| Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I
am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Philippians 2:6-8:
Who, being in very nature God
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death --
even death on a cross!
What happens when our words cannot express
the complete truth? What do we do when our attempts to formulate an answer end in
contradictions? What do we say when our every attempt to put the experience on paper
fails? What are we then left with?
How can we understand the kenosis
of Christ, the self-emptying of God, for our sakes? What nouns and verbs can do
justice to this most profound of mysteries, that God made himself nothing?
Is there any way to sum up the deep wisdom
of God in suffering? Why does his creativity seem to overflow through us when we are
at our weakest and most wordless? Where may we go to better know that Christ
suffered on our behalf? How can we adequately express our thanks for such a complete
outpouring of himself?
How do we endure the silence of our
literature when it falters in its attempts to name what is there, when it loses its
moorings and contradicts itself, when it seems so full of holes and spaces? How can
we explain what needs to be said once the words end? Is there any clear way to
suggest that God was broken because we in word and deed are broken?
Why has God chosen to leave some things
silent and unsaid?
* * * * *
Central Insight: Christ's kenosis
reminds us that God was willing to be with us in our doubts and limits, including the
limits of language and literature.
Suggestions for Application:
Examine a particular passage that shows the limits, contradictions, or unanswered
questions of a text. Draw an analogy between this and Christ's kenosis.
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