Wednesday, April 11, 2012

God is Not Selfish

A few weeks ago, I sat in church listening to a woman in our congregation share a communion meditation about God' generosity towards us.

She shared a common thread of thought that I've heard before.  Edna is the mother of an only child.  I'm an only child.  Edna shared the thought that she's not sure she could give up her one and only son like God did.  She told the people seated, "I love you.  But I couldn't give up my son for you."  And the thought came over me, "neither could I!"

But then it hit me.  God is not selfish.  Duh!  You probably read the title and thought that.  But hear me out...

There is not a selfish bone in God's body.  Selfishness is sinfulness, and sin and God are two things that CANNOT coexist.  God is not selfish!  I cannot presume to understand how God thinks - he is God, and I am human and sinful - but I would argue that God sending his son to Earth to die in order for us to be restored to him was not a decision that took him a while to come to.  "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15 ESV).  This was an immediate response of God to when sin entered creation.  God knew that his son Jesus was going to be the one to conquer sin and restore his creation back to Him.

I don't feel like I've completely resolved this thought in my own head, but I do feel like it's something to think about.


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