Do you ever have one of those moments, where past and present seem to connect, and you are instantly transported to a defining moment in your personal history - one of those "Aha!" moments, where profound truth became clear to you?
This afternoon, I was listening to Trace Adkins' song, "Every Light in the House is On" on the way to work (regardless of how you feel about country music, work with me here...). The premise of the song is this: the song is about a man whose girl has decided she needs to leave, to find herself, and probably isn't coming back. He tells her he will leave a light on, in case she ever wants to come back home. She responds by saying that she appreciates the gesture, but the tone of the song implies that she doesn't believe she will need it. He concludes by saying that just to show how much he loves her:
"Every light in the house is on
the backyard's bright as the crack of dawn
the front walk looks like runway lights
it's kinda like noon in the dead of night...
Just in case you ever do get tired of being gone,
Every light in the house is on"
This song made me smile, and think about another country song, "Austin." (Same basic premise - girl (named Austin) leaves guy to "clear her mind." About a year later, she calls him, and gets his answering machine message, which ends "..and PS, if this is Austin: I still love you." She marvels at this kind of tenacious love expressed in that message, and ends up going back to this man, who truly loves her). This song holds special, profound meaning to me because of a boy I used to babysit back when he was 9.
Kyle loved "the Austin song," and would beg me to sing it to him at bedtime. One night, I finished singing the song, tucked him in, and turned to leave the room.
"Miss Kcenia?" he called out.
I turned to face him. "Yes, Kyle?" I answered gently
"That song - that's kinda how God loves us, huh? Even if we run away or don't think we want to love Him?"
My heart caught in my throat and tears filled my eyes as I managed to find my voice to answer his beautiful, innocent question. "Yes Kyle, God does love us like that - even more."
"I'm glad. Goodnight Miss Kcenia"
Once again, I was blown away by the beautiful, simple understanding God gives to children - the "inside track" into the mind of God, their special place in His heart (but that is a whole other topic =)
While listening to "Every Light in the House is on," and reflecting on "Austin," I stand in awe once again at the amazing love of our Almighty God. His love is not merely love from a distance, a "oh-well-I-wish-you-would-love-me-back" kind of love. No, the love offered by God is a persistant love, a pursuing love, a love that longs for His own to turn and return. It is a love that reaches out, regardless of how the beloved responds, a love that surpasses time and understanding, a love that trancends reason. This love does more thann leave every light in the house on; this love sends out beacons in every direction - alluring, beckoning, pleading, "Come home, beloved - back into my arms, the source of all life, love, and satisfaction." It is a love that waits - it is patient, kind, not envious, not proud, not rude, not self seeking, not easily angered, keeping no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil, but rejoices with truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, and never fails. This is agape love - unconditional love - "love for love's sake."
The truly profound thing about this love is this: God has every right, in His holiness, to refuse to plead for our love. He has every right to be wrathful and proud, to keep a record of every time we have hurt Him. He has every right to refuse to reach out and let us follow the paths we have chosen. He is the Almighty, Holy God, after all. Yet, He chooses to be loving, because He is good. Now, there will come a day when He is done pleading, when He must, in accordance with His holiness, pour out His just wrath on those who willfully reject his offer of unconditional love. Seek the Lord while He may be found - while "every light in the house is on," and while He whispers, "PS - I still love you." Taste and see the amazing implications and benefits of being part of this persistent, purusing love!
(For a taste of what this pursuing love looks like, take a look at the book of Hosea, possibly one of the best examples of God's persistant, pursuing love)
