NACR Daily Meditation for Friday, Feb 27, 2004

27 Feb 2004 08:00:00 -0000

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NACR Daily Meditation for Friday, Feb 27, 2004

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He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised
reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.Isaiah 42:2-3

Cheer up! Snap out of it! I thought you would be better by now! What's your
problem?!

When we have been badly bruised, we have an increased sensitivity to noise.
Comments like these - which many of us have heard even from people who genuinely
love and care for us - are a kind of 'noise' during recovery. Because we
have been bruised, these comments often feel like 'shouts' or 'raised voices
in the street.' They are a kind of public shaming because of our inadequacies
and neediness. And this feels like it will do us in - like the tiny recovery
candle that we have just managed to light is being snuffed out by the wind
of the shout.

And so when God responds with gentleness we are surprised. No shouting.
No yelling. No hurrying to get better. Instead, we find compassion and tenderness.
Our Healer sees that we are like a bruised reed. God will not break us. God
will patiently restore us. God sees we are like a smoldering wick, ready
to go out. Others might give up on us. But God will work with us until we
burn brightly again.

Gentleness. Patience. Persistence. We need all three. These are the gifts
offered to us by our healing God.

I am bruised, Lord. 
I am smoldering. 
And, I am so accustomed to shouting. 
It's so noisy that I don't always hear your voice. 
I don't expect your gentle ways. 
I expect you to yell, to be impatient. 
I expect you to give up on me. 
But you do not yell. 
You are not impatient. 
You do not give up. 
Thank you. 
Gentle Healer, teach me to be gentle. 
Teach me to be compassionate with myself and with others. 
Amen. 

Copyright 1991 Dale and Juanita Ryan 

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