Nothing is lost
When most people think of Mennonites, I'm pretty sure they think of Amish people, or people who dress differently than most of the world (hence the first paragraph of "About Me" in my sidebar). I don't dress differently than most of the world (I hope) and I have a TV and a car and electricity and cable and internet . . . and even a blog.
But Mennonites, at least Mennos who have settled in North America (who I think of as "ethnic" Mennonites, although I don't think that's pc anymore) are not dancers. Not allowed, for a long time, and as a result, just not good. We don't do rhythm all that well, either.
But this weekend, at a church conference, I got to be part of what was essentially a Mennonite gospel choir. A bunch of white, stiff, rhythm-less Mennos got to sing spirituals and gospel songs and sway and clap. It was fun and different and nothing like I expected. Mennos CAN sing, however, and we rocked the house. My cold-weakened voice was cracking like a thirteen-year-old boy's by the end of the weekend.
We also sang other kinds of songs, and one was a song called "Nothing is lost in the breath of God." I loved this song after I read the lyrics, and I didn't even know the tune yet. But we sang it earlier today and the tune is cool, so I liked the whole thing. The last verse:
Nothing is lost to the heart of God
nothing is lost forever;
God's heart is love, and that love will remain
holding the world forever.
No impulse of love,
no office of care,
no moment of life in its fullness;
no beginning too late, no ending to soon,
but is gathered and known in its goodness.
I like this thought. Whatever kinds of love we send out into the world, no matter how small, or insignificant, or too late, are gathered up and remembered by God (I think of God as similar to the Universe in this case). I don't know what that means. I don't know if they come back to us, or simply add to the cumulative total of goodness, or that they are somehow fulfilled or redeemed in a world yet to come. But the thought that no good thing is lost, no act of love is for nothing . . . well, it's good for me to think about.
What's not so nice to think about . . . the fact that if all love is gathered up and remembered, is all hatred/anger also gathered up and remembered?
But Mennonites, at least Mennos who have settled in North America (who I think of as "ethnic" Mennonites, although I don't think that's pc anymore) are not dancers. Not allowed, for a long time, and as a result, just not good. We don't do rhythm all that well, either.
But this weekend, at a church conference, I got to be part of what was essentially a Mennonite gospel choir. A bunch of white, stiff, rhythm-less Mennos got to sing spirituals and gospel songs and sway and clap. It was fun and different and nothing like I expected. Mennos CAN sing, however, and we rocked the house. My cold-weakened voice was cracking like a thirteen-year-old boy's by the end of the weekend.
We also sang other kinds of songs, and one was a song called "Nothing is lost in the breath of God." I loved this song after I read the lyrics, and I didn't even know the tune yet. But we sang it earlier today and the tune is cool, so I liked the whole thing. The last verse:
Nothing is lost to the heart of God
nothing is lost forever;
God's heart is love, and that love will remain
holding the world forever.
No impulse of love,
no office of care,
no moment of life in its fullness;
no beginning too late, no ending to soon,
but is gathered and known in its goodness.
I like this thought. Whatever kinds of love we send out into the world, no matter how small, or insignificant, or too late, are gathered up and remembered by God (I think of God as similar to the Universe in this case). I don't know what that means. I don't know if they come back to us, or simply add to the cumulative total of goodness, or that they are somehow fulfilled or redeemed in a world yet to come. But the thought that no good thing is lost, no act of love is for nothing . . . well, it's good for me to think about.
What's not so nice to think about . . . the fact that if all love is gathered up and remembered, is all hatred/anger also gathered up and remembered?
Labels: Big Questions, MennoWhat?
posted by Melanie at 10:14 PM
