God is able to have a relationship with man, because there are things that we share in common with him, since we are made in His image. Similarly, there are things that we do not have in common with Him, such as a pronation toward sin and a broken nature. I think it's interesting that the makeup of our relationship with Him both includes matters which we relate on as well as areas of opposition, which requires an extension of grace or compromise to cover the gap spaces. I can't help but draw lines of inference and similarity to natural relationships from this heavenly model.
When two humans have a relationship with one another, it's because they "relate" to one another in some fashion, but there will also be areas of opposition and disconnect. This brokenness possesses the power to sharpen each member involved in the relationship, but it seems to me that this element of brokenness is what brings about pain in relationship. The similarities and established roads for intimacy produce fruit and pleasantry, but our differences and obstacles for knowing each other are the trip wires for frustration and pain.
Why in the world did God decide to set it up like this??? People don't usually dwell on the fact that God feels pain, but realizing that there is pain in all disconnect and in all gap spaces of relationship it's obvious that God partakes a macro-scale of pain continually.
Very connected to this thought is the idea that people often talk about loving without expectation or any assumption of reciprocation. I've interpreted many voices from the modern day church to teach that if we're living and giving from a place of no expectation that we will feel happy and free, while investing into broken people and relationships. On the contrary I think that whether a person has expectations of reciprocation, acceptance or the like, it still hurts when someone rejects such an offering. I feel this way because I think that God's heart hurts every time we reject relationship with Him, His promises, or His gifts of love. I don't think God has unhealthy expectations of reciprocation or a need of acceptance. He knows who He is and has no need of us, but He still feels pain when the gaps are not bridged.
I still don't understand why He designed relationships in our universe in this way or why relationship seems to be the DNA of why and how our universe exists. There seems to be a theme of beauty, pain and restoration though. On a sentimental level, acknowledging that God experiences the same pain that we do in relationships makes me feel better and makes me think that relationships are worth it.
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All things in life,are born,grow,mature,wither then die. Relationships are no different. Look to the season changes,they cycle every year,Autumn,Winter,Spring,and Summer. The decades also have cycles as do the century's. We "expect" these cycles to behave in a manor that is conducive to what has come before. However, with in each cycle, as with in each season, there are subtle shifts that if un noticed will catch the unsuspecting mere mortal off guard. The leaves are always cast off from the tree in Autumn,but with in each cycle of casting off,the leaves are different,so the pattern is different. God is a living breathing being,and is reflected in all life....Relationships between us mere mortals is really no different... At least thats the way I see it...
ReplyDeletewell, the way I see it....... is God does form relationships.. and i'm really glad they aren't rendered to "seasons" - fickle hearts. Yes, there are different levels of friendship. Those we minister to... to help with a leg up in certain parts of their journey. But the lasting ones are PEERS..... those that we share out table and our lives with. Sometimes there are gap spaces... due to geographical location and emotional swings.. ect. But the true heart spaces DON'T change. I think the "Season" shit, is just a convenient justification not to engage when things are difficult. You really don't have a relationship with someone until you've argued/ disagreed/ or contended with on some matters. Just ask Israel.
ReplyDelete"All things in life, are born, grow, mature, wither then die"-but what about the perennial relationships that go thru seasons just to bloom bigger if pruned properly . Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Well i have a few brothers that are like that.... it's the iron sharpens iron parts of things....... but a "friend loves at all times" is really what things are about. Jesus came to show us relationship with the Father... to be a friend of God. What does that mean in flesh form with his KINdom. The Garden of friendship is NOT like crop rotation.... where there are some for a season.. then rip them all out and replant with some new things to grow. It's more like an English Garden.... Planted, tended... loved..... and allowed to grow a bit wild in parts.
The part where you said "wither and die" does not allow for the resurrection life that God imparts ...... it's the incarnational reality that is missing. People are not some disposable parts of our character flaws.... in fact i think it's part of our character flaws that denies the Risen Christ in our hearts, homes and relationships.
I guess i just don't think that relationships are fertilizer for some self serving narcissistic garden of our own wants and desires.
I appreciate both of your comments. I have to agree with Cathryn about interpreting Jackie's line, "everything grows, withers, and dies", as leaving no room for perennial relationships and God's miraculous restoration. I find it interesting that Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book entitled Seasons of Love, which broaches this very topic of how relationships have seasons. Personally I have to agree more with his view on seasons in relationships to look more like stages of growth, which continue over time. You can have reoccurring summers, winters, and falls in a relationship or you could just get stuck in one season for a long time, if you don't invest into the relationship or work things out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jackie that every season is still slightly different when it comes back around and that God is living, breathing, and manifests Himself continually in new ways as time changes. I don't know if I see how this statement relates to what I wrote, but I do agree with it. I don't believe this idea backs a view on relationships being destined for death, because the funny thing to me is that although there is brokenness in every relationship in the universe, including God's with us, He's into covenant. He's really obsessed with choosing to remain in relationships despite brokenness, difficulty, etc. He finds it worth it for some reason and I'd like to think I do as well.
The main ideas I was trying to communicate in my blogpost were centered around the concept and DNA of relationship. God designed relationship and modeled it for us and we have the opportunity to have relationships with other people as well. I think that the natural laws that dictate boundaries in our relationship with God are going to be incredibly similar with one another.
I don't feel that His relationship is dead with us, I feel that's why all of this is sill all around. So likewise I don't believe our human relationships are intended to wither and die. If so I might be buying stock in bounty paper towels for easy, disposable, clean-up. Your comment, "We "expect" these cycles to behave in a manor that is conducive to what has come before." in conjunction with the rest of your post makes me think that you've interpreted nature and life cycles to be disconnected from one another and having an ending point in relational context.
For me even when I'm not in close contact with individuals who've played a major role in my life or who I've had deep friendships with, I feel that they are still connected to me and a part of my current ongoing story. Sometimes relationships become more specific and are put into contexts within my life, but I never feel that any of my relationships have periods on them, at least not yet, just ellipses :-).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's fun to hash things out to better understand and communicate my own thoughts and see how they compare with other peoples'.