I’ve been going through The Sacred Romance with my small group lately, and the chapter we just studied hit me so hard, my mind is still reeling. Here is a 3-part blog that tries to encapsulate from what I’m learning…please read the whole thing and let me know what you think.
Have you ever wondered if God feels? Emotions, I mean. I’ve found myself sometimes thinking that God is not prone to emotions. I’ve inadvertently assumed over the years that He’s relatively even-keel and not given to extreme feelings of pain or pleasure. Almost like a big computer in the sky...I think, “He’s in control of things, He’s not affected or changed by people, and everything’s going to be okay because He’s not temperamental like me. And He loves me, too, and that’s awesome.”
But then I wonder…how can He love me without feeling extreme emotion? How does that work? What kind of love can that be?
Hold that thought.
Suppose I am a non-believer who has really never understood who God is or why in the world I should spend my life loving Him. How would you answer me?
Perhaps you would say that He is all-powerful, all-loving, the Creator of the Universe… that He died for my sins, offering me eternal life…and all of these things are fantastic, but I’m still not quite clear on what kind of person He is. Is He even a person? Does God have a personality, or is He just this Being that I’m supposed to revere and obey? ‘Cause that’s all well-and-good, but if I’m going to really love someone and enjoy spending my life with them, I want to actually like the person. So…do you like God?
Think of the people you like to hang out with. Why do you enjoy them? What is it about your true friends that makes you want to spend time with them? Well, they’re fun, right? And probably smart and funny and you have things in common…basically, you like their personalities. Now, if we are to be friends of God as it says in Matthew, there has to be a mutual liking. We know that God likes us (did you know that? that’s another blog…), but do you like God’s personality?
I personally think it would be hard to like someone who is completely emotionless. No excitement, no passion, no drive. It would be frustrating, because that person wouldn’t understand what I go through if they’re not prone to the same emotions I experience every day. So, is God really like that? Because if so, I might be in trouble…
How do we find out what God’s personality is really like? Take a minute and think of nature. Think of the creatures you see on the Animal Planet. Think of mountains, geysers, sunsets…God created these, yes? Looking at all of this, what are some things you can gather about God’s personality?
Obviously He has a sense of humor. And I know you want to say He’s creative, but look deeper. What is one of the greatest characteristics of creative people? They are passionate. Their art comes from places of deep feeling—be it joy, anger, pain, whatever. And I don’t know about you, but when I look at the natural world around us—and even at the people around us—I would say that we are living in the greatest work of art there ever was. So perhaps—PERHAPS—our über-creative God does, in fact, feel.
Let’s look at this logically. We are created in God’s image—man and woman. And that does not apply simply to physical features, but to our souls and, on a smaller scale, personalities as well. That’s right, kids, our inner beings were created in God’s image. That being said, where did all of our emotions come from? The dirt? Our sin nature? No! They are all part of the deal! Now, obviously the sin part associated with our emotions didn’t come from God, but the feeling-part totally did. So if we feel such extreme emotions as we do, what does that tell us about our Maker?
Continue to Part 2.
musings from the journey (a girl discovering grace)
4.11.2006
Buckle Up, Part 2
Another question: Is there any pain worse than a breakup?
Consider, if you will, a time in your life where you felt extreme rejection. Perhaps a breakup…and I know this will bring up some really unhappy memories for some of you, but go with me for a second. What are some of the worst feelings associated with a breakup? Well, rejection, of course. Betrayal. Disappointed hopes. Regret…feeling stupid that you invested so much when the other person was just going to throw it back in your face. You also probably felt pain that you thought would never go away… I don’t think there’s any worse pain than that associated with a breakup.
Let me tell you something. God has felt that pain. A lot. But there was one particular breakup He had to go through that I want to focus on.
Once upon a time, our Hero loved a human—two, actually. He gave them the world—literally. He was so delighted with their friendship, and looked forward to their evening walks. He let them name all the creatures He had created, telling them that whatever they wanted to name them would stick forever. He was so excited about the future they had together! A lifetime eternal in Paradise…love reciprocated. Perfect fellowship. He opened His heart to them…
And they threw it back in His face. For an apple.
They believed a lie—God was holding out on them, they were sure of it. God wanted to share all He had, including His heart, and they said, “Nah. Surely there’s something You haven’t told us—this is all too good to be true. We’d rather listen to this slimy thing on the ground than believe in Your promises for a future that we can’t see.”
And His beloveds spit in His face.
The Breakup…what did God feel? Did He wonder, “What did I do? I offered them everything…I gave them so much of Myself…I loved them with an everlasting love, and they didn’t want it. How could they not want it? Why wasn’t I good enough for them?”
You’ve felt the pain that you thought would never go away, right? So has He.
Continue to Part 3.
Consider, if you will, a time in your life where you felt extreme rejection. Perhaps a breakup…and I know this will bring up some really unhappy memories for some of you, but go with me for a second. What are some of the worst feelings associated with a breakup? Well, rejection, of course. Betrayal. Disappointed hopes. Regret…feeling stupid that you invested so much when the other person was just going to throw it back in your face. You also probably felt pain that you thought would never go away… I don’t think there’s any worse pain than that associated with a breakup.
Let me tell you something. God has felt that pain. A lot. But there was one particular breakup He had to go through that I want to focus on.
Once upon a time, our Hero loved a human—two, actually. He gave them the world—literally. He was so delighted with their friendship, and looked forward to their evening walks. He let them name all the creatures He had created, telling them that whatever they wanted to name them would stick forever. He was so excited about the future they had together! A lifetime eternal in Paradise…love reciprocated. Perfect fellowship. He opened His heart to them…
And they threw it back in His face. For an apple.
They believed a lie—God was holding out on them, they were sure of it. God wanted to share all He had, including His heart, and they said, “Nah. Surely there’s something You haven’t told us—this is all too good to be true. We’d rather listen to this slimy thing on the ground than believe in Your promises for a future that we can’t see.”
And His beloveds spit in His face.
The Breakup…what did God feel? Did He wonder, “What did I do? I offered them everything…I gave them so much of Myself…I loved them with an everlasting love, and they didn’t want it. How could they not want it? Why wasn’t I good enough for them?”
You’ve felt the pain that you thought would never go away, right? So has He.
Continue to Part 3.
Buckle Up, Part 3
One final question: Is there anything greater than love reciprocated?
So here we are. We know God has felt the pain of rejection. We have felt the same thing, on a much lesser scale. But we know that God felt. He felt betrayed. He felt regret. He felt sorrow and bewilderment and all the effects of a broken heart. He felt it. And how did He respond?
After your breakup, did you immediately go out and start loving someone at the same capacity again? Did you go out just as vulnerable as you were before, or did you hide yourself in a shell for a while? Perhaps you’re still in that shell…unwilling to open your heart up to someone because of the fear of getting hurt to such an extent again. You’ve got to protect your heart, right?
God has no shell.
God didn’t hide Himself after Adam and Eve. Yes, He had to punish them, and there was definitely a separation, but the story of Perfect Love did not end there. God did not say, “This whole thing is too painful for Me, and I don’t think I’ll do it again. I’m done with these humans—they’re only going to destroy My heart.”
Thank GOD He didn’t say that! No, the story of Love continued on with Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon…Jesus continued the story in physical form (again, a whole other blog)…and it still goes on today. Not only that, but throughout history, God has loved us just as intensely as He loved Adam and Eve. He did not hide Himself away—He has opened His heart to us again and again. And how have we responded? Has He been rejected since the Garden? Oh yeah. Look at the people in Noah’s day. Look at Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at Jesus on the cross…the ultimate rejection.
God feels it again and again, and yet takes the risk…again and again.
Why does He take this risk? What is it about us that He wants so much? I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. But I know that He wants me. My Lover is mine, and His desire is for me…
What is it about romance that excites us so much? The general consensus among my small group girls is that it is the fact that someone thinks our ideas matter, thinks that we are attractive, thinks we have nice-sounding voices—basically, someone saw us and thought, “Hey, I like her. I want to know her…she is special.” Picked us out of the crowd and saw us…
I’ve been in love before…or, at least, supreme infatuation. And I was affected in ways that I did not expect. Everything he said was important to me. Every look in my direction, every touch from his hand was something I cherished. He would single me out in a crowd, and I knew he saw me. Saw me. Saw who I was and liked me…loved me, even. When he chose to spend time with me out of everything else he could be doing, I was elated. Overjoyed. His actions, words, movements affected me in a way I didn’t know was possible.
God feels. And if He has the same ability to feel the pain of rejection that we all have experienced, then you better believe He feels elation too. Consider this—if this one guy I was infatuated with had such an effect on me, imagine what the guy I LOVE will do! And if I already know the joy of just being recognized, imagine what God—in Whose image I was created—feels when the object of His affection turns their eyes toward Him and sees Him…sees Who He is and likes Him…loves Him, even!
And who is the object of His affection? Yeah, you.
There are times when we gather as a congregation and sing songs of praise and worship to God. Sometimes, honestly, there are times that I am singing almost by rote. I enjoy it and I know I am honoring God, but you know how it is when your heart’s not quite in it. But then, you also know what it’s like when it is. For a brief, passing moment, you hear the words of the song and you think, “Yes! I believe that! God, ‘You are the only One I need; I bow all of me at Your feet; I worship You alone’! Amen!!”
And at that moment, your eyes turn upward and you see Him. And He sees that you see Him. His beloved, the object of His affection and the passion of His heart, has looked up and seen Him…recognized what He’s been doing…appreciated Him…felt love toward Him. His love, for a moment, has been reciprocated.
You cannot imagine the elation that He feels....
I don’t think He ever says, “Well, it’s about time. You’ve been singing for fifteen minutes already—hello!! Thinking about yourself again, I see.”
No. Let me ask you to consider that maybe it’s more like this:
“Oh--you see Me! You see ME!!! I’ve been looking in your eyes for so long, and now you can see Me!!! Oh, My beloved! I have so much for you, so much I want to give you and teach you and provide for you—please, please let Me! There is nothing I would like better than to spend all My time with you, comforting you and caring for you. Do you feel My heart? Do you feel it pounding when you speak, sing, look at Me? Do you feel it now? Oh, My darling…”
Tonight at the annex, I stood onstage and listened as 200 people sang in unison without needing my help, and I imagined the face of the Father as He listened. We joined as one heart, looking up at our beloved Savior, and suddenly God was emotionally overwhelmed. The faces of so many of His beloved, singing praises to Him and seeing Him in His beauty, glory and grace. Recognizing His love for them and reciprocating…all at once.
This is what worship is, kids. Forget rules and regulations, routine prayers and preparation.
Look into the face of One Who loves you, and love Him in return.
You cannot imagine the elation He feels…for you.
So here we are. We know God has felt the pain of rejection. We have felt the same thing, on a much lesser scale. But we know that God felt. He felt betrayed. He felt regret. He felt sorrow and bewilderment and all the effects of a broken heart. He felt it. And how did He respond?
After your breakup, did you immediately go out and start loving someone at the same capacity again? Did you go out just as vulnerable as you were before, or did you hide yourself in a shell for a while? Perhaps you’re still in that shell…unwilling to open your heart up to someone because of the fear of getting hurt to such an extent again. You’ve got to protect your heart, right?
God has no shell.
God didn’t hide Himself after Adam and Eve. Yes, He had to punish them, and there was definitely a separation, but the story of Perfect Love did not end there. God did not say, “This whole thing is too painful for Me, and I don’t think I’ll do it again. I’m done with these humans—they’re only going to destroy My heart.”
Thank GOD He didn’t say that! No, the story of Love continued on with Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon…Jesus continued the story in physical form (again, a whole other blog)…and it still goes on today. Not only that, but throughout history, God has loved us just as intensely as He loved Adam and Eve. He did not hide Himself away—He has opened His heart to us again and again. And how have we responded? Has He been rejected since the Garden? Oh yeah. Look at the people in Noah’s day. Look at Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at Jesus on the cross…the ultimate rejection.
God feels it again and again, and yet takes the risk…again and again.
Why does He take this risk? What is it about us that He wants so much? I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. But I know that He wants me. My Lover is mine, and His desire is for me…
What is it about romance that excites us so much? The general consensus among my small group girls is that it is the fact that someone thinks our ideas matter, thinks that we are attractive, thinks we have nice-sounding voices—basically, someone saw us and thought, “Hey, I like her. I want to know her…she is special.” Picked us out of the crowd and saw us…
I’ve been in love before…or, at least, supreme infatuation. And I was affected in ways that I did not expect. Everything he said was important to me. Every look in my direction, every touch from his hand was something I cherished. He would single me out in a crowd, and I knew he saw me. Saw me. Saw who I was and liked me…loved me, even. When he chose to spend time with me out of everything else he could be doing, I was elated. Overjoyed. His actions, words, movements affected me in a way I didn’t know was possible.
God feels. And if He has the same ability to feel the pain of rejection that we all have experienced, then you better believe He feels elation too. Consider this—if this one guy I was infatuated with had such an effect on me, imagine what the guy I LOVE will do! And if I already know the joy of just being recognized, imagine what God—in Whose image I was created—feels when the object of His affection turns their eyes toward Him and sees Him…sees Who He is and likes Him…loves Him, even!
And who is the object of His affection? Yeah, you.
There are times when we gather as a congregation and sing songs of praise and worship to God. Sometimes, honestly, there are times that I am singing almost by rote. I enjoy it and I know I am honoring God, but you know how it is when your heart’s not quite in it. But then, you also know what it’s like when it is. For a brief, passing moment, you hear the words of the song and you think, “Yes! I believe that! God, ‘You are the only One I need; I bow all of me at Your feet; I worship You alone’! Amen!!”
And at that moment, your eyes turn upward and you see Him. And He sees that you see Him. His beloved, the object of His affection and the passion of His heart, has looked up and seen Him…recognized what He’s been doing…appreciated Him…felt love toward Him. His love, for a moment, has been reciprocated.
You cannot imagine the elation that He feels....
I don’t think He ever says, “Well, it’s about time. You’ve been singing for fifteen minutes already—hello!! Thinking about yourself again, I see.”
No. Let me ask you to consider that maybe it’s more like this:
“Oh--you see Me! You see ME!!! I’ve been looking in your eyes for so long, and now you can see Me!!! Oh, My beloved! I have so much for you, so much I want to give you and teach you and provide for you—please, please let Me! There is nothing I would like better than to spend all My time with you, comforting you and caring for you. Do you feel My heart? Do you feel it pounding when you speak, sing, look at Me? Do you feel it now? Oh, My darling…”
Tonight at the annex, I stood onstage and listened as 200 people sang in unison without needing my help, and I imagined the face of the Father as He listened. We joined as one heart, looking up at our beloved Savior, and suddenly God was emotionally overwhelmed. The faces of so many of His beloved, singing praises to Him and seeing Him in His beauty, glory and grace. Recognizing His love for them and reciprocating…all at once.
This is what worship is, kids. Forget rules and regulations, routine prayers and preparation.
Look into the face of One Who loves you, and love Him in return.
You cannot imagine the elation He feels…for you.
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