call me a blasphemer, but it seems contradictory that an apparently selfless God would create a whole universe, and all the life in it, for the sole purpose of glorifying him. even if he alone out of all beings deserves worship, doesn't it seem self-serving to create the whole human race to worship him? to say he does this to guide and fulfill us is partially satisfying, but i think there's more.
because he is the very embodiment of love. yet love for perfect situations or beings doesn't actually say very much. as Jesus [sort of] once said, anyone can do that. but love for a giant, sinful, disgusting mess goes beyond basic decency; it extends into the realm of grace. it speaks to the nature of the Lover, or the Love itself. isn't it feasible that God created an entire people for the purpose of pouring out his love in a way that proves to us how great and boundless it is? and thus, we glorify him by accepting this love and grace. and we reciprocate this one-way, undeserved love relationship by wearing this love and grace boldly, and by paying it forward.
Blasphemer! Er- sorry, it's just what they called Jesus too.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually very interesting after Wednesday's discussion, and it accounts for how modern "Gentiles" will naturally react with suspicion even with the philosophic disclaimer of our fulfillment.
Also, that's a pretty sound conclusion seeing that God didn't just preserve or remake Earth in its Edenic glory or give His favor to the loyal angelic creatures... but allowed sin's entrance and wrote a redemptive story in the middle of both worlds where we taste, benefit from, and participate in the Lord's previously veiled grace and humility. You might even say that - though ultimately it is outweighed by eternal glory - Jesus took on scars and abuses which were both in obedience to the Father and service to mankind, and that this was a more humiliating choice than it would have been to simply bow before Satan (a beautiful angel) to receive all kingdoms.
Oh-, and have you noticed that the word "wearing [this love and grace]" though we typically only mean putting something on, also suggests and originates from that equipment becoming more weathered through daily use and continual travels? Tolkien used the word in a way that made that really apparent and important, though it was always invisible to me before.