Sunday, August 17, 2008

About solitude

Good morning. Yes, it is true. A Sunday post! Couldn't resist this meditation from a good friend this morning from one of my very favorite authors, Henri Nouwen. He has been a good companion over the last 4 years, largely because of his own writings of honest and raw feelings, fortified by grace and love. A wonderful reminder to lean into the solitude, even though it might feel like a lion waiting for you around the corner (yes, this is also a plug for my friend, Mark Batterson's first book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Long title...grrreat read. And, continuing with his affinity for wildlife :) I highly recommend his new book just coming out, Wild Goose Chase

Mark describes:
The Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit that has always intrigued me. They called him An Geadh-Glas or the Wild Goose. I love the imagery and implications. The name hints at the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger and air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious at first earshot, I cannot think of a better description of what it's like to live a Spirit-led life than Wild Goose Chase. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something that institutionalized Christianity has missed out on. And I wonder if we have clipped the wings of the Wild Goose and settled for something less-much less-than God originally intended for us.

For more check out : www.evotional.com/go/goose or www.chasethegoose.com

Daily Meditation (Henri Nouwen)

Clinging to God in Solitude

When we enter into solitude to be with God alone, we quickly discover how dependent we are. Without the many distractions of our daily lives, we feel anxious and tense. When nobody speaks to us, calls on us, or needs our help, we start feeling like nobodies. Then we begin wondering whether we are useful, valuable, and significant. Our tendency is to leave this fearful solitude quickly and get busy again to reassure ourselves that we are "somebodies." But that is a temptation, because what makes us somebodies is not other people's responses to us but God's eternal love for us.

To claim the truth of ourselves we have to cling to our God in solitude as to the One who makes us who we are.


Write on, fellow spelunkers!
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1 comment:

Brian Kagan said...

Here's a post from a friend sent to me by email and asked to be anonymous. TOTALLY WORTH READING to listen to the crystal metaphor.

ANONYMOUS:

Hey dude, good postings! I read with great anticipation of your meeting with Valerie and felt the warmth of your moment when she said let’s do more coffee. Thanks for being transparent and vulnerable.
I am convinced God is somewhat like a many faceted crystal. As you look at and turn it in your hands, you know that it can bend the light and act like a prism but not always. It has the power but it doesn’t always show the power. Only when the conditions are just right… God is like that with us. He has the power, He cares, He can bend the light but not always… but on occasion we see the rainbow
Glad you are seeing some color these days!

August 20, 2008 at 12:06 PM

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