| 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 for
us? How can we adequately express our thanks for such a complete overflow of himself
to us?
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. |