The closer we get to the Center, the more Jesus takes us to the edges…
The closer we get to our Center (the place where God dwells and the Spirit lives and moves), the more we are drawn out of our comfort zones into a life of Radical Love. The word “radical” comes from the Latin word “Radix” meaning ‘Root’ – so this Radical Love is a “Rooted” Love – rooted first and foremost in Jesus Who then grows the roots deeper in and for us.
The more we live from the Center (who is Christ), the deeper our roots become, and the deeper our roots become, the more we learn to trust the nature of God’s Love and Goodness. And the more we trust God’s love, the more we will long and hunger to share that divine love with all, but especially the most vulnerable, the most broken, and those most in pain (See Luke 4:18-20).
The stronger our roots become in God, the stronger we become (in and through Him). And this strength is not a power lording it over others, no, it is the power of serving and servanthood – the power of serving others deeply without losing or defining ourselves by such service (See Mark 10:45 and Matthew 20:28).
And the more Jesus-Centered I become, the more radical ("rooted") my love becomes; and the more radical my love becomes, the more I (personally) desire to serve those whom God cares for – the least, the poorest, the marginalized, the most broken, the loneliest, the lost, the hungry, and victims of injustice and oppression.
The closer I get to the Center, the more God takes me to the Edges.
And the closer to the Edge I get, the more I feel the wings of eagles…and leaping off this Edge becomes the shear Joy of flight rather than the fear of falling.
Original Post: http://www.paintedso...he-edges-again/
The Center & the Edges
Started by
Niles Comer
, Oct 06 2010 01:18 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1
Niles Comer
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- Location:Capon Bridge, West Virginia
- Interests:poetry, hiking, mountains, my dog Juno, coffee, reading, writing, servant leadership, making the comfortable disturbed and the disturbed comfortable.
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Capon Bible Fellowship
#2
thirstydeer
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Posted 06 October 2010 - 10:36 PM
Making the comfortable disturbed and the disturbed comfortable? Wow - Thats something to think about.
#4
Guest_Marvin Harrell_*
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Posted 07 October 2010 - 07:47 AM
The closer we get to our Center (the place where God dwells and the Spirit lives and moves), the more we are drawn out of our comfort zones into a life of Radical Love.
And the more Jesus-Centered I become, the more radical ("rooted") my love becomes; and the more radical my love becomes, the more I (personally) desire to serve those whom God cares for – the least, the poorest, the marginalized, the most broken, the loneliest, the lost, the hungry, and victims of injustice and oppression.
The closer I get to the Center, the more God takes me to the Edges.
And the closer to the Edge I get, the more I feel the wings of eagles…and leaping off this Edge becomes the shear Joy of flight rather than the fear of falling.
This, my friend, is the heart of the matter, is it not?
I think this is the answer to all my questions, simplistic as that sounds.
If I truly allow God to be the center of who I am (Christ in us the hope of glory), there is nowhere else to go than to the edges (the Great Commission).
Here is another thought--God is Love, and as such if He is truly at the center of all I am and do, will not Love (the incarnate Jesus) flow from the center of my being and overcome whatever needs to be overcome? "I no longer live but Christ lives in me" will gradually become my experience, not just some words on a page or intellectual concept. And my response to this all consuming love will be to serve and do whatever he did and does. Great post, Niles!
