Revd Trudie Wigley, Priest-in-Charge of Dorcan Swindon, considers the outrageous love of our God.
The buzzer goes. The chair spins round. The judge sees for the first time the person whose voice has captured their heart. I want you! For the singer its their dream moment of recognition, and the opportunity to be coached by a famous star. Of course, its not quite as straight forward as that this is after all The Voice, one of those reality television competitions but at least there is the attempt to strip away some of the glossy showbiz razzmatazz. It focuses on the music which has an incredible power to stir emotion, as Hans Christian Anderson said Where words fail, music speaks. This competition is not about the looks, gender or the glitzy outfits, it is about focusing on the singing and the stirring of the heart enough for a voice coach to turn and say I want you!
The outrageous love of our God is that we dont have to persuade him to say I want you. Indeed God's chair is already turned towards us and the team has room for everyone! God's heart is already stirred in his love for us, yet he still wants to hear the music of our heart. He looks past the fronts we pose to the world, instead listening intently to the music of our hearts for a love which recognises God as the source of all love and goodness, and which wants to reflect that love. I wonder, does your heart sing for him?
In this time of Lent and Easter we journey again through the story of God's love shown through Jesus. It is a true story of God unwaveringly turned towards the world and saying I want you. So whether for the first time, or in a renewal of love, will your heart sing for him? He has already turned and is waiting to hear you.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Ephesians 5:19b-20