Following the Nudges
a reflection on the daily living out of our union with Father, Son & Spirit...
Hello Faith Travellers,
What is it like at your part of the world this month? Down Under in New Zealand, we are in the winter season and for once we have had a week of clear sunny skies with crisp mornings. I love those kind of winter days. Give me more of those!
Check out the reflection in the water the other morning —
Photo by Rachel Larkin - Winter’s Morning
Following the Nudges…
I wonder how many times I have missed them.
That funny feeling from my inner most being.
That fleeting thought that pops in my mind.
They are there for only a moment.
If left, they dissolve back into nothing.
They invite me to enter into sacredness.
To participate in holy work.
To speak for someone.
To speak encouragement, truth and love.
To give to something.
To give money, time and talents.
To listen to someone.
To really lean in and look them in the eyes.
To smile generously.
To venture down a path untrodden.
To pick up that book.
To put down that book.
I wonder how many holy divine moments I have missed.
To sit and be still and know that God is God.
To look and see the beautiful.
To laugh with those who celebrate.
To cry with those who grieve.
To embrace the lonely.
Do you wonder too?
Here's the bottom line...
This is the distinguishing mark of God's son or daughter….
they follow the nudges of the Spirit.
Even if it is uncomfortable and scary.
Even if it seems contradictory to what they have been taught.
Even if it involves stopping and resting.
Even if it means a tearing down of old paradigms,
chucking out old wineskins,1
receiving new wineskins to hold the new revelations of his love.
They crave the union of Jesus in the Father and the Father in Jesus….
Oh! and they in Them.
Jesus in them and the Father in Jesus. 2
They marvel in the wonder of Jesus and his endless love for everyone.
They love, love and then love some more.
They receive His love again and again.
I wonder what would happen if we relinquished our hold on ourselves , our families, our possessions and instead accepted Jesus' hand and invitation to follow.
What adventures we would experience!
What new songs we would hear!
What fresh friendships we would enjoy!
The unknown revealing itself and becoming known.
You know, God is so loving, all the time, that if we miss the nudge first time around, he would keep bringing them back around to enjoy.
He doesn’t want us to miss out on life.
So when the Spirit gives you a nudge, stop and listen to her/him3
It’s an invitation to participating in eternal life4, right now.
What is God saying to you at this time?
I would love to hear…
“No one puts new wine into an old wineskin, for the new wine would burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost and skins ruined. New wineskins are what is needed. Then both wine and skins are preserved. He said this to show that the old ways of the spiritual leaders did not reflect the beauty of the new way he was bringing. “ Matthew 9:17 FNVNT (First Nations Version)
These phrases come from the Lord’s Prayer - no not that one - the one in John 17. “In the same way you are in me, I will be in them, beautiful joined together as one. This is the reason you sent me into this world, to show that you love them just as you love me.” John 17:23 FNVNT (First Nations Version)
The Hebrew word for Spirit is ruach which is a feminine noun. The Spirit is not an ‘it’. The Spirit is a person. The Greek word for Spirit is pneuma which is a gender neutral term. Different writers of the Hebrew Scriptures liken God to a feminine metaphors like a nursing mother and even Jesus likens God to a women searching for a lost coin. My faith tradition has referred to the Spirit with masculine pronouns so it is hard to think otherwise but it is good to ponder that the Spirit isn’t necessarily masculine.
Love this verse - “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” John 17:3 NIV. Eternal Life is NOT living in heaven forever and ever, resting on rainbows and clouds. Nope! It’s right now in this moment, getting to know God and Jesus. Love it!
Hi Rachel I love your "nudges" piece. You are very good with expressing words. I am finding that God is nudging me to visit with people to just sit and listen. I never realized just how important this is for them. I always felt visiting was a waste of my time but I'm realizing God wants to use me in this way. So much so that people I have met seem to want to keep in contact with me. I've never had that before. A friend from 15yrs ago phones me out of the blue, another texts me because she's missed seeing me etc etc . I feel God is saying I want you to be a friend.
Rachel,
I so enjoyed your post today. You challenged me, and encouraged me at the same time. I tend to beat myself up when I miss what I call divine encounters, instead of letting it be instructive for the future. I ask the Lord to forgive me and ask Him not to give up on me, and help me to be more obedient when He calls me. The hold on me from the flesh, the world, and the evil one is stronger on me than it should be! The rewards of answering the call are so, so rewarding that I wonder why I struggle at all, and...yet, sadly, I do. I praise God that He is so gracious, and kind, and compassionate to me!