Dear Friend, we love Him, we love Him not
February 13, 2009 | Dear Friend,Knowing Christ
Dear Friend,
You ask me if we have made Christianity a sappy love story, where God allows us to do whatever we want and yet he’s standing there with open arms. That doesn’t seem like love to you, you say.
And you know what? I agree with you. I believe in God’s love. I know that the sacrifice He gave was based on love for humanity. I don’t understand it always. I know that we don’t merit it most of the time, and these words from Romans 8 convince me that He loves me when I least deserve it:
I’m absolutely convinced that nothing–nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable–absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
But I also struggle with the way we love Him sometimes. Like He’s a convenience. Pull him out in the hard times. Tuck Him away when Scripture seems to ask us to go against feelings, desires, or wants. Argue and debate with others, as if we are superior and faith is all about us or our opinions, when the reality is we should be pointing the way to Him.
Sometimes we ignore him except when we go to church — a good thing, church is — but knowing Him one-on-one can take us into a spiritual place of intimacy that is beautiful and challenging.
I lay in bed last night wondering about your second question. What would my life be like if I didn’t love Christ? And the answer is that in many ways it would be easier. Because every decision I make, every word I speak, every move I make is shadowed by my faith.
And yet the thought of not knowing and loving God creates such a chasm in my soul that I almost could not bear it.
Because I truly love God. And I’m grateful for the patience He showed as I matured in my faith. I’m grateful that there are times He stops me in my tracks to redirect me.
And I’m grateful for you, dear friend. I don’t know if I answered your question. Most likely, I just raised a few more. But I treasure the fact that you continue to ask them.
I’m not judging, friend. I have not right to do that, but the question you ask is a good one. As usual. Your questions drive to me to my knees, and perhaps harder, it makes me look at my own life.
Keep asking them, okay?
Love always,
Suzie
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