You are loved, accepted and included. Love breathed you into existence even if your parents didn't show you how valuable you truly are.
Our culture is saturated in Christendom. It is the old worldview that colors way more of our language and terminology than we even realize. We are also immersed is all the various streams of Christianity. Streams that are beautiful and also polluted. I want to share how I experience the love of God because it is also all around you. It's not magical; it is more of a mystery and a dance.
With churches everywhere and virtually everyone having Christian kin we all think we know what it is all about. (This piece is my understanding) Essentially, Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins. Sound familiar? He did. It's much deeper.
God did not want to be high above us without experience of the human plight. This was never the plan to not be united to us. You are made in the image of God. God steps into our image. It is very contrary to how humans yield their power.
God chose to be self-emptied of all the power of Yahweh in Jesus and becomes a part of creation. 2000 years ago in a brutal world God walked among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God. He perfectly represents the heart of God towards us.
God knows how hard it is to be human.
God knows what it is like to experience rejection from friends and to have family think he is crazy.
God understands hurt feelings.
God speaks dignity,freedom and worth to everyone, particularly the 'sinners' such as prostitutes, tax collectors, drunks, sick, the rich and poor alike.
God despises hypocrisy especially when it parades around as supposed virtue.
God was a baby just like you.
God has friends and critics.
God experiences the joy and challenge of the present moment.
God has a sense of humor.
God laughs.
God has been sick.
God had to learn to speak.
God has little interest in dominance.
God knows poverty.
God is humble.
God teaches.
God experienced humiliation.
God experienced physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and spiritual abuse.
God suffers.
God forgives ignorance.
God is alongside us.
God was nailed down.
God is vulnerable.
God literally feels the weight of all the sin of humanity and removes it mysteriously.
God has empathy.
God is the scapegoat.
If Jesus brought God into all of these experiences why do we believe God is ready to exact revenge on all of humankind. This is inconsistent. and God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God doesn't change, our awareness and understanding do. Jesus is the empathy of God made flesh.
Jesus is raised up and still doesn't bring punishment. It's unfair if you look at it deeply. Grace has never been fair.
God and Jesus pour out the Holy Spirit on all of us. She is the Voice who continually whispers "beloved" to our hearts. She gently convicts and comforts. God is and always has been with you from the moment of your conception up until this present moment. Take a break from reading right here, right now. You are not alone. Love is embracing you. God wept with you in your pain and will weep with you when it hits again.
Hell avoidance is not the point of the Good News. God wants to change this world through you. God wants you to know you are not alone. You are forever included in this love whether you know it or not. God wants the heart of inner child to come alive and trust even when its hard. God wants you experience your life. God delights in you. God is love and life.
Do I think it is good to become aware of this unconditional love and allow it to penetrate and raise up life within you, I do. Do I think it is good to be baptised into his death and raised to life anew, I do. Do I think repentance (change of direction) is good, I do. Do I think it is important to learn to see Christ in all of humanity, I do. Do I think it is good to be a disciple of Christ, I do. Do I think it is good to come to remember his suffering of his broken body and poured out blood in a life giving meal, I do. Do I think it is good to experience community that can physically show this love, I do. Do I think it is good to not be alone, I do. Do I think it is good to do the hard work of facing your sin and the sins that were perpetrated against you, I do. Do I think it is good to have fun, I do. Do I think it is good to expose hypocrisy (within first) and work for justice that redeems, I do. Do I think it is good to believe and trust, I do. Do I think it is good to have an active relationship with God through ongoing prayer, I do. Do I think it is good to worship God, I do.
Do I think belief makes you better than those who don't have faith, I do not. That entirely misses the point. We are all in need and no one is self-sufficient or comes to awareness apart from God's action in our lives.
Ultimately, I hope the ministry God has given me is that even if you have little or no faith that when you face difficulty and suffering and ultimately the end of your life that you can know that God is safe to call on. God understands your unbelief. I am more than willing to share this hope with whoever wants to talk. Email me or shoot a message. We can talk. Good News is hard to believe.
From Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer
This blog is inspired by my sister DeAnna. Our journeys share the hope and love of God differently but we a both included. I love you, Sis.