Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Day 10 – The Father’s Embrace

“I have to kneel before the Father, put my ear against his chest an listen, without interruption, to the heartbeat of God.” - H. Nouwen

Kneeling is an act of humility. As I read Nouwen and think about Rembrandt’s painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, full of imagery of grace and love, I wonder about my own pride. I realize I would rather be god than love God. I want to be popular not humble. I want proper notice given to my work and people to believe in my ideas.

But I realize my first calling is to follow Jesus by kneeling before the Father and by listening to his heartbeat. Like the British call, beat to quarters, God’s steady and firm heartbeat calls me – first to himself and then to do what I am for him. For Nouwen, “the painting contained the heart of the story . . . All of the gospel is there. All of my life is there. All of the lives of my friends is there. The painting has become a mysterious window through which I can step into the Kingdom of God.”

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