LOVE
My childhood self boiled it down to one word, and I'm finally catching up, or returning.
We're motivated by opposing views and strengthening our sides, bringing our best foot forward to trample the enemy in favour of our fight.
We thought good and evil, right and wrong, dark and light -- were dictated by worldview and lifestyle and religion and politic --
and now I'm hearing the word and it's restorative, and it's the God dance running present through the world the way They're present today, how Holy Spirit makes home within us and this is how God makes himself known to the us, through us, this one word permeating our being and strengthening our broken places and breaking through and transforming the true darkness within --
hatred, this pulsing within that begs this rising of me, begs the decline of any Other, anyone higher. This great divide, the clamour for glory. Carrying pride and stumbling over every situation and person and falling deeper into the trance -- falling asleep -- losing God -- hatred this spiral into blackness and fear and desperately trying to hold yourself, save yourself, be more than yourself -- attempting to rise triumphant over the world and ascertain your glory. To rule yourself and prove your worth. Receive your validation.
And this word? The one I forgot, neglected, thought wasn't all that important? It's the essence of being, the wind running through trees, Holy Spirit transforming all that is hard and broken and weary on this downtrodden earth and within of dust and water --
Love. God is love was never just a nice three-word tag line, God is love was never something hippy that wasn't too Christian, God is love was never something nice to merely hold on to.
God is love is the ground we stand on, the framework we live within, the truth that removes the blindfold from our eyes.
I never experienced forgiveness 'til recently. I didn't know how to forgive. It was a process beyond me and a past too far gone to return to. When the past returned in the present, I knew somehow that it was an opportunity to reconcile the past with today, to move forward from the every-day replays of old days and conversations and the emotions that were fresh as the day four years ago. I didn't know how to enter such a process, though, and forgiveness evaded me. I sunk deeper and was upfront about my hatred because when you're drowning and you don't notice anyone around you and all you want to do is save yourself and crown yourself, you're not ashamed of hate.
Turned out they key to resolving this ongoing issue with authority and regaining my own autonomy --
was in humility.
The prayer was a long time coming and then finally became longing: May I love this person as you do.
The willingness to give yourself over to Love -- is the part where we offer ourselves. It was the hardest movement. Forgiveness begins with the willingness to be conformed to love, and you find your soul transformed by Love.
And perhaps in the end, that's what this act of kenosis, this self-emptying to the will of God, truly is?
This quiet, slightly muffled,
asking if you might be a carrier of love.
If you've got a bible handy, head to 1 John. It's a really precious place.
We're motivated by opposing views and strengthening our sides, bringing our best foot forward to trample the enemy in favour of our fight.
We thought good and evil, right and wrong, dark and light -- were dictated by worldview and lifestyle and religion and politic --
and now I'm hearing the word and it's restorative, and it's the God dance running present through the world the way They're present today, how Holy Spirit makes home within us and this is how God makes himself known to the us, through us, this one word permeating our being and strengthening our broken places and breaking through and transforming the true darkness within --
hatred, this pulsing within that begs this rising of me, begs the decline of any Other, anyone higher. This great divide, the clamour for glory. Carrying pride and stumbling over every situation and person and falling deeper into the trance -- falling asleep -- losing God -- hatred this spiral into blackness and fear and desperately trying to hold yourself, save yourself, be more than yourself -- attempting to rise triumphant over the world and ascertain your glory. To rule yourself and prove your worth. Receive your validation.
And this word? The one I forgot, neglected, thought wasn't all that important? It's the essence of being, the wind running through trees, Holy Spirit transforming all that is hard and broken and weary on this downtrodden earth and within of dust and water --
Love. God is love was never just a nice three-word tag line, God is love was never something hippy that wasn't too Christian, God is love was never something nice to merely hold on to.
God is love is the ground we stand on, the framework we live within, the truth that removes the blindfold from our eyes.
I never experienced forgiveness 'til recently. I didn't know how to forgive. It was a process beyond me and a past too far gone to return to. When the past returned in the present, I knew somehow that it was an opportunity to reconcile the past with today, to move forward from the every-day replays of old days and conversations and the emotions that were fresh as the day four years ago. I didn't know how to enter such a process, though, and forgiveness evaded me. I sunk deeper and was upfront about my hatred because when you're drowning and you don't notice anyone around you and all you want to do is save yourself and crown yourself, you're not ashamed of hate.
Turned out they key to resolving this ongoing issue with authority and regaining my own autonomy --
was in humility.
The prayer was a long time coming and then finally became longing: May I love this person as you do.
The willingness to give yourself over to Love -- is the part where we offer ourselves. It was the hardest movement. Forgiveness begins with the willingness to be conformed to love, and you find your soul transformed by Love.
And perhaps in the end, that's what this act of kenosis, this self-emptying to the will of God, truly is?
This quiet, slightly muffled,
asking if you might be a carrier of love.
If you've got a bible handy, head to 1 John. It's a really precious place.
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