How to Live

“With transparent motives, as commissioned by God, in God's presence and in communion with Christ, so we speak.” (2 Corinthians 2:17 WNT)

In the previous post, I wrote about the reasons for living. Once we figure out what we need to do, it’s time to move on to the ‘how’ of living meaningfully. According to the Apostle Paul, we are called to live transparently, in communion with Christ. Henri Nouwen also writes beautifully about this topic:

Jesus has to be and to become evermore the center of my life. It is not enough that Jesus is my teacher, my guide, my source of inspiration. It is not enough that he is my companion on the journey, my friend, and my brother. Jesus must become the heart of my heart, the fire of my life, the lover of my soul, the bridegroom of my spirit. He must become my only thought, my only concern, my only desire. The thousands of people, events, ideas, and plans that occupy my inner life must become all one in the one and only name: Jesus." (Finding Our Sacred Center, Henri Nouwen)

How can we incorporate every thought, activity, and attitude into Jesus?

It’s a lot like baking a cake. First,we gather all the ingredients and mix them all together. Some things can be beaten with an electric mixer, but the fragile ingredients must be folded in gently. Then, we bake it in an oven until it is done. All the ingredients are integrated into one. You can no longer separate the eggs from the flour or sugar.

Similarly, we have to gather all our concerns, desires, and actions and fold  them into the will of God. Once our identity and our intentions are ‘baked in’ with Christ, everything becomes inseparable from the One.

“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” (Romans 8:38 NLT)

___