March 9, 2020
Romans 5:1-11
Last week I mentioned that I have been collecting stamps since I was young. I didn’t get into collecting because I’d given it a lot of thought or because I figured it might be a good investment. No. It was love at first sight.
The stamps pictured above are part of a series of nine waterfall stamps issued by the island nation of Reunion in 1933. One day I was looking through one of my dad’s albums and ran across these stamps. For whatever reason, I absolutely fell in love with them. They were beautiful and exotic and transported me to a different time and place. That was the day I truly became a collector.
Would you believe in a love at first sight? (Lennon/McCartney)
That wasn’t the only time I fell in love at first sight. It happened the first time I saw my wife. Hmm, maybe I should have started my blog with that (let’s say I did – forget all the stamp stuff). Anyway, it only took one look and I knew that I’d never felt that way about anyone before.
Yes I’m certain that it happens all the time. (Lennon/McCartney)
The same thing happened the night our triplets were born. It only took one look. It doesn’t matter what they do or where they go, nothing can change my love for them. And yet, this is nothing compared with God’s love for us.
There is so much bad news going around right now I want to make sure you hear the good news: God loved you sight unseen. Before you were born, when you were just an idea in the mind of God, God loved you. And no matter who you are or what you do, God continues to love you. Nothing can separate you from the love of God.
In his letter to the church at Rome, St. Paul marvels at the depth of God’s love:
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
As Martin Luther said, God doesn’t love us because we’re attractive. God loves us because we are all God’s children. It’s that simple. So, what do we do with that love? We return it to God. The older I get the more I realize that faith is nothing more than falling in love with God. And when you’re in love with someone, you want to show it.
There are many ways we can show our love for God: Worship, prayer, study, fasting, etc. But, we also show our love for God by loving God’s children. We feed the hungry, we house the homeless, we work for those abused by an unjust legal system. We fight for equal rights for all people. And we care for this wonderful planet God allows us to call home.
On a more basic level, we need to be kind to one another. Now, I have very strong political beliefs (don’t worry, I won’t share them in this blog). Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand those who don’t share my beliefs. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to like those who don’t share my beliefs. Sometimes it’s difficult for me not to demonize those who don’t share my beliefs. And sometimes it’s difficult for me to love those who don’t share my beliefs.
We are not called to always agree with one another. But, we are called to always love one another. As we continue through the Lenten season, put love at the top of your list of spiritual disciplines. Try, as difficult as it might be, to understand the views of other people. And remember, it only takes one look to fall in love with another person if we see them through God’s eyes.
Divine Overtones 