I am reading Henri Nouwen’s book “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. It has been the source of much contemplation over the past week.
Today I return to the question ‘How can I trust God?’
I can not make myself feel loved. I can not forgive myself. I can not welcome myself in. I can not invite myself to the feast. I can not even bring myself home.
Being the beloved is a gift. I can desire it, hope for it, wait for it and pray for it. But I can not create it. It must be given to me.
I am lost. I must be found and brought home by the shepherd that goes out to me.
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" (Luke 15 : 4)
Favourite Quote
- "Life is hard. God is good." John Piper
Words of Encouragement
Other blogs to visit
PERSON FIRST, ILLNESS LAST
Websites I visit
Blog Archive
Scripture
- 2 Corinthians 12: 8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- Hosea 2: 14 -15, 23 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards and will the make the Valley of Achor a door of hope...I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one'. I will say to those called 'Not my people' 'You are my people' and they will say 'You are my God'."
- Ezekiel 27: 4-6 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' "
- Luke 18:16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
- Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
- Psalm 88 But I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Why oh Lord do you reject me and hide your face from me?
- Lamentations 3: 22-23 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness
- John 10: 27-30 reassurance
0 comments:
Post a Comment