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