Loved

What is the meaning of love? The fullness of that question is too much to answer in this small space, but I do have a few words to say on the subject. One of the favorite lies I tend to believe is this: Nobody loves me. I'm all alone. No one cares.
Nobody loves me. There are so many times when I believe that lie - and it is so patently untrue. Of course one can give the stock answer - God loves you. (I'm not discounting the magnitude of the love of God, but there is no denying the times in life when that love seems small or at least very far away. Instead let us turn to the non-direct forms of the love of God.) Of course God loves me, that doesn't count! Ok, your parents? grandparents? brother? sister? Your family loves you. So what? They have to! Ahh. I get it. This really isn't a complaint that no one loves you. Merely that they haven't been paying attention to you lately. Love takes many different forms in many different people, and just in case there is a time in the future when you are tempted again to believe this lie I offer the following two instances of the magnitude of love toward you.
The first such instance took place two weeks ago on a Sunday night. Some friends, at my request, had helped me to put together a special benefit concert on Sunday evening. I sent out well over 50 invitations to persons who are not members of my church - members of my parents church, friends from school and seminary and coworkers. The evening arrived, as did almost 100 people. The concert was a smashing success - including the fundraising and the reception afterward - put on at their own initiative by my Sunday School class. Most attendees were from the Northern Virginia area, but some were from DC and Maryland. One couple even came down from New York state. And all these people showed up to support me with their words and their money because they love me. Because they love me. Because they believe me. Mingling in the reception in an attempt to greet all my guests I was continually met with encouragement, compliments, positive feedback. Love. There and then I knew, for the first time, that what I had set out to do I could do, by the grace of God, and I would do, to the glory of God. These people must not be disappointed and their investment in me must not be in vain.
Encouraged and enheartened, I embarked on the last three weeks of my time in this country. I received many tokens of friendship in my last week at work. Keep in touch. We will miss you. Goodbye. I walked out the door and began my packing. Time to move on.
But then I got up this morning and went to church. My last Sunday. My dear, dear, beloved church. As a child church was special, but I was too young to be an important part of it. As a youth, church was lonely and difficult. As a college student I had a different church each year. Finally as an adult I have learned what it is to be a member of a church. Knit heart-to-heart. A member of a family. This morning I was loved. Loved as a Sunday School member. Loved as a choir member. Loved as a pianist. Loved as a minister. Loved as a teller. Showered with love, blessings, prayers, encouragement and thanks.
Never believe you are not loved. The love is there - even when you cannot see it - even when you cannot believe it. I learned today that my calling affects not only myself, but those around me. My pastor and teachers have learned from me as I have from them. My church family has watched me grow, and rejoice in the growth. My friends have seen the ugly in me and loved it with the beautiful. And my family...my family has been safety, strength, wisdom, encouragement, beauty and the embodiment of love from the day of my birth.
I am blessed. I am special. I am loved.