Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Put your hand in the hand

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

John 5:17-20
Jesus answered the Jews, "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered, "The son cannot do anything on his own but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son.

Another question the Linns suggest in Sleeping with Bread is "When today did I have the greatest sense of belonging to myself, others, God and the universe? And when did I have the least sense of belonging?"

In my solitude - when was I lonely and when was I content? In my time with others - when did I feel isolated, and when did I feel a touch of oneness?

Not of my own making is this world, but I tend to forget that. In my universe - where was God? Where was I?

Storge is a Greek verb which means love. Specifically, it means the love of belonging. When I come home and feel safe, when I can put my feet up or say what I want, I know the love of belonging.

Oikos is a Greek noun which means family. Who are the ones you trust with at least part of your life? Who has your back? Who loves you? To whom do you belong? Who belongs to you?

When I hear Jesus speak of his relationship with his Father, I understand how his disciple John could say, "God is love." The dance of love between Jesus and his Father entranced his disciples, and it entrances me. What grace and beauty in those moves! They embody belonging, and the dancers invite every one of us to join them.

Were the Pharisees jealous, or slow, or narrow in their imagination? What kept them from wanting what Jesus had rather than resenting that he had it?

Of course my selfishness prevents me from belonging fully to another or to God or even to myself. The same selfishness infected the Pharisees. Because of their own sin, they rejected the evidence of that belonging in Jesus' life. They were blind. I am too. It's just too good to be true. Let's hang on to what we've got.

But as Jesus pointed out over and over, when we cry out to God in our selfishness, "Have mercy on me, a sinner!" God does indeed have mercy. God is love. He burns with desire for us to be love, too. Yes, let's hang on to that.

God, you tell me in so many ways that I belong to you. I am safe with you. I am a cherished and precious member of your family. You will do anything for me. Burn out my unbelief, Lord, and make me new today and tomorrow ... I believe. I belong. I am loved. You are my God. We dance together forever.

Devotions Archive

Put your hand in the hand

Wednesday, March 9, 2016