My wife Julie and I recently made a driving trip through the southeast part of the United States. We had good weather, met good friends and enjoyed some Southern cuisine. For our family a trip like this usually means stops at various ice cream parlors and this trip was no exception. And ice cream brings to mind an illustration of God’s love that I used some years ago.
Julie had taken a few of our grandkids to Hutchinson. They went to eat at Dairy Queen. Julie told 2-year-old Rebekah that she could have whatever she wanted off the children’s menu. She listed the choices; cheeseburger, hot dog, chicken nuggets, hamburger or corn dog. Rebekah listened and responded earnestly, “I want ice cream!” Julie explained that she had to have a meal first and listed them all for her once again. Rebekah looked her square in the eye and said, “I want ice cream.” Rebekah knew what Rebekah liked. I would add that God knows what God likes; and what God likes is us.
After the fifth day of creation, we read, “And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1: 25) Finally, after the sixth day, when humankind was created, God declared everything “very good.” (Genesis 1: 31) God likes human beings! God loves us ... even more than children like ice cream. Even more than we love God. We love because God first loved us. I like to quote Max Lucado. He says that God loves us so much that if God had a refrigerator, our picture would be on it.
“God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever.” (John 3: 16 WE translation) God does love us just the way we are; but God loves us too much to leave us this way. Part of God’s love and desire is that we grow to reflect ever more nearly the image of God seen in the Son, Jesus.
So let’s consider ice cream a kind of metaphor for what God desires and of what we desire. Timothy told us what God desires, “This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2: 3-4.) And what are we to seek? “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3: 1) God seeks us for relationship and salvation. We are to seek God as we set our minds, not on selfish considerations but on Jesus.
As our family seeks ice cream shops while on vacation, God is seeking us to a much greater degree. And as we enter into relationship with God, we keep on seeking the things of God here in God’s good creation. By the way, Rebekah did get her ice cream, but after eating a meal.
— Gordy Pennertz is a recently retired pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Litchfield.
