Wednesday, January 14, 2009 | By: Jenna

"Receive it!"


*Kate Agudo and Heather Smith--"WHAT WHAT!!!" [shout out. right off the bat.]*

I don't play games when someone fills my heart with joy. I let it move me. And sometimes I blush.

Kate and Heather made me blush today... in yaks... luckily, it was a little darker in that back corner. And luckily, I had my scarf in hand, ready for covering-up action upon too-much-nice-stuff-being-said-to-me face-reddening reaction... Like I said, I don't play games--I blush.

Or...in moments like the one during Theology of World Mission class this morning...I'll let a tear or two trail down my right cheek...if the words are right, and my heart is hearing them. If I'm receiving them...

In those moments, the ones like in class this morning, I don't play games either--I let it move me. I let the professor begin to teach about something that seems strangely familiar but sounds so revelationally new--something I feel like I've always known but have never heard. I let him explain it, write it, diagram it, believe it, exude it... and communicate it with a mysterious rush of anointing that I can only think to call "thoughtful passion." And then I let it sink in...this "idea" or "lesson" (or... entity all it's own. Which, is highly mystical... and then again, so is this sort of event)

...but it doesn't just "sink" in--it dives really. It dives, and it moves into the recesses of my mind so powerfully that by the time it reaches my heart there has been emotion splashed onto my paper in ink and an overflow seeping through my eyes as liquid sodium. By that time, you could probably say I have received it. This morning, you could probably have said that I looked "moved". I probably would have agreed with you--"yes, I am moved." If you were Dr. Strong, you would have asked me if I had anything to add or say about his "butchering" of Karl Barth's general Missio Dei thesis regarding the intratrinitarian divine sending within the Nature of God Himself and our invitation to be participants in that Nature via the overflow of God's love (which, God IS Love afterall)... and I would have hoarsely replied (mid throat-clear), "no...no, you didn't butcher it...and, no, I don't have anything to add..."

What could any of us add really? What can you add to the Trinity??

Overflowing Love had moved me in another one of my theology classes...

...so instead, I just received it...

5 comments:

Heather said...

Jenna, you are such a precious gift to this world. You bring joy to my heart and am so blessed to have you in my life. I'm glad you are receiving these things. I'm glad you allow God to move in you and sweep you off your feet on a daily basis. You are living the love story. He is well pleased. :)

PS. I hope you're blushing now.

Christian said...

thanks for sharing jenna.

good way to start of the day... (i know its almost noon and I'm just starting... i"m a bum)

have a great day.

Sarah said...

ahh so great!..knew you would love that class..see ya in a few.

El Chupanegray said...

That is so amazing to be swept up in the knowledge and love of God right in the middle of class like that. It's awesome that you would even allow yourself to leak a little "liquid sodium" right there in class. I love it. What is even cooler than the Trinity is that God asks us to participate in relationship with the Trinity. I hope you continue to enjoy receiving God's overflowing love, even if that is in class.

Jenna said...

Just want to say thank you to all who commented on this post!