“DO YOU CHERISH ME?”

 By Michael L. Alumbaugh © 2023

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” ~ Proverbs 14:12

 From time to time, I hear a song that brings back fond memories. Other songs bring back haunting ones. Those “old haunts” make me wonder why I ever listened to them. I’d come to faith in Christ as a young man and have always desired to be more conformed to His image. But I was young and impressionable. So I kept on listening to them.

 I wondered if it was just the tune and wasn’t paying attention to the words, or that I enjoyed both, disregarding the words for just the pleasure of singing along? I know a number of people who say they love a song and never pay attention to the words. But I, now, wonder if those words implanted subliminal brainwashing for evil. I know I’ve struggled with wrong thoughts that have led me astray, so it has to be true of other people too.

 One of the songs I enjoyed in high school was Dion DiMucci’s “The Wanderer.” The first verse goes like this:

 “ . . . I'm the type of guy who will never settle down
Where pretty girls are well, you know that I'm around
I kiss 'em and I love 'em 'cause to me they're all the same
I hug 'em and I squeeze 'em they don't even know my name
They call me the wanderer, yeah the wanderer
I roam around . . . “

Though I never did those things outwardly, I’ve seen the temptations redirecting my mental and visual focus for years. I shrugged it off at the time as just another “cool” song but it seems the Spirit of God probed deeper asking “Do you really buy into that? Is that the type of guy you’d want as a role model? Do you emulate that internally or externally in life?” Ouch!

 Then in 1979 I vowed to my Bride before God and a cloud of witnesses to be a “One-Woman Man!” forsaking all others. Yet God kept sending me messages, and I remained blind! In the early years of our marriage my Bride saw the struggle and asked me “Do you cherish me?” In total ignorance to the true meaning of the word, I glibly replied “Sure!” gave her a kiss and smiled. Throughout the next few years, she would occasionally ask that same question and I’d stupidly answer the same way. She finally stopped.

 Years passed and I ran into another song I loved. The music was great and, again, I disregarded the lyrics! This time it was a song by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band called “Tulsa Sounds Like Trouble to Me.” I’ve listened to it for years and have still pooh-poohed the lyrics, enjoying the music. It goes;

 “. . . Had me a gal in Tulsa once
One day I took her out to lunch
I got up, excused myself
And fell in love with someone else

I ain't attached to what I got
And I'm sure likin' what I see . . . “

Now, I made mental excuses all day long saying, “Hey! It’s just a song. No big deal!”, and laughed it off. But my spirit asked “Am I the same as that guy?” “Do my eyes wander?” “What other areas in my walk with Christ have I compromised?” I’m sure you get the point!

 The Lord had been trying to wake me up for a long, long time. Yet I’d been blissfully, and sometimes willfully, ignorant to my compromises and low resistance to those temptations. As a result, my spiritual compass was damaged and I’d wandering off course. As Saint Paisios the Athonite said, “Evil comes in small steps. If it were to come all at once, we would not be deceived.”

 Time passed. Then, due to age, experience or maturity, I had an “Ahha” moment! I finally woke up to the flashing “spiritual” warning lights!  At that, I dug into the Word of God to see who I’d become. I began to see the damage I’d done in my relationship with my wife, our marriage, and probably our children, not to mention my relationship with the Lord Jesus. That’s when I decided to return to memorizing scripture. A key passage equipping me for battle was Colossians 3: 1- 8: 

 

 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

 

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy talk from your mouth.”

Day by day I’ve grown more sensitive to His spirit; through Bible study, memorization, prayer and application. Oh, I stumble but I am noticing a change! I’m growing to finally understand what cherish really means! And I am learning to truly treasure my wonderful Bride! 

 

            Dig a Little Deeper: Proverbs 4:23, 12:15, 30:12; Romans 6:16, 21, 5:12, 1:32; Luke 9:62: Phil 3:13-14

Published in the July 2023 issue of Black River Times