Wanting and Being Wanted

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NRSV)

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

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I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I'd love you to love me
I'm begging you to beg me

"I Want You to Want Me" by Rick Nielsen from "In Color" by Cheap Trick

There is a praise song called "People Need the Lord," and it is true enough, but imagine this, the Lord needs people too. It is important to understand that if the Lord did not desire a relationship with people then people would not have been created. The Lord is a loving God who created humanity because of a want to share grace with the creation. Humanity did not have to be created, God wanted to create humanity.

Yes, it is our call, our vocation to sing to the Lord, "I want you to want me," but before we could ever do this, it was the Lord who sang us into existence singing those same words to us. The Lord wants us to want God.

We are called to pray without ceasing because God wants us to need something greater than ourselves and our own devices. God wants us to seek-beg if you will-because in seeking we reach for things that are greater than ourselves.

God loves us in grace and peace. God loves us and creates us by a love as abundant as an overflowing stream. God's love is without end and it is in this love that humanity was created. Yes, God wants us to love in return--and love not just the Lord but all that the Lord created.

Creation screams I want you to want me, not I want you to use me. In this way, the words of Peter's letter are affirmed. As we respond to the call, the vocation, the election of the Lord our God we will not stumble, we will not fall. "For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you."

This kingdom not only waits for us on the other side of this life, but by responding to God's call to love in this life, the kingdom of God can be made known and shown in our lives too.