My Boy

The picture is of our granddaughter Tia in the hallway of the Hart Senate Office building on Capitol Hill beaming with a smile because she’s in front of office 713. The sign still reads, “Senator Barak Obama, Illinois.” Tia calls him “My Boy.” Tia and family with the help of a friend who works at the White House were able to see the Senator’s old office and his new office (unfortunately there are no pictures allowed in the Oval Office). The memory may fade for this four year old but the picture will be a family treasure. History will tell whether Tia wants to continue to claim President Elect Obama as “My Boy.” By the way for those of you who don’t know Tia… she’s a young African-American woman who’s wiser than her years and supplies a lot of snap to her flava and ‘tude to her roll (translation – precocious with a capital “P”). So, now you know how to enunciate “My Boy.”

Tia’s picture in front of 713 is a treasure not only because of its historical significance but because it reminds us of the power of belonging. My prayer for Tia will always be that Jesus will be her boy! That is, as her faith grows and matures that belonging to Jesus is the most important thing in her life. Scripture describes this love affair in various ways from the imagery of a bride to the paradox of being crucified with Christ so that it is no longer ourselves that live but Christ who lives within us. Faith connects us to the one who not only redeems us and intercedes for us but who loves us! Paul asserts, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15).” Living for Jesus is more than lyrics or VBS banners… it’s the natural result of feeling connected to the one who connects us to heaven!

One of my favorite verses of Scripture is Ephesians 2:6 where Paul blows us away with the ethereal promise, “…God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…” I don’t expect (though I may be wrong) that Tia will ever get to be seated with President Elect Barak Obama –but I’m hopeful that she will accept the invitation of God to be seated with Jesus… whom I pray will always be “Her Boy!” -DAN