Quite often when I write a blog or comment, I am in danger of making the kingdom of God all about me. Starting from myself (questions, revelations, unsolved problems) I look to God’s man of revelation Jesus Messiah for a solution, a parable, a glimpse into the heartbeat of God himself. As I seek answers [...]
Quite often when I write a blog or comment, I am in danger of making the kingdom of God all about me. Starting from myself (questions, revelations, unsolved problems) I look to God’s man of revelation Jesus Messiah for a solution, a parable, a glimpse into the heartbeat of God himself. As I seek answers to MY questions I find answers. Maybe not directly, but usually I find PERSPECTIVE. I encounter a distant unknown (Barth) God who is supremely mysterious. I make God mine, while God remains in charge of his own destiny.
He is the One who silently does as he wishes without my permission, though I use his name to give words to my desires. I use his name without his permission. I use what I know of him to get what I want… like trying to get into a nightclub by saying that you are friends with a certain celebrity. I am always in danger of making Him my slave; while simultaneously he remains the master. Yet he is unaltered by my abuse of our friendship. His forgiveness, though I take it and use it further to accomplish my own goals, is unstoppable. His tolerance of me I ignore. Like a friend who only ever rings up because they want something from you; they have no concept that friendship must be mutual.
Even now, talking this way: I make His love about me; His plans as subordinate to mine; His intentions as equal with mine… I make him MY God… what a conundrum: since the words MY and God are completely incompatible; and the words MY and Friend are an impossibility. How can we believe in such a God? One who does not fit into the box we have carefully constructed (over our lives) JUST for him. How can a one-way friendship continue? When your friend only ever calls or visits on the assumption that your life entirely exists for them; that your time belongs to them; that all priorities in your life are less important than theirs.
However, unlike us who subtly or directly let the friendship slide (glad to be rid of the burden) God holds on to us! His tolerance is one way; His love is persistent over millennia; His compassion is felt towards those who take him for granted; he takes the calls not begrudgingly but deeply enthusiastically; he does more than open the door to those one-way friendships as He goes to our homes and invites us to visit him… God’s love is completely unlike the various forms of love we know. In fact we often dismiss or pass-over his welcome because we are looking for someone who fits into OUR box. We are looking for a God that makes sense to us… who loves us according to the way we understand love. We want a God who will encourage us, “I know it was hard, but you made the right decision not to continue that friendship.”
God is more generous than we can believe; more kind; more positive; more loving; more giving; more forgiving… he is MORE than us… he is GOD!
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Thanks Graham. Really well put.