Henri Nouwen and Michael Card

Henri Nouwen wrote a book called "Life of the Beloved." It is a small, yet deep, profound and lovely book! In this book he put forth the idea that what happened to Jesus is a forerunner of what God expects from us. Nouwen points out the parallels especially with the imagery of the Eucharist or communion supper. We will be taken, blessed, broken and given when we yield our life to The Lord.

 

We are taken from the world in that we are chosen to follow Christ. We are blessed when we "continue to hear the deep gentle voice that blesses us. We can walk through life with a stable sense of well-being and true belonging."

 

We are all broken "and all the people we know and know about are broken." Nouwen goes on to say: "We can befriend our brokenness and we can put it under the blessing. Yes, we have to find the courage to embrace our own brokenness, to make our most feared enemy into a friend and to claim it as an intimate companion. The deep truth is that our human suffering need not be an obstacle to the joy and peace we so desire, but can become, instead, the means to it. When we keep listening attentively to the voice calling us the Beloved, it becomes possible to live our brokenness, not as a confirmation of our fear that we are worthless, but as an opportunity to purify and deepen the blessing that rests upon us.

 

"We are chosen, blessed, and broken so as to be given. In the giving it becomes clear that we are chosen, blessed and broken not simply for our own sakes, but so that all we live finds its final significance in its being lived for others. Our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others."

 

Now notice howMichael Card captured these ideas when he wrote the song "Come to theTable." Here are the lyrics. If you want to hear the song a video link is at the bottom!

 

Come to the table and savor the sight

The wine and the bread that was broken

And all have been welcomed to come if they might

Accept as their own these two tokens

The bread is His body, the wine is the blood

And the one who provides them is true

He freely offers, we freely receive

To accept and believe Him is all we must do

 

Come to the table and taste of the glory

And savor the sorrow, He's dying tomorrow

The hand that is breaking the bread

Soon will be broken

 

And here at the table, sit those who have loved You

One is a traitor and one will deny

But He's lived his life for them all

And for all be crucified

Come to the table He's prepared for you

The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release

Come to the table and sit down beside Him

The Savior wants you to join in the feast

Come to the table and see in His eyes

The love that the Father has spoken

And know you are welcome, whatever your crime

For every commandment you've broken

For He's come to love you and not to condemn

And He offers a pardon of peace

If you'll come to the table, you'll feel in your heart

The greatest forgiveness, the greatest release

Come to the table and taste of the glory

And savor the sorrow, He's dying tomorrow

The hand that is breaking the bread

Soon will be broken

And here at the table, sit those who have loved You

One is a traitor and one will deny

But He's lived his life for them all

And for all be crucified

Come to the table He's prepared for you

The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release

Come to the table and sit down beside Him

The Savior wants you to join in the feast

 

 

 

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