Who's Your Biggest Fan?

I remember it like it was yesterday.

Even though it happened 20 years ago!

Right after reciting our wedding vows, Shannon leaned toward me and whispered those words I have never forgotten, "I am your biggest fan."

Wow! My biggest fan! And for twenty years, my wife has proved true to her word. She has been my biggest fan & faithful companion - in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.

Yep. Shannon is my biggest fan.

Or is she?

Humanly speaking, I would agree. BUT ... the Bible is points to a deeper reality. It points to something (or someone!) that far exceeds, and is the only strong foundation of, all human relationships.

Without this reality it will make the cheering of any person (no matter how sincere or passionate) seem, well ... almost empty. You see, we were created to have our hearts & ears tuned to a greater Voice, one whose words and tune would echo through our inner being no matter what the circumstance.

We long for the affection of people, but we were created for the applause of heaven.

The message of the gospel is this - even before I was married, I had a fan. A big Fan. In fact, the One who was on my side created the worlds, and chose me to be Hos own before the worlds were even created (Ephesians 1.4).

Yes. God is my biggest fan. And He's yours too, if you are a Christian.

Read these words from Mark's gospel, as Jesus begins His ministry on earth ...

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased." 

Mark 1.11

Hear the applause?

And now, if you are in Christ by faith, that applause is yours. Jesus lived the life you and I should have lived. Jesus died the death we deserved to die. Why? To restore our relationship with God.

In Isaiah, the prophet paints a stirring & passionate picture of God's affection over His people ...

"As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you."

Isaiah 62. 4-5

In his book, The Pleasures of God, John Piper writes a moving commentary:

When God does good to his people it is not so much like a reluctant judge showing kindness to a criminal whom he finds despicable (though that analogy has truth in it); it is like a bridegroom showing affection to his bride.

Sometimes we joke and say about a marriage, “The honeymoon is over.” But that’s because we are finite. We can’t sustain a honeymoon level of intensity and affection. But God says his joy over his people is like a bridegroom over a bride.

He is talking about honeymoon intensity and honeymoon pleasures and honeymoon energy and excitement and enthusiasm and enjoyment. He is trying to get into our hearts what he means when he says he rejoices over us with all his heart.

And add to this, that with God the honeymoon never ends. He is infinite in power and wisdom and creativity and love and will see to it that we get more and more beautiful forever; and he is infinitely creative to think of new things to do together so that there will be no boredom for the next trillion ages of millenniums.

 
So humbling. So helpful.

If we look for our biggest fan in this world, we'll always be searching. And searching. And searching.

You see, no one can ever fill our hearts and souls with the passion we long for, the affection we dream about, the love we desire. 

No one, that is, except God Himself.

"... God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5. 8

Do you want enduring affection?
Do you long for faithful friendship?
Do you desire satisfying love?

You have it. Already. In Christ.

Your biggest fan is cheering. Even now. Nothing will deter Him from His love for you (Romans 8. 31-32). He will bring to completion what He started in you (Phil. 1.6). He will be faithful to the end (Romans 8. 38-39).

It's what we all long to hear. The applause of heaven.

Can you hear it?