Henri
Nouwen felt God leading him to live in a Trappist monastery for 6
months. This brilliant man, a university professor and prolific writer,
sought the quiet of the monastic life until he was there for a
few days. He found himself searching the mailbox, waiting for calls,
hungering even for another monk to show him some attention. His mood
darkened to depression and then anxiety. These were his thoughts,
recorded in his journal. “My lifestyle became part of our contemporary
desire for ‘stardom.’ I wanted to say, write, or do something
‘different’ or ‘special’ that would be noticed and talked about. ... you
can even preach the Gospel in such a way that people are led to believe
nobody had thought of that before. In all these situations you end up
with applause because you did something sensational.” The Genesee Diary
Nouwen’s
experience with anonymity in a community dedicated to quiet sameness in
contemplation and service of Christ led him to a new understanding of
Christ’s own surrender which is described in the Scripture. "Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very
nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being
made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:5-7, NIV) This is not
self-hatred. It is not a call to leave our gifts undeveloped. It is a
revelation of a life that is content with being all and only who Christ
makes us. "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3, NIV)
Does
the moon pine for its own radiance? No, it’s function is to reflect the
sun. That lump of rock in the sky captivates us only because of the
glory of another heavenly body. When we give away our need for notice
and become content to live to reflect His radiance, a deep peace settles
over us, a contentment that is unattained by any degree or award man
can give.
American Christianity has turned the Gospel inside out, making it a way to reach our highest personal potential,
as if Christ came to fulfill all our fantasies and make us into little
gods! Ponder the call of Jesus. He asks each of us to give up our life,
to take up our Cross, to die to Self. Does that sound like a path of
misery? Think again! His promise is true. "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39, NIV)
How
much of your time is spent on making your own life more pleasant,
adjusting temperatures just to suit you, looking for some diversion to
amuse you, seeking for some taste to delight your palate? Those who
have the resources to buy attention or the power to make others bend to
their will can, and often do, become more and more obsessed with
protecting their place, burnishing their reputation, noticing and
craving the respect of others. Gradually, the person they are is
replaced by a ‘person’ they become on the stage. Take away their
audience and they are miserable shells of humanity. They cannot be alone
for they do not exist apart from what they do in public. Christ offers
to give us an inner life, to let us commune with Him. The paradox is
that in Him we become real, content, and rich in that which cannot be
taken away.
Here is a word from the Word - "Dearest
friends, ... put into action God’s saving work in your lives, obeying
God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you
the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. In
everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no
one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean,
innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and
perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly
to the word of life." (Philippians 2:12-16, NLT)
____________
Enough
You're my supply, my breath of life,
Still more awesome than I know.
You're my reward, worth living for,
Still more awesome than I know.
And; all of You is more than enough for all of me,
For ev'ry thirst and ev'ry need,
You satisfy me with Your love,
And all I have in You is more than enough.
You're my sacrifice of greatest price,
Still more awesome than I know.
You're my coming King, You are ev'rything,
Still more awesome than I know.
More than all I want, more than all I need!
You are more than enough for me!
More than all I know, more than all I can say,
You are more than enough.
Chris Tomlin | Louie Giglio
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