"Like How Flies Goes For Sugar"

(This reading is based on Psalm 123 and is read in accordance with the Revived by His Word initiative of the General Conference of SDAs.)

The use of the two similes (the servant looking to his master, and the maid to her mistress) to illustrate the nature of one's looking to God for relief immediately triggered my memory of a line in a Jamaican dialect penned by the late Jamaican cultural icon, Louise "Miss Lou" Bennett-Coverley, "I goes for you like how flies goes for sugar." Of course this is a very colourful and expressive love letter written by a partially literate, but obviously smart, man seeking to win the affections of this certain lady. And although written with much humour this dialect is so true to life that we do so easily see ourselves in it. But what if instead of, or at least in addition to being so desirous of acceptance by a potential mate we were thus drawn to God? And if instead of just desiring relief, what if we were also drawn because of our love for Him?

              

So Father, as the servant looks to his master, and the maid to her mistress; yeah, as flies go after sugar, so my eyes look to You and my soul hungers for You; the One who alone can show us mercy and deliver us from the contempt of the proud and scornful and fill our lives with love and acceptance.

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