The sense of being unfinished
and they shall be restless until they rest in thee!
—Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
We’re aware of something we need or lack most of the time. We’re not complete. We’re not fully human.—the Rev. Eugene Peterson (1932- )
This sense of being unfinished is pervasive and accounts for a great deal that’s distinctive in us humans. We then attempt to complete ourselves by getting more education or more money, going to another place or buying different clothes, searching out new experiences.
The Christian gospel tells us that in and under and around all of these incompletions is God: God is who we need; the God-hunger, the God-thirst is the most powerful drive in us. It’s far stronger than all the drives of sex, power, security, and fame put together.
Labels: Augustine of Hippo, Eugene Peterson
posted by King of Peace @ Thursday, April 03, 2008
3 Comments:
At 4/03/2008 8:45 AM,
Anonymous said…
This hunger is very strong, pushing us to move on. To search on for this peaceful and powerful love from God.
To have faith that we will get there is all we need.
Rhonda
At 4/03/2008 9:03 AM,
Anonymous said…
AMEN!!!
At 4/03/2008 11:56 AM,
Chris Jones said…
It is amazing that we forget many times of the precious gift that Jesus has given us. The ability to share in the Divine life of the Trinity. I fall into the same trap of self improvement and chasing after self-agrandizement.
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