Dear Friends,
We had our first Alpha youth meeting at my house last Saturday night. We had about ten teenagers show up for pizza, ice cream, and a conversation about the meaning of life. It was really heart-warming to hear all the kids talking, laughing, and connecting with each other. Thinking about this, I'm reminded of the deep need that has been built into the human soul to connect, to know and be known, and simply to be together with others.
I have been reflecting for the past few months on the theme of goodness in the creation account. After each act of creation God declares the goodness of what he has made. Then in Gen. 2:18, we see God declare for the first time that something is not good, saying "It's not good for the human to be alone." All of these things that God has made are good, very good, in fact. But it is not good for us humans to be alone. So God says, "I will make a helper perfect for him" (Gen. 2:18 CEB). God fashions and presents to the first human, Adam (meaning human), a second human, Eve (meaning life), causing Adam to burst into joyful song at having been united with a companion who is perfectly matched to himself, one who is "bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh" (Gen. 2:23 CEB). What was not good is rectified by intimate relationship and partnership with a like companion. This was the beginning not only of human marriage but also of human community in general. We humans were not meant to be alone but were made for relationship with one another.
This week is one of those weeks when I have a lot things to do and have to remind myself that relationships are more important than my "to do" list. Do you ever have weeks like that? More important than the "to do" list are the people God has placed in our lives to love and be loved by. I'm going to try to remember that as I go through the rest of this week. I hope you will too. If it's not obvious who those people are in your life, I encourage you to go out and find some people to love.
A prayer:
Creator of heaven and earth, thank you that you do not want me to be alone. Thank you for putting other people in my life. Help me to connect with them and learn to share your love with them more and more.
Love in Christ,
Michelle
