FOOD FOR THOUGHT
(02/21/2009)
FINDING
MENO
Cindy Hong
One
monthly tradition we had as a youth group in the Dallas church was activity
afternoon. Once a month, one afternoon after church lunch, we'd watch
a movie, go bowling or skating, play tennis or whirly ball (the fast-paced
team competition of riding bumper cars on a basketball court, holding
lacrosse-like scoops and chasing a whiffle ball, attempting to score with
every limb in motion). Said activities were usually followed by dinner,
sometimes Fuddruckers, other times CiCi's Pizza, or they came over for
make-your-own burgers or pizza (small youth group). Over the years, these
monthly gatherings became a sweet time of fellowship and fun with the
kids, now relegated to the sweet memories category. One afternoon we went
to see Finding Nemo . As you know, this little clownfish gets
captured when he goes off on his own. It's as if Nemo represents the prodigal
in us all. And the determination of a loving Father who comes after us
and seeks us out. And yet Nemo had to be willing to return and come back.
In some sense, Finding Nemo is our story for Lent. We go off
in our busyness, drowning in our muck and mire, living at 100 mph, slowing
down when caught, just to do all over again. Lent is the season that helps
us find our way back from all this. If we want to be found back, that
is. We are reminded to return and abide in God's reign and love. The Greek
word for abide, remain, continue in, and stay is meno . John's
gospel uses this word over and over, like hearing a song on repeat, perhaps
because we need to hear it over and over again. When we turned away from
our sin and toward God in Christ, dwelling, abiding, living, remaining,
holding on to, continuing in, all these now describe us. It's part of
our DNA as disciples of Jesus Christ. How we do that varies day by day,
hour by hour. Lent is a season that helps us be more mindful of how we
are living and reminding us to come home to God—daily, hourly, minutely.
As Jesus journeyed toward the cross, may it also become a tradition for
us to repent and return to Him, that we would find our dwelling place,
our shelter, our abode in Him once again. Returning to Him is always a
time of sweet fellowship, sweet memories formed out of coming home to
Him.
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