Nouwen, Br. Almquist, C.S. Lewis: God is a God of the Present
The real enemies of our life are the “oughts” and the “ifs.” They pull us backward into the unalterable past and forward into the unpredictable future. But real life takes place in the here and the now. God is a God of the present. God is always in the moment, be that moment hard or easy, joyful or painful.. God is not someone who was or will be, but the One who is, and who is for me in the present moment. That’s why Jesus came to wipe away the burden of the past and the worries of the future. He wants us to discover God right where we are, here and now.”—Henri Nouwen in You are the Beloved (Convergent 2017).
“To cultivate wisdom, you need not read another book, nor watch another Ted talk, nor travel to the ends of the earth. Instead, be where you are, which is where God is with you. Say “yes” to life on the terms that God is giving you life just now; pay attention to your life.”—Br. Curtis Almquist Society of Saint John the Evangelist.
“For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.”— C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters.
Three Christian writers of different generations and a Vietnamese Buddhist monk tell us the same message. We meet God in the present moment, not in the past or the future. This is a signpost for us to be aware, notice what is happening around us, focus on the very present. It is a precious present where God lives and invites us in to live as well. Therefore, Advent is our Christmas gift, a particular time to wait, observe, be quiet, and listen to the sounds, the music of the holy world around us, in our neighbor, and within us.
Joanna joannaseibert.com
