What is God really like? Everything I’ve thought I should be, God already is. Every requirement and expectation I’ve thought he had of me, He is.
I was taught for a long time that God was judge. I was taught to hurry to obey because God might strike me or I might miss a blessing if I didn’t. Witnessing was urgent because those people could die at any moment, lost because I hadn’t shared. And then their blood would be on my hands. I better live perfectly or I would be condemned. If I messed up, God would judge me. The fear teachings were bad, but it’s the guilt teachings that had such a lasting impact on me.
But is that the God we serve? God is love. 1 Cor 13 says 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.
If God is love and this is what love is, then God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude or self seeking. If God is love and this is what love is, then God is not easily angered. God keeps no record of wrongs. If God is love and this is what love is, then God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, and never fails.
There’s more, so much more, but that’s a good start. One last thought though: I was taught that I had to be a certain way because God was, or because that’s what he required. But He lives in me. It’s not about what I can do. It’s not about meeting his sky-high requirements. I never could and he and I and everyone who’s ever met me all know it. But I don’t have to. I just have to trust him, to let him live through me. That’s not about being perfect. That’s about being His. God doesn’t look at us and see us. He sees Jesus in us.
Unconditional love. Conditional love says, “Do this and I’ll do that.” “Shout enough and I’ll bless you. Have enough faith and you’ll get your answer. Read your Bible and pray enough and you’ll be different. Dress this way and you’ll be protected.” That’s not God. That’s conditional love. But God loves us unconditionally. He loved us when we were yet sinners. He wants to spend time with us, he wants us to get to know him, he wants us to enjoy time with him, but those aren’t conditions of his love, they are the desires of his heart. Because He loves us, unconditionally.
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