Tuesday, September 4, 2018

LOVING HEARTS LIVE LONGER



                Recently, in a newspaper medical column by Dr Oz, I saw this catchy sentence: “Loving hearts live longer.” He cited studies that say married couples live longer, on average, than single people. Maybe that’s why Frances and I can celebrate our 69th anniversary today. We have spent 69 years in what I sometimes think of as an assisted living arrangement. Dr Oz went on quickly to say that it isn’t just married couples, its anyone who has close, open, honest relationships with other people who live longer.

                What Dr Oz said is not new. The preacher in Ecclesiastes spoke of it long ago when he wrote: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken (4:9-12).

                The same concept can be seen in Paul’s description of the church, especially in 1 Corinthians 12 where he speaks of how members of the body lift one another up. He says, “members should have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it (25-26).” Earlier, in chapter 10 Paul uses a rich, Greek word for this relationship. It’s the word, KOINONIA, and it means “fellowship,” “participation,” or, as several versions say in verses 16-17, “communion.” He says, “the bread which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.” Though we are many, yet we are one body. This is close to marriage language – the two become one. The many have something in common that makes them one.

                Through our years in the church, Frances and I have experienced how loving hearts are one in Christ and lift each other up. One example: We were in Oklahoma for seminary, two thousand miles from home, no family around, no way to communicate with family, not even a telephone, and our first child was born. I sent a telegram to tell the folks at home. Frances got sick in the hospital and had to stay for over a week. To go home, she needed more help than I could give her by myself. Our immediate families couldn’t help, but the family of God could, and did. Good friends stepped in, took her home and gave her and Gary the care they needed for a few days.  This is “koinonia,”, loving hearts, the church, in action.

                The Lord’s supper as “communion,” as an expression of koinonia, points to what the church is, a collection of loving hearts. And the result is life, long life, both here and hereafter.

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