I’m reading Henri Nouwen. The part of me that has Reformed Dogmatics running through my blood sometimes recoils, but then I remind myself that the Holy Spirit is greater than Reformed Dogmatics.
Nouwen talks about the Desert Fathers and the beginnings of withdrawal from the world at the beginning of the Christian era.
His insights in the pull of our greed and anger from the love of the world really speaks to me.
Whenever I think of “the love of the world” I hear the voice of a childhood elder teaching our Sunday School classes. Love of the world meant listening to Rock music, wearing jewelry, turning the music up loud, going to the malls and dressing like hippies…
But the love of the world is far more insidious.
I long to be drawn deeper into fellowship with God. I want to know him as he is, which means that I need to know Jesus and his sufferings, temptations, victories. What did it mean to Jesus to withdraw from the world?
When he was led into the wilderness and tested of the devil, there were three temptations. Nouwen got me thinking about them in a different light.
1. Stones to bread – Jesus was tempted with security, safety, significance. If he can turn stones to bread, he will never be hungry again.
But man does not live by bread only. The bread that fills the belly is a poor substitute for the living bread, where Jesus gives us himself.
2. “Throw yourself off the temple”. When the angels charge down, think of the reputation you will get. Just like Moses at the Red Sea. Everyone will listen to you. Everyone will fear you. When you speak, everyone will listen.
“But “You shall not put Jehovah to the test.” We live by his word, not by shows of power. We live by his life and his promises, not by circuses and pomp and the glories of this world.
3. I will give you all these kingdoms”. What could a good man do with unlimited power? What good could he accomplish! No need for a cross, or suffering, or taking the lowest place! What the world needs is a strong leader, not another wimp.
But you can worship power, or you can worship Jehovah. You cannot do both. The Baals of old were cruel taskmasters, but the power was alluring. Unfortunately, that power also takes your children and your children’s children.
“You shall worship the Lord your God”.
And today, we (myself included) continually fall for the same temptations.
If only we had financial security. If only we had a bit more recognition for my accomplishments and worth. If only people would respect my leadership.
We thought that the country could be saved with the power to make laws, but what has increased is not love and joy and kindness. We got the power, but we sold our souls to hatred, greed, envy, sexual assault, rape, murder, blasphemy, heresy, witchcraft and destruction.
We had to worship the wrong God for the power we thought we could do good with, and now we carry the dead corpse of the culture on our backs.
We poured our money into earthly glory. Fountains, and carpets, private jets and large buildings, celebrities and conferences and book deals…and lost our souls.
Maybe we need some time in the desert. In silence. exposing our greed and anger before the God of grace.
Maybe its time we shut ourselves in our closets and grieved our own sins.
It is why I haven’t written much lately. It is why I haven’t done a podcast lately.
Before I can speak, I first need to learn how to be silent.
That’s what repentance is, isn’t it? It is turning away from the significance, glory and power of this world, and facing God naked and silent.
That’s a new one for me.
My Only Comfort 