What is written below is designed to be read with the other essays as promised for 2024.

MY IMAGE OF GOD

I love because I love
I love that I might love
Love gives pleasure of itself.  (St Bernard)

The letters of St John in scripture emphasize again and again that God is love.  So that a love for prayer can be developed within us, we need to make sure that we are searching for the God who is found in love.

This God loves me. Full stop, no ifs, no buts, no conditions. The tragic thing is we don’t really believe it.  Let us say I go off to a quiet place to pray, just to spend time with my God. I may be there to seek God, give thanks, or, just to be with God as lovers like to do. But then I find I’m full of distraction, miles away, and all seems one mighty waste of time. What would you say if I told you that that was the most worthwhile thing you did that day? Being successful in prayer is not about how well we do, but rather on how much we want to know this lover? God will be at work just as much if I’m 100 per cent concentrating, or miles away, or even fast asleep. It all depends on what I want.

When a person comes to me to because they are attracted to the idea of growing in their understanding of God, I usually ask them to write out their story of God. What kind of God did you believe in when you were 7, 12, 18, and then, what kind of God do you believe in now? If you are seeking God with beliefs that simply are not true, your search will lead to confusion, doubt and abandonment.

In last month’s article I pointed out that in the miracle of the loaves and fish, Jesus commanded the people to sit down. One of reasons why he did this was to bring some stillness into a crowd of 5000.

Then, hopefully, they might observe the miracle as the small boy brought forth his meagre gift. Observing the miracles in my life by the way, is perhaps one of the most effective ways of stirring our spirit to rejoice in a faithful God.

God is an unconditional lover. I am created out of love. I have a purpose in life. I am loved. We cannot survive without love. When this is the case we become destructive. When we know that the Creator of the mystery of life and our world has called me to grow in my awareness of belonging to the world of love, I will then be satisfied.

Let yourself be loved by the God who loves you. As you celebrate Good Friday, just remember that what Jesus is emphasizing on the Cross, is what his own people knew all along. It is revealed in their scriptures, and that is, God is love. Love does not die, and the Resurrection is its proof.

DISCUSSION:  Are young people raised today with a healthy image of God?