Motive Matters

I'm a story person, as you know - books and movies, but also television shows. As you also know, I like to find analogies or examples of God's love in these stories. I'm most delighted when I find that love in unlikely places like a simple cartoon or a horror movie.
For all the morsels of God's love I find in stories of all genres, it saddens me to see the many many instances of the misunderstandings of God's love. So often, God is represented as a big meany, unfair, vindictive, confusing, inconsistent, haughty and spoiled like a too-powerful kid with a magnifying glass getting his kicks sun-scorching ants. Countless Bible verses are quoted or mis-quoted or taken out of context to prove such points so that personal rebellion or anger or hurts have a 'legitimate' excuse.
Well, I got to thinking about that this past week after watching one of my favorite television shows during which the bad guy accuses God of being this kind of mean, disgruntled God. And I have to admit, I can see how so many people question God's motives. Because from the world's perspective, which is to say a 'human' perspective, we attribute characteristics to God that are merely human because we are human. And as humans, we are, to our fellow humans, mean, vindictive, unfair, inconsistent, haughty, spoiled. The list goes on... and on...
Be honest. You just thought of a couple people you wish you could use a magnifying glass on, didn't you?
The whole problem with this is that GOD IS NOT HUMAN. Jesus, who is also God, became a human, though He never stopped being God. But God Almighty is not and never has been and never will be. Therefore, He doesn't operate as we humans do. His motives are pure.
The bottom line is, God's every action and word is motivated by Love. We, as humans, can't even come close to saying that, which is why it is tough for us to believe it.
That's where faith comes in.
What if we read the Bible, any part of it from cover to cover, with the 100% belief that every word, every action, every commandment is motivated by Love? Perfect Love in fact.
It's guaranteed to shift our point of view. We'll see God in a clearer, new light that deepens faith, increases peace, opens understanding, draws us nearer to Him. And that's just the tip of the ice burg.
Beware! Implementing this promises to be challenging! You have an enemy whose number one goal is to make sure you never believe God loves you. So be ready. DETERMINE that no matter what you read, the irrevocable truth is that the words in the Bible are backed by Love - and see what happens.
Have a great week, Dry Ground friends! How many of you are on Spring Break? I get some company from OH because it is, so I'm excited. Talk to you soon!
(photo by photobucket.com)