the divine marriage

So as is my usual mode of operation, I was thinking about some stuff today. One of the first things that popped into my head was something I thought would be a real thought provoking topic of discussion: what does it mean to be a Christian; what is the point of being a Christian?

Now I mean this is a broad scoped way, not the "little Christs" or other literal interpretations. It is more a kind of, "I just became a Christian; what now, what does that mean," type of question. Immediately, a corner of my brain piped up and answered a fairly cookie-cutter answer, we are to worship God and spread the Message, more or less. Well isn't that quaint, what then? What if in an ideal world everyone was told the Message and began worshipping God? We'd have a world full of people who did nothing but worship God, and while that is not a terrible thing, I don't think that is the point. No, I don't think that was a major factor in God's overarching plan for Creation. I mean think about it, are there really all that many places where Jesus or God specifically communicate that what is desired is worship? I mean, the account of Adam and Eve doesn't exactly contain a whole lot of worship now does it? The 10 Commandments from what I recall don't mention anything about worshipping God. And personally, a god who decided to create the universe and everything in it just to appease some innate desire to be worshipped, doesn't exactly sound like the God I know. A god that fits that description sounds a lot more like the gods of Greece and Rome, who were said to dish out retribution and destruction if they were not worshipped and attended to.

The God I know, is more concerned with love than worship. God is in love with Creation, and specifically humanity. The relationship is like that of parent to child, and somewhat like a husband and wife. The spousal relationship I think fits rather well, and probably the reason that the apostles use that imagery as well. What happens when a married couple suffers the heartbreak of infidelity or betrayal? The wronged party has a decision to make, whether to reconcile with the one who wronged them. We wronged God, and we had only 2 things to do, love and obey. God, with his unbounded grace, would never turn his back on us, so the decision is for reconciliation. The problem is, what if the party in the wrong doesn't admit their fault and refuses to reconcile? That is their choice, and it would hurt the wronged party even more greatly to be rebuffed when they opened themselves up for reconciliation. However, they do have the choice, and that is the choice we make when we stand up and identify ourselves as Christian. We have turned around to face God, with the guidance of Christ (God who came to us at our level and showed us we could do it), and admitted that we are wrong and are willing to make things right. His limitless grace wipes the slate clean, and we are able to love, purely love, God and those around us. God chose not to bring everything into existence for the purpose of worship, but to love. It has been said and written many times that God is Love. He created so that he could share his love, and in return receive it, for what else is love for? What better purpose in life that to love and be loved?

Boil down everything else in this world that is good or that is in need of fixing and all that you will be left with are 2 things: love and the lack thereof. John Lennon was a smart guy, but he only had it half right, we need love and God (the original source of love).

So if you followed all that, congratulations, because while I had been thinking about this a while, it kind of flowed out broken and choppy. Then again, I never really said I was a writer...