All the affection of Christ Jesus
Our car could not get down 29S fast enough.
Bill and I had been in Ukraine for five weeks to adopt Katya. Five weeks of no kids, very little laundry, no meals to fix. Sounds like a nice break, right? But it was the "no kids" part that just killed me.
Being separated from the six and going after the one was beyond hard. So much happened in their lives during that time -- Piper's burn, Sara Maria's first homecoming, cross-country meets ... And across the ocean, we felt their pain at being separated from us.
Bill and I felt like we were living a parable.
On October 26, 2009, we passed court and Kateryna Joy Finley became our daughter.
Yey! But there was still a waiting period of 10 days before we could bring her home. Boo.
Many people send one parent home and leave another "in country" for that 10 days, but my longing to be reunited with the six was so strong that my sweet husband said, "You're coming home with me."
Across the ocean we flew with a glance toward Newfoundland, a too-long touchdown at JFK and then finally, finally we landed at Dulles. I don't think anyone has ever driven from Dulles Airport to Charlottesville, VA faster than we did.
My longing for those six was intense.
This is how Paul felt about Lydia and the others he left behind at Philippi. He and Timothy had been beaten, jailed, and miraculously set free. But they couldn't stay in Philippi. And so after visiting Lydia and encouraging this young church, they traveled to Thessalonica.
Paul didn't get back to Philippi. Instead he ended up in prison in Rome. But the church of Philippi didn't forget about him. They sent him support, and he sent to them a letter. A letter that we know as the book of Philippians.
Paul loved the women and men in Philippi. He loved them as partners in the gospel, partakers of grace. He loved them. He yearned for them.
He yearned for them with all the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul compared his love for them with the love that Jesus had for them. With the affection of Christ Jesus.
Do you know the affection of Christ Jesus?
I'm not talking about a head-knowing, but a deep-in-your-heart knowing. A knowing that is more than John 3:16 on a page, but John 3:16 intimately, deeply, personally.
For God so loved you that he gave his only son that you can live with him now and forever.
This is love ... Jesus laid down his life for you.
He took off his glory and put on a garment of flesh. And he chose to walk this earth as somehow an ordinary man, but still God. And he chose to walk the way of the cross, becoming sin, my sin, your sin. He paid the price that you owed and I owed for the sole purpose that we could be with him.
And now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, in glory, and yet he still yearns for you and for me, He longs to return to earth and gather us all up to be with him for all eternity.
This is the affection of Christ Jesus.
He loves you. Do you know his love?
As we pulled up in the driveway and the kids spilled out of the house like puppies, my heart felt so full I thought I would burst. Even now, thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I longed for those six, yearned for those six, and now I was with them.
This is just a small sip of the longing that Jesus Christ has for you. Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you.
Digging Deeper:
Here are just a few verses for you. Luke 13:34; John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Philippians 2:6-11.
Read them and consider the great love Jesus has for you. Let his yearning for you wash over you, fill you. Perhaps you are filled with a sorrowful longing. There are people in your life who left you too soon. There are separations that tear your heart. Come to Jesus with them and let him be your comfort. He understands. Because he is yearning for you too.
We are in the second week of at the Riverside. Verse-by-verse we're walking through Philippians. I'd love for you to join us. To make sure you don't miss a post, please subscribe by typing your email in the little box up and to the right. Do you have thoughts to share related to this post or this series, please leave them in the comment section. Thank you for joining me at the riverside!