“Come on, let’s go back to God…” – Hosea 6:1

There are few people in the world who have never heard of LeBron James. He’s a 4-time NBA most valuable player. From the time he entered high school, the experts were already touting him “King James.” And, now that he’s ripening with age (he’s old now – 29), there’s a lot to consider. After appearing in the NBA finals four times in a row and amassing a couple of championships, the king will return to his first NBA home in Cleveland.

LeBron’s first major contract announcement, declaring his decision to notoriously “take his talents to South Beach” (the home of the Miami Heat) garnered a massive amount of largely negative media attention. His latest announcement, however, came with a far more mixed reaction. As James released a statement about coming home to his native Ohio, the cynics decried his heartfelt emotion another “decision” media stunt. But, the fans in Cleveland, once burning James jerseys in effigy, have clearly embraced what they consider their own lost son’s homecoming.

We have a natural affinity for people who, regardless of their missteps, find their way back. We like the idea that there is a home – no matter where anyone might wind up. I recall that verse from the hymn, Come Thou Fount: “prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” It seems that no matter how much we might pretend otherwise, we wander. And, yet, no matter how far we get, there will always be a seat at the table – a place for wanderers like us.

Where has your heart begun to wander? What do you do with those who have wandered (or are wandering) from you? What do we do with those people who aren’t yet aware that they’ve wandered at all? How do we tenderly invite people to return to a place they may not know they need?

See you Sunday,

Jeff