Like the average committed Christian, I’ve heard thousands of sermons, reflections, and teachings on the Christian message. I’ve read a lot of books and articles about the same. And I’ve heard and read the Scriptures over and over again. But I inevitably forget the simplest truths of Christianity. I need to be reminded. I need to get back to basics.
Last Sunday, my friend and pastor, Fr. Mark Nolte, preached a typically inspiring homily. He meditated on the Gospel, Matthew 11:2-12, in which John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus asking, ““Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” The heart of his homily is that Jesus is the One we’re looking for, the fulfillment of all of our hearts’ desires. Simple. Profound. Inspiring. A needed reminder, for me, that it’s always, always about Jesus.
Here are a few more “back to basics” I have to return to repeatedly:
1) Jesus loves me. I really do love Jesus. I want to please Him and win souls for Him. I want others to get as excited about Him as I am. I don’t want to disappoint Him by falling into sin. I want to take His commandments seriously. I’m aware that there are so many areas in which I fall short. I can make harsh judgments of others. I’m much more ready to expound on my opinions than seek out what others have to say. It’s so easy to settle back into my comfortable life rather than reach out to the many less fortunate. I’m good at challenging people to live the Christian life more deeply, but poor at affirming the good that they’re already doing. Etc.
In the midst of my wanting to “do” for Jesus, even in the midst of my telling people how much Jesus loves them, it’s ridiculously easy for me to forget that Jesus loves me. I forget that He loved me first. I forget that He did for me before I could ever do for anyone, that I’m saved by His grace, period, that anything loving I do is always a response to the love He gave me first. “Yes, Jesus loves me/Yes, Jesus loves me/Yes, Jesus loves me/The Bible tells me so.”
2) Jesus loves everybody. As noted above, one of my big struggles is with judgment. In our pathologically divided nation, I slide right into the “us vs. them” mentality. It’s particularly to do this with political and media figures, and with groups I don’t know very well. Scary how much easier it is to dislike and dehumanize those I’ve hardly met. I have to remind myself, about the people and groups I have the hardest time with, that Jesus poured out His blood for them. He loves them infinitely. Given the right (or wrong) circumstances, upbringing, genes, and culture, I would be perfectly capable of doing the worst atrocities that I judge in others. “There but for the grace of God go I.” Resentment, judgment (of others, not of their deeds), and contempt are luxuries I’m not allowed. Jesus loves me at my worst and best. He loves them at their worst and best. So must I.
3) Thank and praise God. That’s pretty simple, isn’t it? There are only about a thousand Scriptures and millions of Christian meditations that touch on that. But I get so focused on what could or should be that I forget to thank and praise God for what is: the starry skies, winter light, my health, the generosity and love of family and friends, the freedom to worship and practice my Christianity, and even to write this blog; mine and others’ gifts and faults; food, clothing, shelter all in excess of what I need.
Mary and I just went out for our 23rd anniversary. We have much to celebrate. We reviewed the years of our marriage over a pleasant dinner. What struck us most is the wonderful people that the Lord has placed in our lives at crucial junctures. We struggled some during our dating, engagement, and early years of marriage. We were so blessed by couples and individuals who stood by us, counseled us, prayed for us, and laughed with us. At our worst times, they affirmed that God had brought Mary and me together. They reminded us of all that the Lord had already brought us through. They testified that the Lord, “who began this good work in us, would bring it through to completion, right up to the very day of Christ Jesus” (Philip 1:6).
Just one example of so many things to be thankful for, if we only take the time to reflect on them.
So thank You, Jesus, for loving us. Help us to love everybody, just as You love everybody. Help us to thank and praise You always. It sounds almost childish. It’s very simple. It’s getting back to basics.
