Sunday, July 02, 2006

The thread that binds us...sehnsucht?

Okay, so, I'm really getting into this blogging thing. I hate writing things by hand in a journal because my brain is faster than my hands, but typing is another story. I have found my niche!

We have just about recovered from the days of moving, and are looking forward to some fun this week. On Wednesday my husband and I are celebrating 15 years of marriage by going on a dinner cruise on the Savannah River on a paddleboat. I may post some pictures from that one.

Today we returned to a church that we attended from 1996-2000. Having not been there in six years, we were unsure of the response/reaction we would get from the people there. We were encouraged, however, to see that brothers and sisters in Christ have a connection that never goes away. To feel immediately re-connected is such an amazing thing. The people opened their arms and hearts to us, embracing us both literally and figuratively....How many times did we hear "Let me hug your neck"... too many to count. With typical Southern charm and hospitality they welcomed us, showing us that the ties that bind us are very real. Our mutual love for the Lord and desire to glorify Him brings us together. I have experienced this many times before, but today's instance was much-needed, as we were extremely sad not to be at our home church, Messiah Baptist. It was overwhelming.

Any time I have an experience like this, it makes me long for heaven. It seems to me to be just a shadowy glimpse of what our unity will be there as we worship God Almighty together. Our hearts will be joined in a single purpose, and our love for one another here on earth will be overshadowed by our love for the Lord. Is this feeling what C.S. Lewis called sehnsucht?

2 comments:

Alan Knox said...

Alice,

When I first read your title, I thought, "Gezunheidt!" We praise God that he surrounded you with his love! See you soon!

Alan

Hence said...

My brain, like yours, is also faster than my writing speed, and also faster than my mouth. I often leave off in the middle of a sentence because my mind has already completed it, the paragraph, and has jumped two topics beyond...