Life In Greencastle

In the last few weeks, I've come full face to my limits as a human being, which - in turn - have exposed again a fact that I don't publicize much ... and I probably don't need to: I'm a sinner ... a fallen, broken human being that is unable to save myself, let alone anyone else. And, as I've come awake again to the emptiness in myself, I've developed a hunger again for the mercy and grace of God. In any case, my searching after the grace of God led my mind to drift to that old hymn so many of us love: Come, Thou Fount - becoming for me an honest plea and prayer.

I want to share a word from Richard Foster, which is really intended to be an invitation from God ... "God has graciously allowed me to catch a glimpse into his heart, and I want to share with you what I have seen. Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence. "And he is inviting you - and me - to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created. His arms are stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in. "For too long we have been in a far country; a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And he welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, ...

"Listen next time. Listen when someone speaks to you." - David Malter to his son, Reuven; The Chosen Do you ever have those seasons when you keep hearing the same message from God over and over again? You know: when you keep hearing a similar message spoken to you, coming to you in a conversation with this friend and then another friend? I have been going through one of those times recently. In the last few weeks, I keep getting these little nudges from God to "listen." It began a week and a half ago when I was down in St. Meinrad, Indiana at a beautiful monastery built by German Catholics, a place dedicated to the practice of listening to God. Nudge #2 came as I reread Henri Nouwen's little gem of wisdom titled The Way of the Heart . He talks about how true prayer (true listening) comes from quieting our minds and hearts, especially through silence. And, again God was calling me to open up my ears and heart this past Sunday. The nudge came as we explored...