Hope

Found

One of my favorite things to share with people is that, growing up, I got in more trouble at church than I did anywhere else. It wasn’t because I was doing things that were necessarily bad – as my friends can attest I’m pretty compliant and tend to follow the rules. It was because I had no problem questioning what my youth pastors said. Looking back, I’m sure I was their worse nightmare. Most of the them were probably younger than I am now, and I was this junior high kid who wanted to debate their biblical interpretation (or lack thereof.) Not a one of them saw this as an opportunity; they all just wanted me to get with the program, their program. Somehow I don’t think my unwillingness to do so won me any friends (and despite my self-righteousness, I’m thinking I didn’t win too many heavenly jewels either.) Hence, the rather frequent lectures and reprimands.

The follies of our youth can sometimes follow us into adulthood, and I found myself in a similar situation recently. In an after-Bible study discussion, we were talking about the parables of the “lost” – the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son. Our pastor made the point that the story wasn’t about the lost ones finding their protector, it was about the protector finding the lost. Hence, the refrain “I found God” isn’t accurate; more aptly “God found me.” Although the debate was minimal (I don’t like to think I was ever lost to God), I think his point is probably the right one (and even if I didn’t, he has two master’s degrees to back it up.) Our Father is actively seeking our restoration. He’s removing barriers, overturning lampstands, and celebrating our admittance into His kingdom. He’s orchestrating ways for us to experience His grace. His greatest act of pursuit was sending His Son to bring the lost ones home. As with the coin, sheep, and prodigal son, there is nothing that we did to precipitate this. The action rests with Another.

The good news is that in each of the parables, that which was lost was being restored to its proper position. In the same way, our heavenly Father desires us to be restored into right relationship with Him. And even today, all the lost still has to do is to accept the restoration.

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Relationships

Cherish is the Word

Growing up, I always loved the song that went “Cherish is the word I use to describe, all the feeling that I have hiding here inside.” Google tells me that this song is aptly titled “Cherish”, but I have a hard time thinking of it without the rest of the words in the opening line of the chorus.

The reason that I liked the song so much is that “cherish” seemed to more adequately describe that which we sought in a healthy relationship. The more traditional word, love, had been strewn around too much to carry any significant meeting. The word love had supplanted “lust”, “infatuation” and “obsessiveness” , and “really, really like” one too many times for me. Cherish seemed more appropriate. In my mind it conjured up images of deference, of respect, and of value. We use the word cherish to describe that which we honor and will not let go of. More so than “love” which had come to mean anything from a passing fancy to a familial connection, it described romance.

Recently though, I’ve found another application for the word. “Coincidentally” the last two week’s we’ve been learning what it means to love one another in church. I write coincidentally because the dual lessons came about as a result of a guest speaker, not a planned program. However, God must have thought our church needed a refresher, because the two lessons were almost identical in their motif: as part of God’s family we are called to love one another – selflessly, humbly and with purpose. And while I agree that is true, I think cherish may also more accurately describe how we are to be to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Because modern-day usage has destroyed the meaning of the word love, it can conjure up images of tolerance for family members rather than active pursuit of their good. And while tolerance is admirable, I think God had in mind the latter rather than the former. We are to cherish those who are part of His family. To honor, esteem them, and work for their edification. We are to value them if for no other reason that our Father has fit to call them His kids. Cherishing them is how we demonstrate our commitment to Him.

Love is a good word. I use it on a regular basis. But when it comes to my co-laborers in Christ, I think my aim will be to cherish.

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