103007

October 30, 2007

The Affection of Christ

by Shana Schutte

When I was in eleven, one of the boys in my sixth-grade class wanted me to notice him, so he chased me around the school yard with live earthworms wedged in-between the lenses of his glasses and his eyes. Naturally, because worms are not a girl's best friend, I was horrified. So I did what any smart female would do: I screamed, then ran away with the speed of a gazelle and the composure of a headless chicken.

Looking back I realize that Troy couldn't help himself because he wanted to express his affection for me.

In Philippians 1:8, Paul writes that Christ has affection for us. I just love that because we think of Him as being lots of things, such as righteous, just and holy. But we rarely--if ever--think of Him as affectionate.

The word "affection" in this Scripture is translated as "bowels" in the King James Version. Why? Because the Hebrews believed that a person's bowels were the seat of passionate emotions like anger and love. When I first read the King James translation, I thought it was strange. Then it comforted me.

Think about it. The bowels are certainly more than skin deep. Therefore, the affection described in this passage is also deep; it moves Christ to action; it makes Him run after the object of His affection. For Troy, it meant running after me with worms. For Christ it means chasing you every day of your life, listening to you, rescuing you from danger, adopting you into His family, redeeming you from sin--and even dying on a cross.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV).

www.runtogodministries.org

run to god

m i n i s t r i e s

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because

he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted."

---Jesus

a daily reflection