You cannot be lost unless you belong

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.  Song of Solomon 2:2

The oh-so-familiar song poured out of the open door of the small brick building squeezed in between the Wiccan Shoppe and the Wingspan office on Fourth Avenue.  Let Your banner of love wave over this place, over this street, over this city, over the state.  His banner over you, His banner over me, His banner over us. The same exact song from my dorkiness in Mexico, D.F., forty years ago.  

The heaps of couches and old rugs and throw pillows were familiar as well. Although I was the only grey-haired sort; there was pink, and orange, and white striped and lots of pitch shiny black, all with skinny skinny jeans and skinny t-shirts and lots of tats and twirling happy bodies.  

There is nothing I can but just be loved completely loved by You.  I’m completely loved by you.  Your grace has done it all.  Your love has won it all.

Splashy happy art leap across the walls with the same cheerful abandonment. And there is that same upper room picture which gazes over the Victorian King James cottage last week, and the office of Dr. Eben Alexander in Cambridge, Massachusetts, From where this community took its name, this community that is “pretty blissfully jacked up on the finished work of the Cross growing daily in the revelation of our union with Him and all that Jesus accomplished for us and in our place! Yipee!!!”

Jesus, holy and annointed one, exalted one.  

Your name is like honey on my lips,

Your spirit is water to my soul

You word is a lamp unto my fee

Jesus I love you.  

After an hour of worship, we slid into an hour of teaching from Andre Rabe, from South Africa.  Feel free to get up for bagels and coffee whenever you want.  Things to think about.  Thank You for Your love that isn’t just something to be talked about but is something to live.  

Jesus warns, “Do not miss seeing me in the most wasted life.  Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.  Whatever you think of one of these, you think of me.  Whoever says that he loves Me, but hates his neighbor, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

There is more to the gospel story that that of sin and salvation; we need to remember the bigger context of In the beginning, when I, and each and every person, began in the heart and mind of God.  He knew me, and each and every person, before He formed me and called me by name to be holy and blameless before Him.  His likeness is part of who we are, created in His image, and no amount of darkness can put it out.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 2:18

And I was convicted to the core.  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. How many ways can John say it?  What he learned from walking and talking with Jesus?  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 

No exceptions.  Mother Teresa got it, Each one of them is Jesus in disguise. As did Tolstoy and my favorite Christmas tale:

Then all at once he knew that he was no longer alone in the room.

This was not dream for he was wide awake. At first he seemed to see before his eyes the long stream of people who had come to him that day. He saw again the old road sweeper, the young mother and her baby and the beggars he had fed. As they passed, each whispered, "Didn't you see me, Papa Panov?"

"Who are you?" he called out, bewildered. 

Then another voice answered him. It was the voice from his dream- the voice of Jesus. 

"I was hungry and you fed me," he said. "I was naked and you clothed me. I was cold and you warmed me. I came to you today in every one of those you helped and welcomed."

Then all was quiet and still. Only the sound of the big clock ticking. A great peace and happiness seemed to fill the room, overflowing Papa Panov's heart until he wanted to burst out singing and laughing and dancing with joy.

"So He did come after all!" was all that he said. 

And may this truth burn in my soul.  That I might know God by welcoming His children.  Each and every one.  

The Father did not say, "You dirty pigsty man.” What brought him home was the sweet, sweet memories of his Father’s home.  He returned to himself, to whom he had been created to be, since the beginning, before time, free at last.  Free at last.