I continue to be fascinated by language. We learn words when we are very small and use them all our lives, often never thinking of why we use a particular word in a particular situation. This morning we were welcomed to our spring graduation service. I do not know why but suddenly the word “welcome” bounced off my brain. “Welcome.” “Well.” “Come.” I do not know the etymology of the word but it surely must mean “come here and be well.” “I am happy to see you” and “I want you to share space and time with me and we will have a well time.” I do remember once hearing someone say, “Welcome to my misery.” That must be an oxymoron.
Jesus once said, “Take up your cross and follow me.” That does not sound like a welcome. However on another occasion He said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” If we have to bear a burden in life this certainly does sound like a welcome. Then there is Matthew 25:34, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” That is very much a welcome.
Saying welcome in our culture is like saying, “How are you?” Most of the time we really don’t want to know. It is merely a greeting and we aren’t overly happy when people actually tell us how they are. From now on I shall think about saying the word “welcome” and really mean it. I am sure someday each of us will hear Jesus say, “Welcome to heaven.” He will mean it and it will be “come” and be “well” forever.
Written by Roger Bothwell on May 11, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org