Tag Archives: how to love

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“Held Close to God!

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“Held Close to God!”

Hosea 11:1-4 – July 30, 2023

            Do you know a family who has a complicated relationship with each other? Some couples and some families have some problems that they deal with on a continuing basis. And how! I see all kinds of things in couples and families right now, in my job as hospice chaplain.

            The prophet Hosea had all kinds of problems in his relationship with his wife and family, too. I don’t know if you know much about the prophet Hosea, but he followed some specific directions from the Lord for his marriage and choice of wife. The Lord told him to marry a prostitute (who would later leave her husband). And, the Lord told Hosea to love her, cherish her and treat her really well (as all spouses ought to treat each other). This was even though – or perhaps because of – her past and future occupation.

Hosea tells a series of stories in this short book – true-life stories, from his own life. The tie-in or connection comes from a very similar story, about the nation of Israel. This true-life story “is that when God’s people were slaves in Egypt hundreds of years before this, God had freed them and led them through the wilderness to a new Promised Land.

“While they were in the wilderness God taught them what it meant to be God’s people. God gave them the 10 Commandments and taught them how to live together and how to love God. It was kind of like teaching a baby to walk. Unfortunately, when they got to the Promised Land the people forgot what God had taught them. They lied. They cheated. They stole from each other. They even worshiped other gods. God loved them too much to let it go on.” [1]

The prophet Hosea was a fascinating story-teller, and he had lots of people in the nation of Israel on the edge of their seats as he told his many-part story from God over a number of years. Hosea has moved on to relating several metaphors or parables. Like this one, here at the beginning of chapter 11.

Remember how I started this sermon? Talking about mixed-up, complicated relationships? That’s what Hosea relates at the beginning of chapter 11. Remember how the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt centuries before this time! Listen again to the words of Hosea: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. 2 But as the saying goes, “The more they were called, the more they rebelled.”They never stopped offering incense and sacrifices to the idols of Baal.”

This child Hosea talks about? This child isn’t just one person. “The child is all God’s people – and they had been really, really rebellious for a very long time. God is about to let them be conquered and taken prisoners to Assyria. It is sort of like God was giving all the people a big “time out.” That’s the secret! “Child” is really all God’s people.” [2]

But first, before mentioning the punishment from the Lord, Hosea gets very tender. Listen to verses 3 and 4. “3 I took Israel by the arm and taught them to walk. But they would not admit that I was the one who had healed them. 4 I led them with kindness and with love, not with ropes. I held them close to me;I bent down to feed them.”

In this summer sermon series, “Re-Imaging God,” we are looking at a number of Scripture readings which show the nurturing side of God. Or, a loving, mothering kind of God!

While it is much more common for Scripture to show our God as a heavenly Father, especially from the many descriptions our Lord Jesus gives to us while He was here on the earth, the imagery here is very feminine! Can you imagine a mother, teaching her little one how to walk, feeding them, and picking them up when they are hurt or injured? And, what about “leading them with kindness and love?” Our loving heavenly Parent cradling the small child Israel close. All such nurturing, caring activities. Here, Hosea gives his readers a warm, loving word-picture of our Lord. Such tender compassion shown!

Who remembers reading children’s picture books? I am thinking of several picture books I read to my small children many times. These books are about a parent who loves their child very, very much, no matter what! These books – “Runaway Bunny” by Margaret Wise Brown and “Mama, Do You Love Me” and “Papa Do You Love Me,” both by Barbara Joosse –  are wonderful expressions of the nurturing, embracing love we as human parents can show.

Hosea tells us a similar story! He insists that God loves all of the nation of Israel as much or even more than a human parent! Even when the people of Israel go their own way, stubbornly refuse to follow their God, and instead follow foreign idols, and other ungodly attractions.   Our God still loves the nation of Israel! And, our God still loves us, even when we go astray!

I can remember my small children not wanting to come home after a long playtime at the playground in the park. I would call them, and every once in a while, they would try to run away and hide, and refuse to come home. Did I walk away, and leave them there at the park? Of course not! I still loved them, even though they were disobedient. I still continued to love them, as they grew, no matter what.

We need to share a word of caution, however. In some families, relationships are definitely imperfect. Some parents feel the angry rebellion of their children. Some teachers face opposition from their students. And, some mentors want to give up on their charges. Plus, some children have parents who are distant, uncaring, or even hurtful. If that is your experience of your parents or grandparents, I am sad and sorry, and have great compassion for you. [3]

            But, there is Good News! In fact, the Greatest News of all!

Our God will never be distant, or uncaring, and especially not hurtful! Even if human relationships are like that sometimes, our relationship with our Heavenly Parent stands the test of time. The persevering love, caring and nurture of our Lord is rock solid and true. We can trust the faithfulness of God in this story that Hosea tells us. Remember, our God is always faithful, always loving, and always has arms outstretched to embrace us. No matter what.  

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/06/year-c-proper-13-18th-sunday-in.html

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship-planning/prophet-margins/eighth-sunday-after-pentecost-year-c-lectionary-planning-notes

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What the World Needs Now

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“What the World Needs Now”

1 Cor 13 love, ring

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 – January 31, 2016

One of the most popular themes for songs is that of love. Songs that describe love of one person for another, or songs that tell about how awful it is to have unrequited love. Also, songs that tell about the emotions and feelings that come with being “in love.”

One song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David talks about love in a basic and simple way. Saying, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”

What is the state of the world, anyway? Judging from a quick view of the local news, the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois, the federal government, unemployment, the drug and substance abuse problem, not to mention abuse of different kinds—against women, children, and seniors. That is not even mentioning the various armed conflicts throughout the world—fights over territory, disputes over resources, differences between people of different religious beliefs.

What can possibly bring harmony, hope and wholeness into the world today?

This brings us to our scripture reading for the day, from 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter is called the Love Chapter. So often used as a scripture text for weddings! Perhaps you or a friend or relative had this chapter read at a wedding. But, did you know that the apostle Paul did not write this chapter to glorify romantic love?

I appreciate Brian Peterson’s words. “What is often missed, and perhaps actively ignored, is that this text was first written to a community that was having a very difficult time staying together. Perhaps preached with that in mind, it makes a surprisingly helpful text for a wedding! It is in the difficult realities of relationships and communities that the love described by Paul needs to be lived out in costly ways.” [1] We can see how much discord and infighting is happening in the church at Corinth. Maybe because of that dynamic, this bible passage is exactly what that group of believers needed to hear.

Yes, verses 4 through 8 give a good deal of information about love. Not eros love, the romantic type of love, or phileo love, brotherly love or the love between friends. Instead, the Apostle Paul talks of agape love, the love that comes from God, which is a higher and purer form of love. Agape is the Greek word for love that Paul uses throughout 1 Corinthians 13.

“All of the lovely poetry in verses 4-7 is designed to show a divided church how agape love looks and acts. I emphasize ‘show,’ as opposed to ‘tell.’ Paul doesn’t give a definition with a few words; he paints a picture with a full pallet of words (16 in all). It is a verbal picture, that is, a picture that focuses on verbs. That is, Paul tells us what love does, not how it feels.” [2]

Yes, Paul shows us in these verses what love does. However—he also mentions some things that love is not; what love does not do.

Starting with verse 4, love does not envy. Envy: if I envy some other pastor because of their huge church, that means I’m actively jealous of them. But, love does not work that way.

Moving on, love does not boast. Boasting? There is a fine line here. It is beneficial to have a good opinion of yourself! But, not to go overboard. I suspect we all know of someone who is boastful. That would be like me, speaking of my church administration skills with excessive pride and vanity. (False! Church administration is one area where I can learn a great deal! I am learning so much from Pastor Gordon. He is marvelous at church administration!)

Next, love does not dishonor others. This made me think for a bit. I checked out the original Greek word. I found that Paul was talking about being arrogant and conceited. You know, walking around with my nose stuck in the air. That would be like a minister who climbed so high up on a pedestal that there wouldn’t be a way of getting him or her down. Without a great big fall, or a huge crash, when the minister finally came tumbling down.

Love is not self-seeking. It doesn’t insist on its own way! I’m reminded of the character Veruca Salt from the children’s story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Veruca is rude and has absolutely no manners, and always insists on her own way! Enough said.

What is more, love is not easily angered. I love the way the Amplified Bible has this phrase: “[love] is not touchy or fretful or resentful.” We all know what those emotions are like. Anyone who is showing those qualities is not showing love.

Love does not delight in evil. That means that love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness. When I watch television or read articles in the newspaper or online, sometimes I see horrible injustices. For example, I just read an article in the BBC World Service of a province in India where the birth of every girl child is met with mourning and great laments. That’s right—for every girl child born. One doctor, Dr. Ganesh Rakh, runs a hospital in that province. He thought that was not right. So, he has decided that every girl baby he delivers with be delivered for free. But the boy babies—for those he still charges.

In the four years since he started this campaign, he has delivered 464 baby girls. What a way to change the closeminded injustice of a group’s mindset. He now gets praise from many Indian ministers and government officials. All because he shows love to girl babies. [3]

Here, in this sermon, I have given several examples of what not to do. How not to love.

This is a penetrating way to teach people. Show them by example—examples of how not to love. Examples of jealousy or boasting, arrogance or rudeness. And especially, an example of a horrible injustice, where people are openly bigoted against females. (This can also be true of people who are bigoted about other differences, too, like about slavery, or people of color, or of a different class of people, or of other nationalities or countries of origin.)

Those bad examples? Paul shows us clearly in this passage—don’t do those things! Don’t be that way! Sometimes, a bad example is the quickest way to our hearts and minds.

We can clearly see that Paul’s ministry of love, harmony and wholeness is for the whole world. Not just about taking care of those in our family, although that’s important. It’s more than “taking care of our own,” although that is certainly laudable. It’s about showing love for everyone. For those affected by loneliness, or despair, disaster or disease wherever they are, without exclusion of those not like us or even of those we fear.

What did the Apostle Paul tell us about love? Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (That is, always. Always.)

Love never fails.

Ending as I began, we look at the Bacharach and David song, “What the World Needs Now.” The chorus of the song tells us the world needs love, sweet love. Badly.

“No, not just for some, but for every, every, everyone.”

Amen, Lord. Amen.

[1] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2734, Commentary, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Brian Peterson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.

[2] http://cep.calvinseminary.edu/sermon-starters/epiphany-4c/?type=lectionary_epistle

[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35379231

@chaplaineliza

Suggestion: visit me at my sometimes-blog: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind .  Thanks!