Mended Relationships

 I have the old classic Righteous Brothers hit, "That Lovin' Feeling" stuck in my head today. I'm sure all the Baby Boomers know the song I'm talking about. A sad 'lost my love song': "bring back that lovin' feeling." Not sure why it came to mind, but I'm a frequent victim of earworms. At least this isn't an annoying commercial ditty and I like the Righteous Brothers. 

The number of broken heart songs is staggering. Every genre of popular music has standard favorites that seem to stand the test of time. It has always been a go-to for country music and rock alike. It's not surprising. I don't think there is a single person who has escaped the experience of a relationship gone wrong. Humanity has that common, whether it's puppy love or bitter divorce.

There is a deep current of need for connection with another. Whether or not you believe in a first created human there is no denying many people seek to connect with a power higher than themselves. It's because we were made for relationship beyond other humans. God put in us a desire to know him. We were fashioned for love, given and returned. Love that does not quit when things get messy. People give up easily really. God does not. His love is often one-sided, has been since we stumbled in Eden and lost our first love. 

Love is not just a feeling. It goes beyond whatever our emotions are at any given moment with others. The good news is we have a Savior who redeemed our broken relationship with God and in reconciling us to him, he reconciled us to each other. His enduring love has been shown to us in a baby in a manger. It is the promise of ages. 

Merry Christmas!