I Believe in You. Do You Believe in Me?

                               

                                              Concerts have an effect on me I've never been able to place. The electricity of a live show makes my skin tingle and my bones rattle with anticipation. Few bands have deeply affected me the way a little known Irish band known as U2 have. One show in particular really made me question God's personality and thoughts. Bear with me, I know this sound ludicrous but I'm getting to the point. In the bridge of their song entitled,"Elevation", Bono said the usual lyrics I have come to recite and sing in the shower many mornings. He said," Won't you tell me something true? I believe in you." That in itself doesn't sound profound or extraordinary in anyway at all, but there was a question asked after the statement,"I believe in you", that really turned my thinking upside down. He asked,"DO YOU BELIEVE IN ME?"                                                    
                                           I think a reasonable place to begin wrestling with this question is the story of the prodigal son. A father has two sons; the older son stays with the father all his life and remains obedient. His younger son made the choice early on to rebel against everything his father/older sibling stood for. He chose instead to squander his inheritance (before his father's passing) on  living fast and having good times. After a period of time he runs out of money. He finds himself alone and soon he has to work as a servant to survive. He soon realizes he can return home and become a servant to his family. In his mind he believed he was beyond redemption or reconciliation. He was lower than any servant could go, and he was out of reach of the love of his father. If you know the story of the prodigal son you know that the younger son wasn't beyond the vast love of his father. When the younger son returned his father was so overjoyed he couldn't wait for his return any longer. He chose to run to his son, arms opened wide, ready to hold his child in his arms. He threw a celebration, killing his fattest calf to feed the festivities, and gave his son a ring. The father in this parable is a perfect image of God's love for his wayward son. The father always hoped, and longed for his son to come home, and finally his baby boy arrived. The young man was shocked from the actions of his father. He came home in the hopes that they may allow him to be a lowly servant, but his father accepted him as if he had never left. This is to say that no matter where you have found yourself, or what monster you see in the mirror, God is ready and more than willing to hold you and love you beyond our comprehension.

                           I fully believe God (the father) is hoping for us to come home. Not having hope in the human we are, but what we can become through him, and him alone. God knows that our flesh and heart will fail (Psalm 73:26); but he sent his son so that we may have life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10.) So in closing, The answer to the question,"Do you believe in me?" Is simply Yes. But not for who you are, but what you may become through his abundant love, and endless Grace. (Romans 5:20-21)


P.S. Here is a link to the video of U2's Performance.-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-naNHfMr4nM
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