Midweek: Never Forget

Never forget. That used to be the mantra for this day, but it seems we have. I'm not entirely sure it was a good slogan either. I mean, Remember the Maine at least told you what to remember. A date which will live in infamy was a catchphrase that alluded to something sinister which had occurred. But Never forget? Never forget what? The images of selfless heroes rushing toward chaos and death everyone else ran from? The tales of mothers and fathers who simply went to work on an ordinary day expecting ordinary water cooler exchanges and ordinary deadlines and ordinary hugs from their children when they came home, but their day was cut savagely short? The images of burning, collapsing icons to capitalism and western engineering? The hate that caused Middle Eastern Americans to live in fear for years afterward? The flags waving, the rousing speeches, the national pride, the care of neighbor for neighbor that swept our country? Or the prayers, the moments of silence, the churches brimming with people turning to God for answers? 

Song of Solomon 2:4 says, He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

SIDEBAR: Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs, as it is sometimes known) is one of those books of the Bible we rarely dig into. The language is sensual, and we may wonder what place that has in the Bible. I think our society has so perverted sex and sexuality, many of us don't know what God's intentions are and, amidst the busyness and pressure of our public lives, we neglect to settle down, savor, and explore all God has given us in our private lives. Shame over our ignorance prevents us from discussing it, and the lack of discussion increases shame. I would highly recommend you spend some time in the Song of Songs. Simon Amadeus Pillario's Song of Songs:Word for Word Bible Comic is a wonderful resource. You can see my review here. In the meantime, know that in side-stepping this beautiful book, much is lost.

So, back to the point. The Song of Solomon is a poetic book. Some scholars adhere to the idea it was included in Scripture because it is God's love letter to us, the Church, and our heart's deepest desire for a love only He can give; others believe its greatest value lies in the relationship between its human author and his Shulamite love --a "lyrical rhapsody to marital love and lovemaking," according to The Complete Jewish Study Bible. Regardless, this verse in chapter two has the young woman recalling the benevolent hospitality of her kingly lover. She, a servant and tender of (smelly) sheep, has been taken into the king's palace, and a banquet has been thrown to honor her. She has been introduced to all present as his queen. His grace toward her overwhelms, and she remembers his lavish esteem for her.   

In his commentary on this verse, Matthew Henty observes "Eaten bread must not be forgotten, but remembered with thankfulness to the God who fed us." Wow! That bread had its origins in the labor of the farmer and the earth and the baker and the customer and the server. People worked hard that others might eat. And God is the ultimate Provider of rain and health and the blessedness of yeast that rises to perfection (if you've ever made bread, you know that's not always the case).  How easy it is to forget that which we have experienced when the experience is a part of our yesterday. How easy it is to forget the taste of our last meal when we feel hunger again. How easy it is to forget that God has been so good, so generous, so kind, so faithful when our eyes are on devilish circumstances. The salvation purchased for us at Calvary is enough for us to praise His name for all eternity. If He had redeemed us from our obligation to the eternal consequence of our sin (death), it would have been enough. We deserved not one drop of His blood. BUT He did so much more! We were redeemed for something, redeemed to something --a new life in Christ! A life in which we are given the privilege of bringing others to the foot of the cross to be reconciled with God through Jesus. A life in which we can overcome the circumstances of our cursed world with peace that is better than understanding and joy that no word can describe. A life in which we are servants --gladly --to this most benevolent and in-love-with-us King. A life in which we can cast off the physical --comfort, money, relationships, addictions, freedoms, dreams, popularity, even our very lives --if need be, for the sake of eternal glory. Mercy upon mercy! Grace upon grace! Indeed, let us never forget.

Lord, give us this day our daily bread, and may we fix our minds on the One who labored at the cross that we might join Him at His table.