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
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I've stumbled upon being the first follower.. not quite sure HOW I got here, but I made it! I have enjoyed the daily readings of Show Me The Way. Today's, however...WHEW! I literally caught my breath when I read the line in deFoucauld's poem,"I am ready for all, I accept all." I often pray "do with me what you will", but as I read those following lines, with my heart in my throat, I realized I am NOT ready for ALL! I am ready if it's about me....but not ready if it's about my family. They seem to be off-limits! I will try to pray deFoucald's words, "Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures". Holly Schmitz
ReplyDeleteHolly,
ReplyDeleteThe love that transforms our lives is found in surrender, and who among is always ready to live "without reserve"? It is scary to think about what God can do through a person who surrenders to such love.
JKA