Love Has Won: The Gospel in the Everyday
“In this is love, not that we have loved Godbut that He has loved us and sent His son to be a propitiation for our sins.”
I hesitate to tell you one of my favourite things to do for fear of judgement. Silly as it may seem, before I confide in you, I feel the need to assure you that there are a 100 things I DON’T do; garden, work full time, bake, knit, or change the oil in my vehicle, to name a few. I procrastinate, waste time, and read too much facebook. Phew. So what is this clandestine activity from which I derive so much pleasure? Cooking.
Not just any cooking. For me cooking in a quiet house with a clean kitchen when I am under no time crunch with good ingredients and my wooden chopping board is bliss. Sometimes I will have music playing and a glass of wine. On this particular occasion itunes was running on random but there was no wine (important to the story, I think).
There is something about the rhythmic chopping and smells that can make these moments very meditative and reflective so when a certain song rolled up it hit me hard. The song is called The Mercy Tree performed by Lacy Sturm. If you don’t know it I suggest that you pause reading and click the youtube link.
I love this song and have listened to it many times. But this particular day I was feeling a bit defeated by a few things in my life including a larger than usual wave of inadequacy in my ability to parent. While dicing and sauteing I was listening hard. When she sang the victorious line, “Death has died, love has won!” I stopped...awestruck. Yes, I know that Jesus has died and risen to life so that death has been conquered for me for all eternity. But what about right now? What about in this moment? What would happen when my kids started fighting or I felt overwhelmed by life? Love has won. When I am impatient or angry? Love has won! I can seek forgiveness and Christ can redeem it. When I am tempted to be unkind? Love has won and by the power in me I can be kind and gracious. The love of Christ has won over my fears and anxieties. When my kids are finding school hard or they face a deep disappointment I can tell them that love has won.
“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17. Reign in life! Both eternal as well as this life right now. The gospel is meant to be applied to moments not just years. I love Shauna Niequist’s words here: “We dilute the beauty of the gospel when we divorce it from our lives, our worlds, the words and images that God is writing right now on our souls.”
We deprive ourselves of so much of what God has for us when we don’t take the time to meditate on the great love that is at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Did you watch the Youtube video? My favourite part is when Lacy starts jumping triumphantly. This style of music or the timing of the song might not do it for you but please don’t lose sight of the victory that is ours over the little things. The everyday things. Remind yourself continually that Love Has Won!
