Sunday, July 12, 2009

Emotions



In continuing to read from Manning’s book “A Glimpse Of Jesus” I came across the following that spoke volumes to me, a person who is highly emotional, feels deeply and passionately, always have and I trust I always will.

“To ignore, repress, or be inattentive to our feelings is to fail to listen to the stirrings and surprises of the Spirit within our emotional structure calling us to a creative response.
Jesus listened. In John’s gospel we are told that ‘he was moved with the deepest emotions’ (11:33). In Matthew his anger erupts, (15:7-9). He called the crowd to intercessory prayer because of what he felt, (Matthew 9:16). Would Jesus have restored the widow’s son to life had Jesus repressed his feelings?”

“Grief, frustration, and sadness all spontaneously broke through when he ‘drew near and came in sight of [the city], he shed tears for it and said, (Luke 19:41). There was no emotional restraint when Jesus roared, (John 8:44). There was more than a hint of irritation when Jesus was dining at Simon’s house, (Mark 16:6). We hear utter frustration in his words, (Matthew 15:17), and unmitigated rage in (Matthew 16:23). There was extraordinary sensitivity in (Luke 8:47), and blazing wrath in (John 2:16).”

“The gospel portrait of Jesus is that of a man exquisitely attuned to his emotions and uninhibited in expressing them. One finds in Christ no attitude of scorn, contempt, fear, ridicule or rejection of feelings as being fickle, flaky, and unreliable. They were sensitive emotional antennae to which he listened carefully and through which he perceived the will of his Father for congruent speech and action.”

I’m afraid that being a saint as well as being human is an incongruent bitter pill for many of us to swallow. Had God the Father not become incarnate as the son of God/son of man, humanity would continue trying to be something apart from a soul containing such wonder and beauty mournfully characterized as a lobotomized and emasculated automaton in the form of a human being!

Hopefully in the very near future I am launching out into a whole new arena, adventure, of moving away from what I find so very awkward and difficult, typing, writing, and into a mode, medium of communicating I do best, talking~Yay!!!
As soon as I learn how to do the ‘magic’ of posting audio/pod cast blogs, that is where I intend to travel
A very special thanks to Tracy over at
http://www.fiercelyloved.com/blog/
for the realization of stepping through a whole new portal and expression of His amazing grace!

Thanks Tracy!!

Rich

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Rich, it was SO much fun talking to you on Saturday. I love to put a voice to the face/writing. No one EVER sounds the way I think they will. I expected you to have a New York accent...no idea why!

Joel over at Grace Roots does podcasts and video, so he might be able to help you out!

http://blog.graceroots.org/

I look forward to listening!

Tracy

Rich said...

Tracy,

It was indeed great hearing your voice as well!
Thanks for the tip about Joel, I think maybe in the back of my mind somewhere I had actually thought about Joel.

One more example of your latest blog entry, having those around us mirroring to us and encouraging us into something we already feel and know to be the truth-direction to move into!

Bino M. said...

Rich - It spoke volumes to me as well! I think I am like you when it comes to emotions. I am very emotional in nature, but I try to hide them. :) I am afraid to be vulnerable.

Your post is very freeing as it tells us that Jesus expressed his emotions (negative and positive). I am learning this...

BTW, I have really enjoyed some of Manning's writings. He talk from heart and I like it...

Rich said...

Bino,

Thanks so much for what you shared, it means much to me!

I have read so very little from so many books that has impacted me as it has from my venture, journey in to Manning's heart and words.
I can at most take little amounts of what Father is saying to me, catching my attention to what He is pointing out to me in what I am reading, it so floods my soul, it so wrecks my inner being discovering I am His beloved, and that he is delighted to be my Friend..it causes my heart to melt in awe of such a God and Father.

I have two more of his books I am looking 4ward to reading as well.
I hope in the near future to be up and running via either and or, voice-blogging or pod-casting, He is making it so abundantly obvious to me this is His doing, I can't wait and yet I need to for right now as the details are being slowly worked out.

I have so much buring within my heart to share, I anticipate with baited breath knowing this will be but another discovery of His heart, for me and so many others.

Unknown said...

Hey Rich! Are you guys talking about Brennan Manning, who wrote The Ragamuffin Gospel?!? I am currently reading that book right now, and asked Kent Burgess if he has read it or has heard anything about it! I am loving this book so far and I just started it! I have already begun to quote some amazing paragraphs! Its raw and real, and captures my heart!

Rich said...

Nicole,

Yes, Brennan Manning!
I'm about to do a piece about compassion, several things he shared Father has been using to make His heart (and capture mine) for me and others so powerfully real.

I look forward in hearing how He invades your heart as well.