Bright, Bold, Wide Love

“We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.”― Francis Chan, Crazy Love

A Blessing for Compassion for All by Kate Bowler

“Blessed are we, God’s beloved.
Whether we bask in happiness of a season of opportunities
or find ourselves bracing against a fresh storm of hard things.

Blessed are you who are sad and sore,
waiting for the next breath to come more easily.
You are here, and you are loved.

Blessed are you who carry your joy openly,
in the happiness of longings fulfilled.
You are here, and you are loved.

Welcome all, look around!
We might change places tomorrow,
but for now, we are all together
as those who are the beloved of God.

We have been looped together
into the wideness of God’s compassion,
into the kinship of the imperfect
who are perfectly loved.

Blessed are we, eyes wide open
to the fact that there’s nothing like it,
this love that generates love exponentially:
it doesn’t detract.
It only gives.

Here in Advent we see its coming
gentle as the dawn,
healing as sunlight.
Love that actively grows us into our truest selves.
People who can love
just like that.”

One week to Christmas.
The rush.
The jamming one more thing in.
The hurry and hustle.
Or not.
To choose differently rather than habitually.
To see and partake in the fullness of this day.
To dare to pause, gaze, kneel.
In wonder, awe, reverence.
If but for a moment or two.
Wide, deep, exponential love.
Receive and give.

“All worldly joys go less
To the one joy of doing kindnesses.”
― George Herbert, The Complete Poetry