#ItSeemsToMe ...
This is The Story of God and People
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and people. God created a man and a woman, both DNA'd with God’s image. God declared the planet and the people were good.
Since the beginning God has wanted to walk with and work with the people God created.
God gave them a pristine environment to enjoy and empowered them to care for and cultivate the planet. God “walked in the garden with them.”
The people became focused on themselves.
-Adam and Eve disregarded God’s warnings
-Cain murdered his brother Abel
-The Babylonians erected a stairway-to-heaven to glorify their achievements in a way that ignored God.
… But there were persons who focused on being faithful to their relationship with God. Noah. Abraham …
God continued to pursue relationship with the people by sending faith-driven, courageous leaders and prophets who clearly declared God‘s word and God‘s will and God’s wisdom and people who knew the power of prayer. Moses. Deborah, Ruth. David. Amos. Solomon. Hannah.
People and nations continued to ignore God’s word by seeking power and control over each other; often with violence.
So then God did something extraordinary. God sent the people Jesus (the One of God; the Word, the Living Expression) to deliver us from the disease and death of evil; to declare God’s message of faith, truth, peace and love. When Jesus was crucified, he defeated the power of SIN (Self-worship, Independence-from-Creator, Need-driven-choices) which released forgiveness (a welcome into the life of God). Jesus is the Savior (revealer, rescuer) of all who believe.
What made this extraordinarythe is that “God was in Christ (the Messiah: the Anointed and Appointed messenger) , making peace between the people and himself. In Christ, God did not give up on us (2 Corinthians 5:19 ). Saved. By God's grace (not by our good deeds).
God was motivated not by anger or a desire to punish but by love.
This is how God demonstrated his love to the people: God gave the One and Only (one of a kind) that whoever believes in him will have eternal (endless; limitless) life. God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn us but to commend us to God’s love-grace-forgiveness-salvation, and transformation through the guiding/coaching of Spirit; God's holy presence in our lives.
So, God is not inviting you to perfect attendance at a church or impressed by extravagant donations to charity.
God is still pursuing people. Us. You.
"Late in the afternoon, a strong wind began to blow, and the man and woman heard the Lord God walking in the garden and God said: "Where are you?"" (Genesis 3:8-9)
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