Coffee ith Teresa

Not sure a God story, but maybe it is.  Something I have struggled with all my life, but a new perspective.  As I wrote this, I thought of that scared little girl that was always afraid of God, maybe I am talking to this little girl here; maybe I am speaking to her, and reaching over to give her a big hug ......

How can we say God was an angry God?  All through the Old Testament He pursued His people.  Where was the mean God that was mad at His people? 

He always loved them and wanted to be with them.  I have finally come to this decision.

I was taught from the time I was a small child that God was angry with us, mad at us and it was about coming to Him so He wouldn’t be mad anymore.  Yes I understand forgiving of sins, we did disobey Him, but I think He was more sorrowful, broken-hearted because He knew what we had done – we had become separated from Him; the very source of our life.  I believe this saddened Him; broke His heart. 

Look throughout the Old Testament.  Even when Adam and Eve sinned, God didn’t storm away from them; He went to look for them (and I am sure He already knew where they were!) and then of all things He asked them a question!  What was the question?  Where are you?  He knew, but He wanted them to see – what had happened.  Now they were hiding in shame, afraid – a bit different than before, wasn’t it?

Then He mercifully set them outside of the garden.  I always thought this was because He was mad and wanted to punish them in some way.  But was it?  The tree of life was in the garden, if Adam and Eve had eaten from that tree - separated from God; they would have ALWAYS been separated from Him.  This was the tree of life, forever; the way we were to always live – receiving from God. 

God put them out of the garden, but He continued to come to them; through situations, people and prophets.  He sent Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egypt.  He communicated to Moses; He provided the cloud by night so they could follow.  He provided the manna by day so they could eat.  There was the ark, so He could be with His people.  There was the tabernacle built, so He could communicate and be with His people through the priests. 

Was He mad and upset?  Yes, maybe He was.  I often get upset with my kids when they do something stupid, but I still love them and want to be with them.  And I will do anything in my power to help them, pursue them, help them to see who they are; be with them.  If God was so angry why He didn’t just wipe us out, start over?  He could do that.  But He didn’t.  He created us in His image; gave us the ability to choose.  He wanted us.  So He figured out a way to rescue us, even after all that had happened.  He became one of us in Jesus; He entered into our world where we were, so we could enter into His world again and be the human beings He created us to be. 

Jesus said when He was walking on earth, fully man and fully God, that when we see Him, we see the Father.  Was there anything about Jesus that was angry, mean, out to punish people, or wanting to hurt them?  Yes He did get angry once when people were abusing other people, but was there another time? 

I write this with clearness in my heart and mind.  If I am wrong, I am open to God showing me.  It has been a journey coming to this point.  Because I can remember as a little girl, hearing the preacher up front telling me how mad God was at me and I had better repent or I would go to hell.  I never heard about how God created me, that I needed Him, He was my source of life or that He loved me ……Yes I know we have sinned and we do need to ask God for forgiveness, we need to repent…but I believe it is because that was how we were created to live anyway – receiving from God; participating with Him, hearing His voice and knowing He is God; we am not. 

Jesus came to rescue us, save us, bring us back into relationship with the Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I don’t believe the way to lead people to this truth is by scaring them, putting fear in their hearts.  I have fought this all my life and when I started reading about how God always wanted to be with me, I almost felt guilty from what I was seeing in the Scripture.  It was buried so deep in me…this fear that I have had since a little girl. 

But I don’t believe that anymore.