Wanted

I heard about an open house last Friday for our beloved
pastor from the 70’s, so I called the hostess to be sure of our welcome. We
hadn’t seen either our pastor or the hostess for several years. Though I expected
an invitation, I was unprepared for her exuberance: “Oh, did you hear about the
party? Can you join us?” I clicked off the phone and cried. How we long to be wanted!

Especially if we’ve been unwanted. Some of us were rejected
on the playground because our clothes weren’t the latest fashion. We’ve been jilted
by a fiancé. We’ve been the black sheep of our family.
And rejection instills fear. Especially fear no one will really welcome us. 

In his first letter, John says, "Perfect love casts out fear." Only God’s love is perfect. But we
cannot, in this limited life, experience the totality of his perfect desire. But,
once in a while, in a moment of grace, we get a taste. A preliminary savoring
of the celebration that awaits the believer at heaven’s gates. 

Father, this week, we long for a foretaste of your welcoming celebration.