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Chosen out of the Gut of God

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This morning I’m feeling sad.  I learned that one of my favourite author’s died recently.  His name is Brennan Manning, his books many.  The one I’ve underlined, dog-eared, tear-stained and thrown across the room the most was a first edition of his Lion and Lamb: The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus.  It was Brennan’s words that Jesus used to begin to help me on this journey into Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.  I love Brennan because he dared to push grace to its limits maybe because grace has no limits.  All is grace – whether we know it or not.  Even when I’m on my best behaviour, living closest to Jesus – I’m a debtor to grace.

 
I find it timely that this weekend at LSA we have author & blogger Ann Voskamp and musician Shaun Groves with us to stretch us in our Compassion.  I first learned what this word “Compassion” meant from Brennan Manning. ”It (Compassion) shows up in the many passages that describe Jesus as “having compassion”.  The Greek verb splangchnizomai is usually translated “to be moved with compassion.” But its root comes from the noun “splangchna” meaning intestines, bowels, entrails, that is to say, the inward parts from which the strongest emotions arise.  In North America we might use expressions, like he was moved with pity or his heart went out to him.  However, the original is deeper, stronger than that.
The compassion that Jesus felt was quite different from the superficial and ephemeral emotions of pity or sympathy.
Brennan writes: Jesus’ heart was torn, His gut wrenched and the most vulnerable part of His being laid bare.” pp. 127.
 
I’m not sure I’ve ever felt Compassion to that degree.  Mine is more of the superficial feelings of pity or sympathy.  I don’t know if I trust Jesus enough to allow Him to show that kind of compassion through me.  I don’t know whether I could do life that moment by moment, that slowly to really practice the presence of people and Jesus to have His broken heart, inward parts, his gut vicerally poured out through me.
 
I don’t know whether I’m that emotionally healthy or capable of that kind of compassion even with Jesus’ grace.  To be honest, that kind of compassion scares me.  What will it cost me?
 
This weekend we’ll have the chance to grow our Compassion by choosing a child to sponsor through Compassion Canada.  Their mission is to see Jesus’ Compassion – his gut wrenching, heart breaking, most vulnerable part of his being laid bare by seeing children released from poverty in Jesus’ name.  Here is how Jesus comes to me today as I reflect on the state of my own Emotional Spirituality.  He chose me, I did not chose Him.  He chose me out of the guts of His love.  His heart breaks for me, His gut ripped open for me, the most vulnerable part of His being laid bare for me. It was His compassion and compassion alone that saves me.
 
Jesus weeps with the broken children of our world, racked with the pain of emotionally, spiritual, material and relational poverty.  The ground of His being shakes, the source of all life trembles, the heart of all love bursts open and the unfathomable depth of God’s immense inexhaustible caring self is revealed.
 
 
Out of his weeping Jesus choses me and you.  Will you weep with Him and allow Him to use to you show His compassion.  Who knows we might even trust Him enough to become His compassion to a hurting and broken world.
 
 
Here is a little video of Brennan Manning talking about the Compassion of Jesus for us.
see you on Sunday,
Brad


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