A Very Personal God

     Have you ever wondered why God created us and what His thoughts were at the moment He was creating us? When I was younger I used to wonder that all the time. When I messed up big time I would look up and ask, 'Now do You regret making us?' I could never quite connect with Him and because I couldn't do that I just couldn't understand why He, this huge, awesome, powerful Deity, would make a creation that was so flawed. I mean come on! We're rebellious, hard headed and sometimes just plain stupid. It took about 26 years to kind of understand it. I know, I know! I'm hard headed that way. I guess that's why it took so long and even then I didn't really understand it, but because I'd finally come to a saving knowledge of Christ I was able to take it on faith.

     Anyway, recently I was counseling a friend of mine and I was telling her that God personally loved her so much that He knew before she was born that she would one day be in pain, (emotionally, mentally and physically) and that she would need comfort and His answer had been Jesus. He (God) had looked ahead to now, as only God can and He'd hurt for her.

     I know when I'm hurting with a pain that no one else can understand or imagine, God is there and He understands. I imagine that His conversations with me kind of go like this. 'Alice, hold on. It's going to be okay. I'm your Father, your Daddy and I love you so much and I want to make it better. But honey, the only way it's going to get better is if you let it go. Don't hold on to it. I'm here. Let me hold you and take away your pain. Help's on the way!' Well obviously I can't actually imagine what God's thoughts and feelings are, but I know as a parent when my child hurts I hurt. And God is after all our Father and Creator.  I imagine that as I cry for my son, God cries for me, for us. And even now His eyes are full of tears when He sees how much pain we're in. You see God sent Jesus for Maria, for me, for you to help us get through times like this. The funny thing is that as I was talking to her, the light in my attic came on brightly and I could actually, if even for  just a minute, see clearly. All of a sudden my brain kind of went spasmodic and I said, 'Whoa! He really loves me!' I mean, I knew it already, but every once in a while, God decides to remind me, again. The rest of the day just kind of passed in a really happy daze.

     Sunday morning I got up all chipper and happy, if a bit achy and I wasn't quite sure I'd be able to make it to church, but I forced myself to go anyway and what an awesome time I had, but then again I always have an awesome time.

    Pastor Al spoke of and about a personal God who loves each and every one of us (sometimes we all need reminding!). He went through several verses in Genesis and once again it felt as if the floodgates of knowledge had burst open. It was as if the Lord was saying to me, 'Yes Alice, you understood right. I'm your daddy and I love you.'

    If you haven't read Genesis yet you should! All my previous wondering about why God had created us were answered. It was so simple and yet complex at the same time. In Genesis 1:26-28 you see that God takes great care in creating people. He lovingly shapes and molds man and then He breathes life directly into His creation and he becomes a living being (Genesis 2:7). God didn't stop there either. He further showed His love by creating a special home for man and woman (Genesis 2:8-15) that would have everything in it that they would need; shelter, food, water. Eden had all the essentials. He left the creation of His best for last and then He provided for said creation just the way a loving father does. I guess you can say we are His special creation poetry.

     I think that the most awesome thing is that God made His creation of people a very personal thing. God doesn't have a huge factory where we are massed produced. He has a potter's wheel and He lovingly shapes, sculpts and creates each of us with differences unique to each of us. To God creation is a personal, emotional, loving experience. The God who took such care in creating us and then after we messed up, sending a Savior, isn't a cold, non-caring God. Our Father God is a loving, personal hands-on daddy who hurts and feels our pain when we are hurting or sick. So on the days that you're feeling sorry for yourself or you think that no one cares about you, remember the One who created you. He loves you so much and all you have to do is call out to Him and He'll be there.

     May 2012 bring you only God's awesome blessings. 

yours in Christ Jesus,

Image Credit: myggm.org