The transitive verb cherish means to keep or cultivate with care and affection : and to entertain or harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely. This is not the definitive explanation I am sure, but is a reasonable understanding. Somehow this word has always been exclusive to me, as a somewhat higher plane of love, or as a definition to love.

So, were one to proclaim cherishing something, it would imply some special feeling. When the Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians, it fails to use the word cherish. Certainly being the authoritative voice, love is, as Paul writes in this Love chapter. If you were lucky enough to find the person able to live love this way, it would be love in perfection. I sadly announce this love is not to be found on earth, for our capabilities preclude such romance.

However, when we speak of love, a love that cherishes we can only speak of One. I am Inspired to write this by the song, “I Need You to Love Me” by the Barlow Girls. (the video is here: http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=855969589&channel=823372668

In their song, these ladies proclaim and wonder as we all should, why God is still here with us, after what we’ve done. The things that make us want to run and hide from Jesus, the things that we’ve done in our shame, are the same things that define Christ’s love for us. It is in His Hands that we see the truth, that we do not deserve His love. When have we ever, EVER, deserved love?

The chorus of the song correctly cries out that we need His, the only true love. They sing that we won’t keep our hearts from Him (but we will) and we’ll stop pretending that we deserve what He already gives. (but we won’t) (if you need me to be clearer about what this is……) That line needs to be highlighted, “and I’ll stop pretending that I can somehow deserve what I already have…..” Pretending to deserve is all that we can do….. praise God He gives it unconditionally.

It is most humbling to think about the time we have wasted trying to push Him away from us. Instead we spend way too much time considering the things we see that make us wonder what God could ever see in us. The things that cause God to cherish us. As these sisters write, “cause you are a God who has all things, and still, you want me…..” Imagine the Creator of the Universe, with all that is on His plate and He still, infinitely wants you……

One of the creeds this band stands on is purity and the purity of Christ’s love is wonderfully captured in the bridge of this song. Christ’s love makes us forget who we were, Christ’s love makes us clearly see who we are. Those two elements are essential in love’s purity. If you were to connect all the dots in Paul’s letter of love to the Corinthians you would find the purest love exhilarating. Nothing is hidden in God’s love and that is why we have the need to be loved…….