Lenten Journal: The Re-Re-Re-Return

"The dim-eyed old father holds his returned son close to his chest with an unconditional love...He seem to think only one thing: "He's back home, and I am so glad to have him with me again."" Henri Nouwen

Garth Brooks When You Come Back To Me Again. Watch more top selected videos about: Frequency (film)

I believe it's difficult for any of one to believe that we could re-re-re-return to you. You claim that you love us unconditionally. You claim, through your son, that you are love, grace, and mercy. You claim in your words that no matter what nothing separates us from you. You're actions in grace, mercy, and love show us that a re-return is not only possible it is inevitable.

We, who fall short, will always return to you. Whether our motives are pure or not, you take us in. You wrap your arms around us. You love us wherever we are in life. You do not require a pure heart to return to you. You take us in your arms and saying, "I am so glad to have you with me again."

But there is a voice that tells us not to believe it. A voice that says we are unable to return. A voice that says your love is conditional, small, selfish. Your mercy is for a few elected. Your grace is only for those who pray the abc's. The voice tells us that you will not keep your promise. A voice that says Christ is not strong enough to be faithful.

We listen to that voice over and over again. We convince ourselves that we are unlovable, unwanted. We believe our imperfections, imperfections we were born with, are imperfections that are too much for you. We seek reassurance that you are you say you are. We seek reassurance that you will keep your promise. We seek reassurance that you are strong enough to stay faithful when we stray. And each time we seek reassurance, we hear the voice that says, "There are no returns."

But you came and opened our ears to another voice that says:

"I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. I love you with a love that has no limits. Do not run away from me. Come back to me--not once, not twice, but always again. You are my child. How can you ever doubt that I will embrace you again, hold you against my breast, kiss you and let my hands run through your hair? I am your God--the God of mercy and compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care. Please do not say that I have given up on you, that I cannot stand you any more, that there is no way back. It is not true. I so much want you to be with me. I so much want you to be close to me. I know all your thoughts. I hear all your words. I see all of your actions. And I love you because you are beautiful, made in my image, an expression of my most intimate love. Do not judge yourself. Do not condemn yourself. Do not reject yourself. Let my love touch the deepest, most hidden corners of your heart and reveal to you your own beauty, a beauty that you have lost sight of, but that will become visible to you again in the light of my mercy. Come, come, let me wipe your tears, and let my mouth come close your ear and say to you, 'I love you, I love you'" Henri Nouwen, Show Me the Way, pg 76-77

The voice of Christ cries to those of us who feel lost in the wilderness. The voice of Christ cries out to us and says, "You are loved." It is a beautiful thing to be able to re-return. The re-return is a beautiful thing. As is the re-re-re-return.

I humbly thank you for the re-re-re-return.