Throughout this season of Advent, our church is reading a daily devotional book that was written by our pastor called Living the Christmas Story. The book is challenging us to let Christmas be a season of Prayer (closeness with God), Presence (connectedness with others), and Participation in God's love.
I read this post on another blog yesterday and thought it correlated very well with the devotional. (plus, I love Henri Nouwen):
The Ministry of Presence
More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems.
My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.
- Henri Nouwen
3 comments:
I LOVED this quote. Nouwen always says things that ring so true to me.
I hope this will be my mindset in our next neighborhood. My heart longs for this!
Loving this advent season!
Amen Henri!
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