Here are some other things to think about as we continue to discuss our desire for unconditional love.
1. Love and worth spring forth naturally from desirability
You see we typically feel that our value is derived from our contributions or our performance, but that simply is not true. There is something much greater and much deeper going on there. A typical home in Albuquerque costs around $200,000. The same exact house, same square footage, same size lot, etc. out here in Malibu would cost over 1 million dollars! What’s the difference? The quality of the home? The usability of the home? No. The difference is desirability. A greater number of people desire the house out here, for a number of reasons. But because of the demand, it has higher value. Now think about this, your value comes not from what you do, or the contributions you make, or even from the mistakes you make, but from the simple fact that the God of the Universe desires you. You are in high demand, therefore, you have great value.
2. Many of us have a misunderstanding that God loves us less when we sin or go against his will
What we fail to realize and grasp is that there is a huge difference between immaturity and rebellion. God knows that we are but dust and ashes, that we are weak and fragile, and that we are all very young in our Christian walk. So when we mess up, God doesn’t blast us or rebuke us or stop loving us. Just as a mother wouldn’t have blasted or rebuked or stopped loving her children because they weren’t walking or talking or using utensils right out of the womb. It takes time to develop and grow and God knows that. God knows it takes time to mature and become what He intended you to become and he loves you all the more as you struggle through that maturity process.
Any thoughts?
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5 comments:
that house analogy..perfect :]
God certainly has a way of creating "coincidence". The night before the first Collide I started reading a book by Max Lucado called "It's not about me". I've had this book on the bookshelf for two years and have no idea why I chose to bring it to school, but I think God has a way of making us notice things at just the right moment. This one sentence stuck out to me: "When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God Himself, we cross a threshold."
Wow. I reread that sentence and realized I don't understand what it means to desire God Himself. It's not bad to desire the things of God. In fact, all my life I've learned we are supposed to desire these things- whatever they are- and it's certainly not wrong to ask God for help. But to desire God Himself is something completely different- we "cross a threshold." Our relationship with God is taken to a new level.
I've spent the past few weeks pursuing the meaning of this idea and through prayer, discussion, God's word and listening to sermons with this intent, I've gotten some impressions of what this desire for God Himself means and how it translates into everyday life. Still, I only have impressions of this, not thoughts I can form into words yet. Any ideas, thoughts or suggestions?
"For how would it be possible for me to know that I doubt and that I desire- that is, that I lack something and am not all perfect- if I did not have in myself any idea of a being more perfect than my own, by comparison with which I might recognize the defects of my own nature?"
- Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy, Third Meditation
It is always so reassuring to read something like your second point! I've definitely struggled with that...just knowing that I'm loved all the more when I run to God after I've messed up or feel like I've let Him down in a big way! I think that's something I have a hard time believing, so it's great to see I'm not alone in that! Thank you!
I'm really looking forward to the talk about the desire for intimacy. I can understand how our desire for unconditional love can only be fulfilled by God, since he's the only one who loves us that way. But how can our desire for intimacy lead us to him? I suppose that maybe it's because he knows us completely and loves us anyway. But I really need this concept to be well rooted in my heart. It's so much easier to look to guys for approval... and so empty....
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