The award season is upon us. There are the Grammy’s, the People’s Choice Awards, the Country Music Awards, the Golden Globes Awards, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Academy Awards and on and on. I wonder why we watch them. I’m guessing we have a vicarious experience with all the glamour and affirmation. I am a tad amused when the winner says to the audience, “I love you.” Really? What is really happening is we as humans love to be loved. Receiving adoration from the masses is intoxicating. Few can resist the euphoria of the moment.
In Acts 12 there is a scary story about Herod Agrippa I. “On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” He obviously didn’t receive a lifetime achievement award. Or maybe he did.
The fact is God created us to be loved – primarily by Him and then by others. The whole purpose of our being is for us to be part of His family. Many years ago I received a phone call telling me one of my church members was on a twelfth story hotel ledge. I spent most of an hour trying to get him to come in. Finally in desperation I said, “You have to come in because I love you.” It was magic. All of his pain seemed to wash away as he reached out his hand and came in. Surely there is no more important message for us to proclaim other than, “Jesus loves you.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on January 30, 2013
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org