Bothered

I looked up the word "bother" in the dictionary only to find that one definition is "to concern oneself". The very definition made me think of the verse in Psalms 8 that says, "what is man that you are mindful of him?". What is man that God would even bother with us? God created a species for His own, He made man and knew that this creature of His needed a helpmate. All of the animals paraded before God and Adam, none were suitable. This bothered God--He found it worthy of His concern, and so God created woman. The relationship between man and woman would be one unequaled by any other relationship, surpassed only by their relationship with Deity. While God desired His creation to love Him, worship Him and glorify Him, He knew they would fail, they would fall prey to sin. This bothered Him and so before His creation had even embraced life, God planned a plan to redeem them.
We know what happened next---man, as in mankind, became so enamored with sin and the self-gratification that comes with it,that they supressed the nature of God inside them, desiring rather to please themselves than please the Creator. Again, this bothered God. He sent prophet after prophet, telling the people chosen by Him, to repent, to return to Him and His ways. He sent plagues and conquerors to enslave and carry away His very own people, taking them away from His place of worship, from His other people, from the very land He had chosen for them, promised them and indeed given them. And repent they did, if only temporarily. Once again, the pull of sin and selfishness pulled them away from the Savior.
Sin was powerful and its hold unrelenting but God still concerned Himself with His people, loving them more than ever, He sent His only Son to redeem the sinful man. This Messiah, sharing the Father's love, being one with Him, willingly stepped away from the glories of heaven to become like man, so that He might somehow cause man to love God again. This would most certainly require blood. But Deity was so bothered by our lostness that They (He) willingly laid down His life. Our sinful condition continues to bother God and He continues to work in our lives.
I once worked with a man who mocked my faith on a daily basis. He taunted me with phrases like, "I suppose you are going to go talk to your God about this." and "Do you really think faith makes sense?" "I think anyone who believes in God really needs medication and long term therapy." "You Christians are so busy fussing about all the God-stuff that you don't take time to live your life." Everyday for several years, he threw barbs at me. And every so often he made the comment that he could not be "bothered" by religion. Until one day, he didn't show up for work. He called in to say his wife had collapsed while they were on a day outing and she was in a hospital in a neighboring town. He asked to speak to me and the call was transferred to my office. I picked up the phone, not knowing what to expect. I heard a sob filled, choked voice, asking me to please pray for his wife, "if it wouldn't be too much of a bother". I assured him it was worthy of my concern and together we prayed over the phone.
I continued to pray for them as his wife made a full recovery and he returned to work a few weeks later. He never spoke of that day again, but the barbs stopped, the insults ceased and occasionally he smiled at me. I do not know what happened to this man. His family moved away a short time later, moving closer to family. I pray he grew to know that God is concerned for him and it is God's love that keeps Him bothered.
What is man that God is mindful of (bothered by) him? He is God's creation, the object of His affection, the man of His choosing. Everyday I am grateful that God is bothered by me, bothered by the sin in my life and that He continues to work to bring me closer to Him. I also pray that He instills in me a heart of compassion, a sense of eternity that keeps me "bothered" by the frailties and sinfulness of those around me, enough so that I may share His message and minister to those in need.

Peace
Neva