Daily Meditation: Being Free to Love

DAILY MEDITATION Being Free to Love February 29 Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com Jesus came to us to help us overcome our fear of God. As long as we are afraid of God, we cannot love God. Love means intimacy, closeness, mutual vulnerability, and a deep sense of safety. But all of those are impossible as long as there is fear. Fear creates suspicion, distance, defensiveness, and insecurity. The greatest block in the spiritual life is fear. Prayer, meditation, and education cannot come forth out of fear. God is perfect love, and as John the Evangelist writes, "Perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). Jesus' central message is that God loves us with an unconditional love and desires our love, free from all fear, in return. For further reflection... "Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." - Jude 21 (NIV) Your response... What practices help you experience the unconditional love that Henri describes to cast out fears? Comment on this Daily Meditation. Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "Life of the Beloved".   Visit our Bookstore: United States | Canada | United Kingdom Join us for the Lent 2016 discussion of Henri Nouwen's book "In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership". Visit our new website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. LEARN MORE Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo. STAY CONNECTED:

Forward This Email to a Friend This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com by email_lists@henrinouwen.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | About our service provider. Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada

Daily Meditation: Letting Go of Our Fear of God

DAILY MEDITATION Letting Go of Our Fear of God February 28 Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com We are afraid of emptiness. Spinoza speaks about our "horror vacui," our horrendous fear of vacancy. We like to occupy-fill up-every empty time and space. We want to be occupied. And if we are not occupied we easily become preoccupied; that is, we fill the empty spaces before we have even reached them. We fill them with our worries, saying, "But what if ..." It is very hard to allow emptiness to exist in our lives. Emptiness requires a willingness not to be in control, a willingness to let something new and unexpected happen. It requires trust, surrender, and openness to guidance. God wants to dwell in our emptiness. But as long as we are afraid of God and God's actions in our lives, it is unlikely that we will offer our emptiness to God. Let's pray that we can let go of our fear of God and embrace God as the source of all love. For further reflection... A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!  My daughter is suffering terribly..."  Jesus did not answer a word.  So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."  He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."  The woman came and knelt before him.  "Lord, help me!" she said.  He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."  Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."  Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith!  Your request is granted."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour. - Matthew 15: 22-28 Your response... What has helped you trust God's love and guidance? Comment on this Daily Meditation. Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "A Spirituality of Homecoming".   Visit our Bookstore: United States | Canada | United Kingdom Join us for the Lent 2016 discussion of Henri Nouwen's book "In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership". Visit our new website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. LEARN MORE Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo. STAY CONNECTED:

Forward This Email to a Friend This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com by email_lists@henrinouwen.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | About our service provider. Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada