The Quiet Voice of Love

Dear Friends,

Preaching on Jesus’ parable of the Lost Son on Sunday prompted me to start reading a short book that I’ve had on my shelf for years, but never read – Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son.  In the book, he weaves his own life story and struggles, with the parable and Rembrandt’s famous painting of it, into a beautiful tapestry that is continuing to draw me deeper into myself, the story and toward God.  I’m almost halfway through, but my highlighter is almost spent.

After he connects the parable with the painting and how he became aware of it, he embarks on a deep dive into the three primary characters, beginning with that younger son.  And he asks some poignant questions:

Why should I level the place where all I need to hear can be heard? The more I think about this question, the more I realize that the true voice of love is a very soft and gentle voice speaking to me in the most hidden places of my being. It is not a boisterous voice, forcing itself on me and demanding attention. It is the voice of a nearly blind father who has cried much and died many deaths. It is a voice that can only be heard by those who allow themselves to be touched.

Wow.  Yes, that resonates.

As this summer enfolds, I hope you find yourself in some places and spaces where you can hear the quiet voice of love – the voice of God – that is not forcing himself on you, but whispering the truth to your heart.

Despite all the craziness that’s going to happen next week at our Outback Rock VBS – and there will be tons of beautiful, loud, boisterous children and youth – we are going to do our best to present the good news of God’s love in Jesus… in the clearest, kindest… quietest terms possible.  And we pray, as I ask you to as well, that in the right moments, we can get ourselves out of the way to let the Spirit move in hearts and minds of kids and adults alike.

Will you, will I, will we… allow ourselves to be moved by the gentle whisper of God’s love next week?  Or tomorrow?  Or today?

Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus,

Pastor Don