Thinking About a Heavenly Hook-Up
June 1, 2010
You may have heard of “hooking up.” It is the practice of persons getting together and engaging in sexually immoral behavior. Persons involved in the “hook-up” usually do a great deal of planning and preparation. Why? Because they want to “connect” with another person. How does this idea speak to you and me today? Think of the Bible. Less than 100 verses into this book, we see disconnection of humanity from God and from one another (Gen. 3:6-4:8). Our sinful hearts cause us to become estranged from our creator and our neighbors. Nevertheless, we recognize that we do not want to be alone. We long for relationship, and it is this “longing” that fuels engagement in the (sexual) hook-up. But the hook-up we need is not physical. It is not emotional. It is spiritual. Moreover, this hook-up is not found in the illicit bed of shame, regret, and physical danger; it is found in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:10-11). The hook-up takes place at baptism (Rom. 6:4-11), but understand that it is not a “one-night stand.” To the contrary, we must work to develop, maintain, and expand this hook-up each day of our lives (Eph. 4:17-32). When we do so, we will have solace and solidarity with God. We will have connection and communication with our neighbors. We will have peace and partnership in our homes. And we will have congeniality and closeness in our congregations.
This is the “heavenly hook-up,” friends. It is not the type of hook-up in which one wakes up not knowing the person on the other side of the bed. With the heavenly hook-up, we will know our Savior. We will know our neighbors. And we will know victory and confidence in this world and the next. Do you want to “hook-up?” Then we will see you this Sunday! (Resource: The Bridge, July 2003, 1)
