Pam's Perambulation

What do I need?

What do I rely on?

What makes my life complete?

Do I need nice things? Good holidays?  What I see my neighbour has? Others to say nice things about me?  The comfort and challenge of the world?

Or can I find my worth and delight in who and what I am?  Unadorned?  Deep within my very self?  Am I enough?  Or do I need something else?

Can we find our worth in God alone?

The Return of The Prodigal

We considered yesterday how important community is.  But we cannot find our worth solely in others.  They can certainly help or hinder us, but we need to be secure within ourselves – otherwise we can at times respond in very strange and unhelpful ways

Henri Nouwen challenges us to try cutting out other things for a day.  To be alone with ourselves.  To see where our dependencies lie – and to consider if they are healthy or not.  As we prepare for Christ’s coming, it’s a good question to ask ourselves.

“Things” can let us down – God doesn’t and won’t.  We can stand secure in him and the depth of his love for the real, intrinsic us – you and me.

Forgive me Lord,

for the times I look for my self-worth

in all the wrong places.

Help me

to look to you,

to clear the things that get in the way,

of truly knowing and accepting

the depth of your love for me.

Lord, I come before you

and ask you,

and you alone,

to meet my needs

of love, security and worth

And no sooner had I written this post, than this dropped into my Inbox:

Letting the Love and Light Flow

Jean Vanier

 When we begin to discover and to drop the barriers and fears which prevent us from being ourselves and which prevent the life of the Holy Spirit from flowing through us, we become more simple. Simplicity is no more and no less than being ourselves, knowing that we are loved. It is knowing that we are accepted, with our qualities, our flaws and as we are in the depths of our being. Simplicity is letting the love and the light of God flow and shine through us.

Source: Community and Growth

This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen.   You’re welcome to join us on this journey.  Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

~ by pamjw on December 7, 2012.

Posted in Advent, Advent Book Club, God, Religion, theology
Tags: #adventbookclub, Advent, dependency, reliance