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Thursday, March 18, 2010

God *IS* Love.


I sat awhile
this morning and
watched my little girl twirl.
Sometimes, I can't help myself,
and it's not just her,
the little one,
it is all of them.

I stare at their faces, 
trying to memorize
and record
and remember.
When I do,
I can't believe how 
much I love them
and how much good I want
for them.


Last week,
I had a very
disturbing
conversation
with an older man
who was very set in his views of God.
(I've been told that he is a respected Bible teacher.)
Hmmm.
He angrily assured me
via several scripture passages
and circumstances that at times
God is indeed deceptive,
and lies, and promulgates violence,
and kills people ~ and that,
at times, God commands 
us to do the same.
(Not allows, not forgives, but commands.)
His comments were so
scathing they virtually
stunk of fire and brimstone.
No love, there, for a fellow believer.
No humility, either.
 
I came away from that conversation
shaken for days.  Not shaken 
in my own view of God,
but shaken by the
wrath and anger of one
who thinks He knows God
but has missed the
most unique and powerful
Love Story 
of the world.
I determined to continue
to live that Love Story,
but to never again 
engage in contentious debate
with someone who views
God as Hateful.
I will never again
entertain a conversation
which says
that I am an enemy
of God or that
God chooses certain
people over others
(and condemns some to eternal
punishment and leaves them
without choice.)
Because of His good pleasure,
of course.
I, rather, believe
that God loves all,
and offers relationship
to all who would receive Him.
Jesus was the reconciliation,
the sign and sacrifice of
deep, forever, love.
His life, His death, His resurrection
fill us with hope,
not brimstone.


God created.
God was driven by love, 
from the very beginning.
Love creates.  He can't do otherwise.

I watch my children,
and I know my thoughts toward them.
It seems impossible to me
that some people think
that they are a better parent than
God.  They casually assign things
to God that can not be true,
for if they were, 
if He were human,
He would be a monster.

I believe that
God
is so much more than 
only a "type" of parent,
even more than a Creator.

And yet - he certainly is never 
less.

4 comments:

  1. Amen!
    & lovely words!
    & I am seeing His love more and more too! It truly is amazing!

    That was a yucky & scary conversation you had! I hope the sting of it leaves you. Well, it did bring you to ponder and share truth though.

    Love ya!
    Leanne

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  2. Amen, and amen, Holly!

    "Christianity" like that leaves me, as a Christian, wanting to run the other way. And we wonder why we see so few converted. Whoever said. "Lord, save me from your followers" had it about right.

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  3. From a person who has known bitterness, even bitterness toward God. I have always trusted that our God cannot lie. He cannot create anything that is not good or beautiful. What he promises and what he says about himself is true whether we completely understand it or not. Any Christian who is truely in relationship with God has an insight into his character because it becomes part of who you are. You see him in part in those whose hearts are fixed on him. But,even believers can get it wrong sometimes. Jesus once called Peter Satan.

    Blessings
    Robin

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  4. Oh, Holly! This is beautiful! And I could not agree more.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete