day that can easily steal the joy of living. In the midst of such debilitating pressure, Nouwen calls us to recognize that "we are worth more than the result of our efforts." (p.68) As the love of Christ permeates our hearts, we descend into a different world where service, compassion, and sacrifice are intentionally lived. In the hands of God, we recognize that "our worth is not the same as our usefulness." In the hands of God we are vessels to be filled and then used for the glory of God. So measure your worth not by what you believe you have accomplished, or what you might one day accomplish for the kingdom. Know that you are treasured by the Creator God and let that be enough.



JKA

A Servant God, March 11

Christ moves us toward an understanding of God that is defined in the context of service. In today's text, Nouwen points to a God who came "not to rule, but to serve," defining servanthood as "God's self revelation." Everything about the incarnation of Christ points to servanthood. Therefore, the one who follows Christ is to be a servant...no room for arrogance and pride; no record keeping of the failures of others; no place for a measured approach to reaching out to those in need. The incarnation is God's intentional act of service and love, and those who would follow Christ are to become intentional servants in the hands of a loving God. This is radical news, or as Nouwen identifies it, radical servanthood. He writes, "Radical servanthood is...a joyful way of life in which our eyes are opened to the vision of the true God who chose the way of servanthood to make himself known." That is a radical understanding of God!



JKA

March 10, The Way of Humility

Nouwen is right...who among us wants to be last? I suppose the case could be made that if you really don't want to do something, being the last to do it is an advantage. But following Christ is an intentional act where we are called to carry a cross willingly, not grudgingly. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says that taking up the cross is a daily act. This act of following Christ is unique to each believer. Nouwen speaks of the different ways people are called to this task. He writes, "The descending way is a way that is concealed in each person's heart." How does the humble path of Christ reveal itself in your heart? How is this "descending path" being expressed on your Lenten journey?

Slowly but surely, we have to clear the weeds, open the way, and set out on it unafraid.

JKA

Compassion, March 9

Nouwen tags us correctly when he identifies us as "pain-avoiders." We would prefer not to have the experience of pain, and to some degree, we would like to avoid interactions with those who suffer pain. But life is not always lived in the sunshine, nor is it enjoyed without heartache or conflict. We may run from such challenges, but we cannot run fast or far enough. Jesus challenged his followers to be compassionate, just as God is compassionate...no judgment, no condemnation. "Forgive," he says, "and you will be forgiven." For our faith to truly be a lived experience, we cannot and must not avoid pain. No, it is not something we run toward with great enthusiasm, but it is a part of life, and it is often in that pain and struggle that we learn the most about God, ourselves, and others. Enjoy the sunshine for God is there, but in life's painful moments, seek and listen, for God is there as well. And so, I pray with Nouwen, "to me, O Lord, your stumbling friend, show your mercy." Amen.

JKA

Blessed and Broken, March 8

The Eucharist is central to Nouwen's spiritual understanding and practice. To a degree this is because of his spiritual training, and to a degree it mirrors his own understanding of the intimacy shared with Christ and one's brother or sister when coming to the table of our Lord. The communion meal calls those who partake to humility. Nouwen quotes Paul's great hymn to the Philippian church, saying of Christ, our example, "...he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to...death on a cross." The bread and cup must never become mere rituals of faith. They are holy reminders of God's great love, calling us every time we partake to proclaim once more the sacrifice of God's Son, for in doing so, "we reveal to each other the real story of Christ's life and our lives in him." (Nouwen, p.50) In brokenness, Christ has given...in brokenness, let us receive and share.

JKA

Love Your Enemies, March 7

"Impart your love to us...as a lived experience." (nouwen, p. 49)

I was drawn to this phrase when I read today's prayer. I began to think about how we talk a great deal about love. Certainly it is the ideal expression of the Christ-centered life. We read about love quite often in scripture, particularly in the gospel stories. Love is often a theme in the lyrics of the songs we listen to, and some even say that love "makes the world go 'round." But love is more than something we talk, read, or sing about. Love is to be a "lived experience," and according to the way Jesus loved, it recognizes no barriers, even those that stand between enemies. I John 4:20 says that we cannot say that we love God whom we have not seen, and hate our brother whom we have seen. Love as a lived experience is more easily talked about than practiced. As Nouwen puts it, "Love for one's enemy is the touchstone of being a Christian." That kind of love is indeed a work in progress for me...but then again, so is this journey to the cross.

JKA

Forgiveness, March 6

Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." His words are more familiarly known in our world today as the golden rule. Jesus had an uncanny ability to link one's actions/interests with those of his/her fellow human beings. The way you treated others was to be the way you wanted to be treated. Neighbors were to be loved as you loved yourself. And those who mistreated you were to be forgiven, not just until the internal ledger you were keeping was full or until that straw precariously perched became too heavy and broke the back of that camel. (you know, the straw that broke the camel's back) Jesus spoke of love and forgiveness for enemies and friends alike. In the context of personal faith...as one who has been forgiven again and again by God, I am to approach my relationships with others extending the same grace I have received. Nouwen's take on the golden rule in the context of forgiveness is as follows: "A forgiven person forgives." Pretty simple formula...pretty challenging application. But think for a moment...what would happen if you and I applied that formula to those we believe have wronged us? Nouwen says that we are to respond to hostility in love. "By doing so," he writes, "we make visible a new way of being human and a new way of responding to our world problems." We have tried a lot of other things. Maybe Lent is a good time to really try out this "new way."

Only the Father, March 5

David's plea for a clean heart is a powerful statement of repentance. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." His disobedience marked not only his own life, but the lives of others as well. I have heard at times, as justification for sin, the excuse be made, "I wasn't hurting anyone but myself," but that simply isn't true. First and foremost my disobedience hurts God, but also those around me. Therefore, the call to obedience that Nouwen makes in today's entry leads me to renewed faith through the singular focus that He identifies as Jesus concern...obedience, "to do the will of the Father." The transformational touch of God's forgiveness cleanses the repentant heart, and reveals once more the path of obedience characterized by the example of Christ. His obedience to the will of his heavenly Father was a purposeful gift given to all who will follow; all whose hearts will be created anew.

JKA

God Exists, March 4

Nouwen exposes one of our great dilemmas in today's text...who is at the heart of you? He argues that if we proclaim that God does indeed exist, then God must be at the center of one's being instead of self. This is more than prioritization...this is recognition that with God at the heart of who I am, everything else will find its place. It is not my pattern, but God's, and as such I am freed to focus on God and not myself. The text from Philippians that is cited at the beginning of today's entry speaks of God's intentions, God's actions and not our own. During the season of Lent, our journey can lead us to the heart of God...but only if we acknowledge that God exists and invite God to be at the heart of who we are.

JKA

Prayer, March 3

"Prayer creates that openness where God can give himself to us." (Nouwen, p. 35)

Have you had the frustrating experience of trying to communicate with someone who is too busy talking to hear what you have to say? Maybe they are trying to defend their position, or with excitement or agitation only can see their own perspective. What must God think of our prayers? Oh yes, God is pleased that we bring our concerns, our joys, our struggles in prayer. But as Nouwen points out, prayer is too often for us a monologue where we are the ones who dominate the conversation. He prescribes at least ten minutes of "active listening" each day. Now before you think to yourself, "great, there's one more thing I have to add to my day," pause to think about your day and the priority you give in that day to a growing relationship with God. I don't believe that Nouwen is advocating a prescribed listening regimen for the voice of God as much as he is calling us to the intentional action and attitude of listening for God. To embrace the role of listener in relationship with God is to free yourself to hear God, not just at a prescribed time, but at different times and in different circumstances throughout the day. "Prayer creates that openness where God can give himself to us," Nouwen writes. How would our prayer lives change if we thought of prayer as God giving God's self to us? Perhaps you and I should listen and find out.

JKA

Hospitality, March 2

Frances Roark was a wonderful friend who had the gift of hospitality. Frances was an Italian-American from New York City who met and married a Kentucky soldier during World War II and returned with him to his native Kentucky. She opened her home weekly to friends and family, even strangers new to the community and church. In her basement, where most of her wonderful gift of hospitality was expressed, there was a white support pole from floor to ceiling that was immediately noticeable when one entered the room. On this pole, were the names of everyone Frances ever invited to her home, for you see a rite of entrance to the home was to sign the pole. I was privileged to have my name on that pole and found myself reading, whenever I visited, the names on that pole to see who had been added and who had become a treasured friend of the host.

I thought of Frances when reading Nouwen's words; "...in the context of hospitality guest and host can reveal their most precious gifts and bring new life to each other." Loving God and allowing God to love others through you, opens doors for hospitality that bring new life. On this Lenten journey, allow those doors to open wide and see what God might do.

JKA

Only in God, March 1

The apostle Paul sums up the character of love in I Corinthians 13 as he writes, "Love never fails." Nouwen argues that to follow Christ one must love God with all one's heart. There is no shortcut, no compartmentalization. He defines this love as unconditional and unreserved. Such love is indeed a challenge for flawed human beings, but the kind of love that trusts completely is obedient and faithful, mirroring God's love. To abandon one's self into God's hands and trust God to do whatever God desires, empowers love that is then reflected in the way one treats others. Charles de Foucauld's poem speaks to this trust:

Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve
and with boundless confidence.

Are you ready to surrender yourself...without reserve? To do so is an act of love that leads to a cross...to abandon yourself...with boundless confidence.

JKA

The Only Necessary Thing, February 28

"What must I do to be saved?" The Philippian jailer, on his knees in sheer terror, asked Paul and Silas this question when a great earthquake shook the jail that held them. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," they said, "and you will be saved." What about church membership? How about tithing? Shouldn't he prove himself first before these two men of God offered him salvation? Aren't there certain rules and rites of faith that he should be expected to conform to before salvation is offered? Believe...and be saved; that was the answer to his question.

Lent draws us to the simple message of the gospel. By simple, I don't mean easy or cheap. To live the Christ-life is not to follow an easy path. To believe on Jesus Christ is to be confronted by God's great love, and then, to believe. Those who follow this path are "new creations," according to Paul, who embrace, as the author of the book of Hebrews writes, "...a new and living way." Commenting on this new way, Nouwen writes, "What is new is that we are set free from the compulsions of our world and have set our hearts on the only necessary thing."

A journey toward the cross compels us to keep our eyes on "the only necessary thing." Apart from Jesus, we are no different than before.

JKA

The Descending Way, February 27

The teachings of Christ run counter to the values embraced by our world. I offer no revelation in that statement for the follower of Christ, and yet, it seems that instead of allowing Christ to transform our lives, we seem determined to mold Christ into the Savior we want him to be. We think more in ascending terms...(building bigger and better for the kingdom) while Nouwen reminds us that God's love is made "visible in the descending way." From the incarnation, to the cross, to the way in which God uses the church to carry forth Christ's mission, the Christ-path follows the way of humility and service, dependent upon God's guiding hand. That is indeed revolutionary when we look at what is often claimed as victory in the name of the Lord. As individuals and as the church, we find ourselves scanning God's word for proof text to support our own choices, instead of waiting, watching, and listening for the divine. Nouwen notes, "in our impatient culture, it has indeed become extremely difficult to see much salvation in waiting."

The season of Lent calls us to the descending way...to salvation in waiting. It is not salvation of our own making, but rather, surrender to the way of Christ.

JKA

Choose Life, February 26

"Trusting in the unconditional love of God: that is the way to which Jesus calls us." (Nouwen, p. 16)

It is hard to accept unconditional love. Whether we are cynical about what motivates such love, or perhaps made uncomfortable by our own failures in light of it, we hesitate, sometimes even run from such love. Confronted by the unconditional love of the resurrected Christ, Peter struggled with the demands this love placed upon him. He had denied knowing Jesus, yet the risen Lord did not make his betrayal a barrier to love. Jesus called Peter to feed his sheep. There comes a point in our spiritual journey that we must allow the unconditional love of God to fully envelop us, and as a result, call us wherever God leads. It is a matter of trust and gratitude that enable us to acknowledge "that everything good, beautiful, and true comes from God and is offered to us in love." (p. 18) Deserved? No. Tranformational? Yes...without condition.

JKA

Ash Wednesday, February 25

Henri Nouwen closes his prayer for this day's reading asking God to give strength so that we can, "...be decisive in doing good." Our entrance into Lent speaks of an intentional choice, but to be quite honest, the choice we make to follow Jesus along the Lenten path toward the cross is a choice that we will struggle with throughout this season.

Too often we express our participation on this journey in the context of what we will "give up for Lent," as if these small privations in some way mirror a greater sacrifice. But setting aside certain foods, activities, or pleasures doesn't really get to the heart of Nouwen's prayer.

With brutal honesty, Nouwen confesses before the Lord, "I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for me. There are no times or places without choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing you." His words have a familiar ring for me, and perhaps for you. Choice is something we clamour for, yet something we sometimes labor over because of the difficulty of the choice.

The cross was not a last minute choice that Jesus embraced. He had spoken of his death early in his ministry among his disciples, but they either weren't listening, or tried to talk him out of such a choice. It could be said that we spend a great deal of time in such indifference or argument. Yet, the cross calls us to a decisive choice.

Some of us will be marked by ashes on this day. This symbolic gesture speaks of choice, but it is more than the act of a corporate body or religious rite. This is an act of repentance, an intentional act that should mark not only our outward appearance, but more importantly, our souls. Let us choose the path of repentance and confession, and let us be decisive in doing good...in following the way of the cross.

Jim Abernathy

Welcome

The writings of Henri Nouwen have challenged and encouraged people of faith for many years. His humble, insightful manner draws the reader in as friend and confidant, voicing the questions, struggles, and hopes that often mark our human experience. "Show Me the Way," published by Crossroads Publishing, is a compilation from fifteen of Nouwen's previously released works dating back to 1971. These reflections offer daily devotionals which include scripture, Nouwen's reflections, and a prayer.


Beginning Ash Wednesday, February 25th, a response to Nouwen's daily guide will be posted on this blog by 7 a.m. each morning. This is being done to draw our Westwood Baptist Church family into this Lenten journey, but is open to all who will read along and share. Copies of the book can be reserved and purchased for $12 through the church office at 703-451-5120, or you may pick the book up at Cokesbury or through on line sites such as Amazon.com.

Pick up a copy and join us on along the way!

Jim Abernathy