GodReflection: Does God Care Specifically About Me?
To begin this post, I must return to Jesus’ wayward sons story and its focus upon the ever-present father and the noncompliant boys.
It was Timothy Keller in his book The Prodigal God, who first help me see there were two wayward sons in Luke’s account of Jesus’ three stories on lost treasure—the lamb, the coin, and the sons (Luke 15).
The younger son did not want to be in fellowship with the father so he left and in a “far country” broke all of the rules and squandered his portion of the father’s inheritance.
The older son in his self-righteous refusal to attend the restoration party broke fellowship with both his brother and his father. He followed the rules but lacked heart connection with his father.
The father’s eyes had searched the earth’s horizon for an absent son and had witnessed the closed and pouting horizon of another son who in self-rightness shut him out.
Pained by both sons the father couldn’t help himself—he could only love. He loved them both beyond anyone’s comprehension.
His automatic response was to fling his arms wide open and invite them in—even though they had caused him pain. The father never left. He was always there in wait of hopeful return.
Somewhere along the way I was introduced to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Portuguese Sonnet 43: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
It occurs to me that with a small play on words that wouldn’t be a bad title for a confession: How have I caused Thee pain? Let me count the ways.
Filled with blood and genes from Papa Adam and Mama Eve and from my kinship to the Father’s two sons in Jesus’ story, I wouldn’t have to be overly creative to make long lists of ways I’ve cause my Father God pain along my life walk.
But regardless of my omissions and commissions He never leaves. As long as I turn my heart toward His, He is there.God is the Father whose heart fills with pain (Genesis 6:6) over sin.
He is also the God who is the very definition of love. He hurts at the sight of human frailness.
I can hardly believe it but it is true. As long as I remain soaked in the blood of Jesus—Father God can’t see my sin through the thick blood.
The greatest pain I caused Him was the fact that my sin resulted in the death of His Son. Because of that death He is always present in the blood and never leaves me.
So here is brick number five of twelve to help me become less of an “earthoholic” and more addicted to the Holy as I seek God’s reassurance that He cares specifically about me.
As I lay my brick I lament and rejoice, “I cause Him pain and He never leaves.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t always remember this brick. Will you join with me and help me stack it where I can see it more often? What do you think? Do you also have a hard time keeping this brick in view?
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection: I Cause Him Pain and He Never Leaves.
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http://www.GodReflection.org
http://www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com
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