Today's readings from Nouen ring so very true. We live in a world that imposes an endless list of "ifs" on us every single day. If we do this right we will get that. If we play the game well we will get the reward. If we behave this way or that we will be loved. We can drive ourselves crazy trying to fulfill the "ifs" upon which hang the acceptance, admiration and love of the world. Perhaps that is one reason there are so many desperately hurting, unhappy and dangerous people out there - those people who simply cannot or will not live up to what the world expects of them; those whom the world therefore rejects.
We can search this world over and not find truly, absolutely unconditional love -except perhaps in our dogs- those glorious creatures who seem to love and accept us no matter what! But we human beings have a harder time loving without those "ifs" creeping in. We impose, however subtly, those "ifs" on other people, and we impose those "ifs" on ourselves as well.
Wouldn't it be wonderful, and revolutionary, if we could truly believe that God loves us without those worldly "ifs"? We hear all the time that God loves us, that he forgives us, that we are his Beloved Ones. But oh, how hard it is for us to understand and believe that! God's ways, we know, are not our ways, but we can't seem to wrap our heads and hearts around the idea that we are loved no matter what. How can this be? There must be a trick.
But there is no trick. As we move through Advent and toward Christmas, as we hear the age-old story of Christ's birth, as we look into that manger we see a manifestation of love that is really beyond our comprehension, but which calls us to open our hearts to it, to rest in it, to trust in it.
Nouen asks us to try, for today, to try to believe in God's unconditional love. Let's do that together. Let's open our hearts to the kind of love that is hard for us to understand, but which can transform us in ways we cannot even imagine.
God's love and peace be with you this Advent season,
Audrey
I definitely am an "if" person. My background in life I believe is the clear reason for my wondering what if God loves everyone else but not me. It is my hope that as Advent is closing and Christmas is going to make its approach that I will be able to graciously be able to say:"Great and marvelous God love me for who I am, who I have been and who I will become because of the everloving relationship you have with me no if's and's or but's.
ReplyDeleteI want to believe that God so loved the world that God gave us God's Son--a little child ready and willing, wondering and open to the world that would ultimately deny, try and succeed to crucify him on the cross. They did not hear, they did not ask, they did not want to know Jesus' message for humankind. Instead, like me at times we all got caught up in the if's, and's and but's. So, for my Christmas wish I am hoping that all the gifts that I have been given, will give and will receive have no strings attached either by me or the gifter. God knows I don't need another camera, I surely don't anything really accept to be loved as God already loves me. Thank you, God, for all the goodness you have given. May I see more clearly, love you more dearly day by day.