Zoe Hatcher's Blog
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
God's Friendship
Job. 29:4b "God's intimate friendship blessed my house."
Job. 16:19-21 "Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. 20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; 21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend."
When I think about being God's friend, I think about a time when I was in a huge crowd of people. I knew no one around, no one knew me or even really saw me. But I felt like God reached down and hugged me. Out of all of those people, he saw me. Have you ever felt that way? Noticed. Treasured. Not when you did anything. Not when you put on a show, or looked especially good, said something incredibly clever, or even when you weren't around anyone to fawn over you. Let me tell you, it was life-changing.
To know the truth that you are loved by God, and not in a Sunday School way, "Jesus Loves Me". But to know that you know that you did nothing, and He saw you. There across the room. And loved you. It's even better to find out once you get to know each other that He was always there. And not just as a bystander, but your Creator, He made you. So it's quite the epiphany when you realize that he knows you better than anyone, and can love you that way. Like a friend. The perfect friend.
The picture that Job paints that God's intimate friendship blessed his house is awesome. It's like the sun coming in and making everyone warm. And then in Job's experience, he feels like the sun has left and it's dark and cold. When in reality a dark storm front came in the room to block the sun's warmth. He's freezing cold and all he knows is that the sun left, right?
I wish I could always feel that God-hug in a crowd. When I'm at the grocery store, or home doing dishes, or crying because I feel misunderstood or lonely. The thing I don't realize is that He's hugging me then too, just the enemy's come in and put a big puffy jacket on me and all I can feel is my pain insulated. Not that skin against skin comfort of intimacy with God. So I yell at him (and anyone around) that He's left, and good riddance. I didn't need Him anyway, right? Could you imagine how frustrating it would be for God? Him sitting there holding on to me and me turned away from Him, yelling "where are You?" I picture Him a lot of times just sitting there patiently waiting for me to finish my fit, just like I do with my kids (well, not always so patiently on my part...). And then when I'm spent, sweating in my puffy coat, He says, are you ready to throw that stupid coat off and turn around and talk to me?
Let me just say, I'm growing up in my faith... But that's another blog for another day... ;)
Job. 16:19-21 "Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. 20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; 21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend."
When I think about being God's friend, I think about a time when I was in a huge crowd of people. I knew no one around, no one knew me or even really saw me. But I felt like God reached down and hugged me. Out of all of those people, he saw me. Have you ever felt that way? Noticed. Treasured. Not when you did anything. Not when you put on a show, or looked especially good, said something incredibly clever, or even when you weren't around anyone to fawn over you. Let me tell you, it was life-changing.
To know the truth that you are loved by God, and not in a Sunday School way, "Jesus Loves Me". But to know that you know that you did nothing, and He saw you. There across the room. And loved you. It's even better to find out once you get to know each other that He was always there. And not just as a bystander, but your Creator, He made you. So it's quite the epiphany when you realize that he knows you better than anyone, and can love you that way. Like a friend. The perfect friend.
The picture that Job paints that God's intimate friendship blessed his house is awesome. It's like the sun coming in and making everyone warm. And then in Job's experience, he feels like the sun has left and it's dark and cold. When in reality a dark storm front came in the room to block the sun's warmth. He's freezing cold and all he knows is that the sun left, right?
I wish I could always feel that God-hug in a crowd. When I'm at the grocery store, or home doing dishes, or crying because I feel misunderstood or lonely. The thing I don't realize is that He's hugging me then too, just the enemy's come in and put a big puffy jacket on me and all I can feel is my pain insulated. Not that skin against skin comfort of intimacy with God. So I yell at him (and anyone around) that He's left, and good riddance. I didn't need Him anyway, right? Could you imagine how frustrating it would be for God? Him sitting there holding on to me and me turned away from Him, yelling "where are You?" I picture Him a lot of times just sitting there patiently waiting for me to finish my fit, just like I do with my kids (well, not always so patiently on my part...). And then when I'm spent, sweating in my puffy coat, He says, are you ready to throw that stupid coat off and turn around and talk to me?
Let me just say, I'm growing up in my faith... But that's another blog for another day... ;)
:: posted by Helga Zoe Hatcher, 9:55 AM
