The Basis of Our Security

[Solly]

The Basis of Our Security
by Henri Nouwen; from Bread for the Journey, Harper Collins, New York, 1997

What is the basis of our security? When we start thinking about that question, we may give many answers: success, money, friends, property, popularity, family, connections, insurance, and so on. We may not always think that any of these forms the basis of our security, but our actions or feelings may tell us otherwise. When we start losing our money, our friends, or our popularity, our anxiety often reveals how deeply our sense of security is rooted in these things.
A spiritual life is a life in which our security is based not in any created things, good as they may be, but in God, who is everlasting love. We probably will never be completely free from our attachment to the temporal world, but if we want to live in that world in a truly free way, we'd better not belong to it. "You cannot be the slave both of God and of money" (Luke 16:13).

[John Reece]

The Basis of Our Security
by Henri Nouwen; from Bread for the Journey, Harper Collins, New York, 1997

What is the basis of our security? When we start thinking about that question, we may give many answers: success, money, friends, property, popularity, family, connections, insurance, and so on. We may not always think that any of these forms the basis of our security, but our actions or feelings may tell us otherwise. When we start losing our money, our friends, or our popularity, our anxiety often reveals how deeply our sense of security is rooted in these things.

A spiritual life is a life in which our security is based not in any created things, good as they may be, but in God, who is everlasting love. We probably will never be completely free from our attachment to the temporal world, but if we want to live in that world in a truly free way, we'd better not belong to it. "You cannot be the slave both of God and of money" (Luke 16:13).

Thanks, Solly.

That reminds me of the last time I resigned from a secure job while in debt, with house mortgaged, no money, no source of income, and no prospect of replacing the quality of job and level of income I had given up.

When evening came that day, I said to my wife, "I had a secure job, and now all I have is God." I was on the brink of panic when I began that statement, but when I finished it, I broke up laughing (joyfully) at the very idea that my security had been in my job, and that God was a less secure support.

Sure enough, as always, God came through, in due time providing me more than I had given up.

Blessings,

John

[Solly]

Thanks, Solly.

That reminds me of the last time I resigned from a secure job while in debt, with house mortgaged, no money, no source of income, and no prospect of replacing the quality of job and level of income I had given up.

When evening came that day, I said to my wife, "I had a secure job, and now all I have is God." I was on the brink of panic when I began that statement, but when I finished it, I broke up laughing (joyfully) at the very idea that my security had been in my job, and that God was a less secure support.

Sure enough, as always, God came through, in due time providing me more than I had given up.

Blessings,

John

Which ties in with the latest item in the Cost of Discipleship thread. Comfort is our greatest danger. One of my favourite spiritual accounts is God the Guardian of the Poor and the Bank of Faith, in which the writer, William Huntington [1745-1813] (not to be confused with Wm Huntington Reed) lived in abject poverty in his early days in the ministry, and yet the Lord always came through, by gifts given, shillings found, etc. He learnt indeed that God is such as named in the title of his book. We are so-o-o-o comfortable these days, we are silently idolatrous in our lifestyles, and end up acquiescing in Psalm 14: the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. It takes something serious, like unemployment, foreclosure, serious illness to wake us up to the Daily Bread aspect of our Christian walk.

[John Reece]

Which ties in with the latest item in the Cost of Discipleship thread. Comfort is our greatest danger. One of my favourite spiritual accounts is God the Guardian of the Poor and the Bank of Faith, in which the writer, William Huntington [1745-1813] (not to be confused with Wm Huntington Reed) lived in abject poverty in his early days in the ministry, and yet the Lord always came through, by gifts given, shillings found, etc. He learnt indeed that God is such as named in the title of his book. We are so-o-o-o comfortable these days, we are silently idolatrous in our lifestyles, and end up acquiescing in Psalm 14: the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. It takes something serious, like unemployment, foreclosure, serious illness to wake us up to the Daily Bread aspect of our Christian walk.

Yes

[Solly]

Continuing thoughts from the above source

To be able to enjoy fully the many good things the world has to offer, we must be detached from them. To be detached does not mean to be indifferent or uninterested. It means to be nonpossessive. Life is a gift to be grateful for and not a property to cling to.
A nonpossessive life is a free life. But such freedom is only possible when we have a deep sense of belonging. To whom then do we belong? We belong to God, and the God to whom we belong has sent us into the world to proclaim in his Name that all of creation is created in and by love and calls us to gratitude and joy. That is what the "detached" life is all about. It is a life in which we are free to offer praise and thanksgiving.

[OneFollowingHim]

A certain level of insecurity is good for us. In fact, God would be unloving to make us completely secure. Without some insecurity, we would see no reason for Him.