Journey Inward, Journey Outward

In Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith (New York: HarperOne, 1997), Henri Nouwen captures the dynamic of Christian living. On March 20, the title of daily devotion is A Still Place in the Market. He notes,

“‘Be still and acknowledge that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). These are words to take with us in our busy lives. We may think about stillness in contrast to our noisy world. But perhaps we can go further and keep an inner stillness even while we carry on business, teach, work in construction, make music, or organize meetings.

It is important to keep a still place in the ‘marketplace.’ This still place is where God can dwell and speak to us. It also is the place from which we can speak in a healing way to all the people we meet in our busy days. Without that still space we start spinning. We become driven people, running all over the place without much direction. But with that stillness God can be our gentle guide in everything we think, say, or do.”

In the outward journey, Jesus heals the sick (Mk. 1:29-34, 36-45). Mark 1:35--“The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray.” This verse tells us that Jesus enters into the inward (and upward) journey. He travels with a sense of stillness between the two journeys. We don’t see that Jesus is rushing to meet the needs of others in ministry. He works; he pauses. There is a rhythm in his ministry. There is an anchor in Jesus’ life.

Jesus has his regular Sabbath moment in the unsabbathed culture. “Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones he wanted to go with him” (Mk. 3:13). In his stillness, “he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions, calling them apostles” (Mk. 3:14a). Before sending them out to do stuff (Mk. 3:14b-15), they stay with Jesus as regular companions. “Being with” is the most fundamental requirement in disciple making. Discipleship precedes ministry; worship comes before service. The theology of Martha is good; Mary’s doxology is better. In other words, outward journey is the fruit of the inward (and upward) journey. Stillness gives a sense of direction in our business.

“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and what they had taught. Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.’ There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. They left by boat for a quieter spot” (Mk. 6:30-32).

As a leader, Jesus sees what is to come. A leader is always one step ahead of his people. Their silent retreat prepares them to feed the 5, 000 (Mk. 6:33-44). Jesus and his companions need to regain a perspective to meet the needs of others in business and busyness. So far, feeding the 5, 000 is the largest ministerial event in Mark’s gospel. Jesus prepares his regular companions with stillness and silence.

“The Journey inward is the journey to find the Christ dwelling within us. The journey outward is the journey to find the Christ dwelling among us and in the world. The journey inward calls for the disciplines of solitude, silence, prayer, meditation, contemplation, and attentiveness to the movements of the heart. The journey outward in community and mission calls for the disciplines of care, compassion, witness, outreach, healing, accountability, and attentiveness to the movement of other people’s hearts. These two journeys belong together to strengthen each other and should never be separated” [Henri Nouwen with Michael J. Christensen and Rebecca J. Laird, Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit (New York: HarperOne, 2010), p. 123.].