Reckless love- August 19, 2018 Communion Thoughts
I wonder what thoughts came to mind as you sang that song? Which words or phrases struck you most?
For me, it was reckless.
In some situations, reckless means carelessness and thoughtlessness. Thoughts of a teenage boy or man in his 20s on a motorcycle or ATV when angry, experiencing a loss of some sort, or seeking an adrenaline high first came to mind. But, I don’t think that is what the word reckless means in this song.
Wen Reagan, adjunct instructor of church history and worship at Duke Divinity School suggests:
“By the world’s standards, God’s love is foolish. It’s extravagant, inefficient, scandalous. It throws a feast for the returning son who ran away with the inheritance and blew it. It hands you its coat when you steal its shirt. It blesses its enemies. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. As Christian mystic Saint Therese of Lisieux explained, it’s never calculating or strategic. As songwriter John Mark McMillan put it, it’s a sloppy wet kiss. Or, in this case, as Cory Asbury sings, it “leaves the 99.” Other sheep, that is. What kind of shepherd leaves the whole herd just to chase down a lost one? Some might say a foolish one. Or a reckless one.”
Have you ever been that sheep? Have you ever hid in the shadows or raced away up the mountain? Have you ever ran into a room and closed a door because you were so upset? To me, this song is about a reckless love of God that fiercely knocks that wall down to pursue you...but it might also be about something else...overwhelming.
This past Thursday, I was running down the trail listening to Reckless Love over and over praying about what God wanted me to say this morning. As I came up out of the trail, I saw friends (a young couple with three kids) who had battled a crazy tough diagnosis and experienced miraculous positive outcomes through special care. Just a few months prior, most would have never imagined healing in this world for their situation. However, there they were on a bike ride when a few mos prior it would have been easy to see how the story would not lead them to this moment. The wife said, “that is my favorite song right now.” I wanted to stay and have a longer conversation, but was already late taking my oldest to baseball. We exchanged words of encouragement and I went on my way. As I ran off (and days following), I wondered why it was her favorite song. Was it the idea that God's love was reckless?
This morning, knowing she was a blogger, I had a feeling there would be a blog entry about the song. Sure enough, there was an entry titled “Overwhelmed”. She shared a story of when she had a moment alone in her car. She had watched a video from weeks prior of a turning point in their battle. The video reminded her of the weight of their circumstance. She writes, “The word “overwhelmed” is usually used in negative circumstances. Parents that are overwhelmed by taking care of their kids and their house and their jobs. Families overwhelmed by bad doctors reports. Students overwhelmed by homework. At one point or another we have all been overwhelmed by something, or many things!
But I wasn’t overwhelmed with grief or sadness or fear. No, it wasn’t that. Seeing that video showed me how far God has brought us. I felt the overwhelming love of God in my life. As I was watching the video this song came on the radio. I laid my head back and listened to words, grateful that our story is what it is thanks to Him”
“I hope this song moves you as much as it moves me. Music has a way of doing that. I want to encourage you today. Whatever it is that your are going through, His love is greater. Rather than being overwhelmed by your situation, choose to be overwhelmed by His love.”
Maybe you can somehow relate. Or, maybe you haven’t felt emotionally moved by God’s reckless or overwhelming love. If not, that is ok. At communion, His reckless and overwhelming love does not necessarily have to be felt. It is celebrated as fact. The prodigal son, undeserving, gets pursued. We are him. The juice we drink reminds us of His blood and the bread we eat reminds us of his body. As you focus on this moment, maybe you will feel overwhelmed by His reckless love.
References:
“By the world’s standards, God’s love is foolish. It’s extravagant, inefficient, scandalous. It throws a feast for the returning son who ran away with the inheritance and blew it. It hands you its coat when you steal its shirt. It blesses its enemies. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. As Christian mystic Saint Therese of Lisieux explained, it’s never calculating or strategic. As songwriter John Mark McMillan put it, it’s a sloppy wet kiss. Or, in this case, as Cory Asbury sings, it “leaves the 99.” Other sheep, that is. What kind of shepherd leaves the whole herd just to chase down a lost one? Some might say a foolish one. Or a reckless one.”
But I wasn’t overwhelmed with grief or sadness or fear. No, it wasn’t that. Seeing that video showed me how far God has brought us. I felt the overwhelming love of God in my life. As I was watching the video this song came on the radio. I laid my head back and listened to words, grateful that our story is what it is thanks to Him”
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