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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 8, 200 God is Like a Faithful Spouse |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, January 8, 2007 by Fritz Foltz
Isaiah 62: 4,5 You shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Living close to a seminary I have often heard theologians complain that some preachers get too intimate with God, treating Him as if he were a friend down the street. I know what they mean when I hear some televangelists pretend to receive direct messages from God. I especially cringe when one or two pretend they are holding a conversation right before our eyes. ”Yes, God, I hear you. What is that you are saying? What should I do? Ahuh. Ahuih. Ahuh. Okay, people, God tells me…” I have real doubts not only because God has never spoken to any of my saintly friends in that manner, but also because I have had too much personal experience with how the actions of these guys has harmed vulnerable people.
On the other hand, today’s lesson describes God in a very intimate relationship with his people. He calls them his bride. That’s a great deal more familiar than the friend down the street. It declares God loves us passionately and invites us to accept and return that love.
Perhaps the true situation lies somewhere in between a cold, respectful distance and a warm, take-you-for-granted intimacy. In fact, the Bible describes the wedding as a promise to be consummated in the future. Right now we are engaged rather than married. But that promise gives us the courage we need to live unafraid in a dangerous world. We know nothing will ever separate us from God’s love.
Humanity’s relationship with God seems to extend over a spectrum that runs from being an atheist at one end to being totally united with God as in marriage on the other. I see the progression going something like atheist to agnostic to belief that some kind of god exists to accepting God as the loving Father of Jesus Christ to total union.
Obviously, Christianity is not just believing some kind of god created our universe. We proclaim a much more amazing truth: the God who created the universe is the Father of Jesus Christ who loves and cares for us passionately. Even though we are not completely united right now, we have God’s promise we two shall become one in the future. The secret of life is to respond to that promise.
Let us pray: We give you thanks, Father, for your passionate love. Help us to be constantly aware that nothing can ever separate us from your care that we might live unafraid in the midst of peril. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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