Monday, May 14, 2007

Love's Service

The first time I heard this was in an interview with Brennan Manning discussing his relationship with Rich Mullins...it has haunted me ever since.

A physician comes periodically to the pool hoping to be the first in line and longing to be healed of his melancholy. The angel appears but blocks the physician just as he is ready to step into the water. The angel tells the physician to draw back, for this moment is not for him. The physician pleads for help in a broken voice, but the angel insists that healing is not intended for him.

The dialogue continues — and then comes the prophetic word from the angel: "Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and women. The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human broken on the wheels of living. In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve."

Brennan Manning, "Abba's Child"

2 comments:

Jason Allen said...

what bothers you about this?

Ted Ancelet said...

Hey J, good to hear from ya.

Nothing about the quote bothers me, didn't mean to imply that, what it captures for me is God's amazing ability to use the broken to minister to the broken. I'm left in awe of the expansiveness of redemption. We don't have to have it "all together", just be solely His.

What are your thoughts?