Month: October 2010 (Page 2 of 3)

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heaertbeat

The author said when we lack a lively awareness of our core identity as His child, it is easy to become enslaved to the approval and disapproval of others.  Much of our day can be spent placating and pleasing people, and their opinions can hold a control over us.  There is much good that is left undone because of our fear of the opinion of others. We too often think of what others will say rather than doing what is best, although often unpopular.  As we accept more of our core identity as His child, we slowly gain autonomy from controlling relationships.  We become inner-directed rather than out-determined.  We may have moments of pleasure or pain caused by the affirmation or deprivation of others as that never entirely disappears.  Sometimes we have to stand alone when the only alternative is to cut a deal at the price of our integrity.  It is lonely but is courageous to make unpopular decisions that are expressive of the truth of who we are-not of who we think we should be or someone else wants us to be.  But let us follow our conscience and stand for the truth even when others may disapprove. When we stand up and claim responsibility for our unique self, we are growing in freedom from the bondage of human approval.  His approval is all that matters!

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

It is one thing to discover a treasure but another to claim it as our own through determination and effort.  So often in our lives get so fascinated with the trophies of this world that is passing away…pursuit of money, pleasure, power etc.  Whatever it is, it dims and numbs our capacity to be affected by Him.   What a difference there is between knowing about God and knowing Him!  John refers to himself as the one who Jesus loved.  He experienced that love and leaned against His heart to hear His heartbeat.  John did not believe that Jesus was the most important thing; he believed that He was the only thing.  “What establishes preeminence in the Christian  community  is not office, title, or territory; not the charismatic gifts of tongues, healing , or inspired preaching, but only our response to Jesus’ question, “Do you love Me?”

Devotions from Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

How often do we shut the Lord out of our lives?  Maybe we enjoy some things alone to exclude Him or to hug certain experiences and relationships to ourselves.  It may not consist of the denial of a personal God, but rather we grow inattentive to His sacred presence. Just the way we spend our time and money and the way we interact with others testifies to the degree that we are aware of Him.  It is much like a human relationship. When we are inattentive  it undermines love, confidence, and communion with others. So it is with God.  When we are inattentive to our true self hidden with Christ in God we become unaware of His divine presence.  We need to weigh and measure the things we allow in our lives and keep only those that have eternal value.

“May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God who is Father , Son and  Spirit.” Larry Hein.

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

As Christians we have the resurrection power at work in us. This power enables us to accept pain and to discover that we are not alone. It helps us to stand fast in our present circumstances and grow as a result.   Even when tragedy alters our direction in life, we can experience His resurrection power. Every day we are being reshaped into His image. Everything that happens to us is designed to this end and nothing exists beyond the pale of His presence.  Nothing is irrelevant to it and nothing is without significance to it. Through union with Him nothing is wasted. Everything great and small, important and unimportant, distant and near has meaning and value.  “There is never a moment that does not carry eternal significance-no action that is sterile, no love that lacks fruition, and no prayer that is unheard.”   Let us walk in this freedom and power.

Yesterday I went for a walk to the Point for a time of reflectionby the Lake.  On the way home I noticed a road sign that showed the winding road and curves ahead. I thought how great it would be if our journey was like that and we could know what is ahead. But of course we don’t and would that be good?  Would we then be quiet and listen to Him in trust? So often we go to the Lord telling Him we need this or that, or even just tell Him we are His child. But He already knows that and knows our heart and intention far better than we do. How much better it would be to sit in quietness with Him and remember that He prays within us. Sometimes I wonder if the Lord doesn’t want to just hush us up so He can communicate to us in our inmost being.  As I read today from Michael Molinos, “The transformation of your soul consists not in speaking to God nor in thinking on God, but in loving Him greatly.”  He goes on to say this is acquired by silence of our words, silence of our desires and silence of our thoughts.  Today in our women’s class the leader had us close our eyes and listen to the Word she read, followed by sharing what spoke to us.  I think I received more today than many other studies that were so full of information. The Lord wants to guide us to the place where He alone communicates Himself to us. It is in that place that I believe He transforms our soul!

Devotions from Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat.

How childlike are we in our walk of faith?  Jesus said , “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”  Matt. 18:3-5.

 As we think of the characteristics of a child he is so open, trusting, dependent, playful, simple, sensitive to feelings, open to new ideas and surprises of the Spirit,  and risky for opportunities for growth.
The gospel of grace is that of a child who has never experienced anything but love and who tries to do his best because he is loved. Even when mistakes are made he knows he doesn’t jeopardize the love of the parent.  Therese of Lisieux  said that we should be as a little child in that we recognize our nothingness, expecting everything from God. We don’t need to get disheartened by our faults because like children we fall too, but are too little to hurt ourselves much.   Later in life a child may accomplish a lot but it comes from the overflow of being loved, not to gain approval.  We are loved not because we deserve His love, not because we try, but simply because He has chosen to love us. He loves us just as we are and calls us by name!!

Devotions from Brennan Mannings book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

Often we feel like we are wasting time when we aren’t doing something productive and accomplishing something. We may feel guilty and selfish when we take time to go off alone.  But spending time in quiet before God is not wasting time but a time when we grow in awareness of our identity of His beloved.  It is not possible to know another person intimately without spending time together.  It is like water that needs to settle. When we are constantly in the midst of others we can’t see ourselves as we really are because of all the confusion and disturbance. But as we slow down and wait we come to know ourselves better and the sacredness of others.  We connect best with others when we connect with the core of ourselves. We can listen to others more attentively and love them more unselfishly. We can speak and act with greater strength, to forgive rather than nurse wounds, to focus on the things that really matter, and to actually have more energy. So let us not feel guilty when we make room for silence and solitude and let Him tell us how very loved we are.

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

The author’s spiritual director told Manning to define himself radically as one beloved by God.  God’s love for each of us constitutes our worth. We need to accept that and let it become the most important thing in our lives.  The basis of our personal worth is not in possessions, our talents, the esteem of others, our reputation, or the applause of everyone telling us how important we are… we are anchored in God before whom we stand naked. And He says to us, “You are my beloved one.”  Our false self draws identity from past achievements and adulation of others, but the true self claims identity in being His beloved.  Let us encounter God in our ordinariness of life and at the core of our existence. If we draw life and meaning from any other source than this, we are not spiritually alive. May we hear His whisper to our ears that we matter to Him for He loves us just as we are.

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat

So often we want to present a perfect image to others that they may admire us but consequently they don’t know us. Augustine wrote, “There can only be two basic loves, the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or the love of self unto the forgetfulness of God.”  When we refuse to live out of our authentic self and refuse to be our true self even with God, we will lack intimacy with Him.   We need to accept the reality of our sinfulness which means accepting our true self. Judas could not face his shadow; Peter could.  When we accept the truth of what we really are and surrender it to him, we will be enveloped in peace. We can burn the old tapes of self-centeredness and let go of our fear of the Father and dislike of ourselves. We belong to Him! The more we are in His presence, the less we will need to have the adulation of others. He is enough! In His presence we can discover the joy of living by grace and not by performance. . We can speak honestly to Him any time, any place, under any circumstance. We don’t have to wear masks but come to Him dirty and ragged and in our brokenness. He will embrace us.