"Hug me!"

Before the start of this Sunday’s Service one of our Parish’s youngsters fell down and bumped themselves against the pew and like most children began crying. Mom was just sitting down and tried to quiet the child when I thought I heard the youngster say to her, “Hug me!”

That got me to thinking, isn’t that what most of us need and even a reason why we’re in Church? Don’t we want, aren’t we beseeching even, our Father to “hug us” and make the hurt go away, if only a bit?

I’m not really the “huggy” type and have even been accused of being somewhat cold, but it’s really not true. I was brought up without much physical contact and doubtless that colors my reaction to contact with others. I suppose that's why a "special touch" from someone important always means so much to me. But I have given and received "hugs" (am trying to do a better job of it, BTW) and moreover, I have yearned to be touched and held when I’m hurting. So, I understand why that child wanted physical comfort.

Carrying it one step further, isn’t that what we seek in our relationship with God? Don't we long to be enfolded in His loving arms and offered the promise that He will make the hurt ease up and go away?

I've long considered our purpose in Faith and Worship. Is salvation the ultimate reason for faith or is it simply that we long to be "in relationship" with the Father? Or some of both? Myself, I'm moving towards relationship; for we are called to love God and each other. And it seems without the knowledge and support of the Father's unconditional love, life would be a much harder struggle than it already is.