Again, I have been thinking about what it means that we are created in the image of God, and it occurs to me that what self-centered men and women do is to turn it around and make God into their image. They imagine God to be someone who fits their idea, meets their ideal, and fulfills their dreams and ambitions. The “heathens” do this with their gods, but perhaps it never occurred to us we can be guilty of this too. And when God doesn’t meet our “ideal,” we get angry with Him, or at least, disappointed. Instead of taking the time to really know God and understand His ways, in our disillusionment, we distance ourselves.
It seems to me that too few believers have a passion to know God for Himself. Not only do they want to be “like” God, they want God to be “like” them! And worse, they want a god who exists only to serve their interests. It’s all about what God can do for them—not what God purposes to do with them, not about Who He is. And the real beauty is this: God wants to be known!
Better than accomplishing your goals, achieving your dreams, and feeling good about yourelf is the knowlede of God.
Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD...for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24)
Greg,
ReplyDeleteThe passage you quoted from Jeremiah has been a favorite of mine since I discovered it in J.I.Packer's book, "Knowing God" from back in the mid 1970's. Also, A.W.Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy" was a revelation about that subject as well. I began to seek God for Himself when I discovered the comment you quoted that I found in the break room of my first place of employment: "...and God was made in the image of man!" I suppose someone thought they were quite clever to flip Scripture around; it sure did affect me but it made me hungry to know God because lies like the above goad me into finding a rebuttal (or at least an answer) to the mocking spirit that is out there in the lives of quite a few non-believers.
Unfortunately, it is not confined to their ranks alone and we must contend with it in our own. Your comments have prompted the "apologist" in me as I recall my feelings of insecurity at the time on how to handle such an "in-your-face" sentiment such as that and how I would respond now.
Yet, God extends His grace to those who don't understand the magnitude of being created in the Image and Likeness of their Creator/Father/Redeemer, and// not even interested in getting it right! But grace is not license to ignore; it is permission to discover! It is not license to fail; it is permission to succeed! It is not license to demand our right; it is freedom to receive from His hand! It is not license to demand conformity; it is freedom to forbear!
I believe many of us will be surprised in heaven, not by how few make it there, but by how many actually do!
I think there will be a lot of surprises in heaven! And a lot of tears when we realize how much we offended and neglected the great "I AM."
ReplyDeleteGreg,
ReplyDeleteI admit I am "surprised" myself by your comment about tears shed in heaven when the revelation of how we have "offended and neglected the great 'I AM' becomes known to us, especially in the context of being surpised (by joy) when we see people in heaven whom we didn't expect to end up there!
This blog is part of the greater vision of "Dying To Live The Abundant Life" is it not? Then what possible motivation would there be to seek to live and experience the abundant life here on earth by dying to self only to have to anticipate an unimaginable pain of revelation of exactly how far short we have fallen by being shown the depth of woundedness we caused our Savior and Lord by our neglect and offense while we were on earth? John the Revelator quotes Isaiah twice about the fact that we can look forward to the Lord wiping away all our tears and both of those quotes are paired with the finality of death's demise! If the Blood of Jesus does NOT cover our worst sins--neglect and offense against the Godhead--then the Church has been teaching a grievous error! But THAT surprise is not one I believe I will discover when I find myself in heaven after this life!
Somehow, in God's wisdom and grace, He put Himself at genuine risk that we would not understand the nature of His grace, even in the best of our times of faithfulness and application of His revealed truth on this earth. But instead of our tears overflowing in heaven when our life is reviewed wouldn't there be more purpose in causing an eternal awe and wonder at the magnitude of His love and forgiveness and grace extended toward us than in rubbing in our face one last time how far short we fell of His glory?
Perhaps the one last regret we will ever have is when we run out of crowns to cast at His feet! Maybe is it at THIS moment when the tears start to well up, only to be immediately and forever wiped away. If this is what you were referring to then we have a place of agreement. If not I guess you could say you hit a "nerve" with me.
We are in agreement. The fact that He will wipe away every tear indicates there will be some. So the question would be: Why tears? He wouldn't be wiping away tears of joy. These must be the initial tears at how GREAT He is and how we lost opportunities... But then the party begins! No more sorrow!
ReplyDeleteNot to fear: I'm not getting weird on you. Thanks for the thoughtful, and inspiring, comment about heaven. It will be great, won't it!!!
Greg,
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have power of attorney over my aging parents. Yesterday, my dad showed signs of a possible stroke by being confused between the dream he had when he took a nap and the reality he awakened to. So last night my wife and I prayed earnestly for his mind. This morning when my wife checked on them both my dad announced he had awakened singing a new song to the Lord--quite a departure from the day before! He told her, "This was real worship!" and he repeated the same comment a couple more times during her visit at their place.
Heaven has a way of "invading" our earthly circumstances, much like it did at Jesus' Incarnation. If we can have times like my dad experienced, as magnificent as they are, whatever can it be like separated from the presence of indwelling sin?