An Exciting Place to Live

Souvenirs of Solitude

Finding Rest In Abba's Embrace

by, Brennan Manning

If we Believe in Christ's Spirit and that He was telling and is telling the truth, then the world we live in can be a real exciting place. We have romance and adventure, promise and possibilities, confidence and joy. But most of all we have a world of love.

There must be love within us...we need to be willing to "take a chance on love" whether it be with the "love our life" or showing love to a stranger...we need to be willing to take a chance and be Christ's love to the world. God is love (period), there is no guess work on this fact. God is love...end of story. If we are to be the example of Christ...if we are to be a "mirror image" of Christ...then we too should reflect that love.

Luke 15:11-32 talks about God's love...it's the story of the "prodigal son." Paraphrased... 

"There was a son who wanted all that he was going to get after his father died but wanted now...he didn't want to wait. Well the father...who loved his son very much...gave him his request. So the son goes off...spends all of his inheritance then realizes what a fool he had been. Now with nothing left, he decided to go back home and work as one of his hired hands to live...he felt undeserving to be his son because of all that he did. Well he went home and when his father saw him from way of he ran to him, hugged him, clothed him, accepted his wayward son back as if he had never left."

Now it's not the son's sin but the fathers love and acceptance that mattered. The son never even really got the chance to say he was sorry for what he had done. The father had already set his homecoming celebration.

All we have to do is show up and God is already waiting with the robe of redemption...the crown of salvation...the signet ring that identifies us as part of the family....all this before we even have a chance to back away again...we are His passionate love.

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus never even asked her if she was sorry. He just forgave her and told her to go her way and stop sinning. He didn't need to hear her plead her case...the forgiveness was already there waiting for her to realize she needed that very forgiveness.

God's love for us is "scandalous"...almost embarrassing... That is how deeply and emotionally God loves us...no matter what we've done or where we've been. The father of the prodigal son (you and I) doesn't decide to ponder on whether the son is really sorry or repentant. The father welcomed him in even before the son was done apologizing. 

Our father in heaven wants us to be his beloved children not caring about our past indiscretions. We too are expected to love with such abandon...God actually expects us to do just that. He did it for us and in return we should show that same love for and to others. The place we need to begin though is within ourselves. If we can't show compassion to ourselves, how can we show it to and for others...)love your neighbor as yourself).

It takes real faith to believe the message of the Good News...and really believe it for ourselves. We need to have enough faith...trust in the Good News...as we become daring enough to be different, humble enough to make mistakes, wild enough to be burnt by loves fire...how radical and out there is that? Let is strive to be that outlandish lover of those around us. 

Love...it does a body and soul good...