What’s Your Picture of God Toward YOU?
Most of us have heard those strong in faith say, “You can’t really love others until you really GET that you are unconditionally loved by God”. The Bible actually does say, “We love BECAUSE He first loved us”. Years ago I watched the movie “Ragamuffin” about the life of Christian singer and songwriter Rich Mullins. It was an honest look at the struggle he had in his walk with Christ because of the way his own father treated him with such lack of acceptance and love. Then, he met an older gentleman who showed him Christ’s love and explained to him it was foundational that he understand and receive the love that God had for him.
The same is true for us. Our family of origin can play a big part in how we perceive God’s relationship with us. An abusive church environment can also distort our view of God and how we imagine he feels about us. Many of us have had our image of God tragically twisted by wrong teaching and attitudes in GCx churches.
Today as I read Psalm 86 I noticed so many descriptions of how he feels and acts toward me. I decided to list them in black and white so as to recall them as facts. I plan to keep writing these characteristics of His ‘fleshed out’ love to possess a trustworthy portrayal of God’s relationship toward me; especially since Satan attempts to give me a false one (like he did with Eve). Writing these down may be quite encouraging as we read the Bible. Here are the comforting and reassuring declarations of God the Father’s nature toward us, his children, from Psalm 86:Good
Forgiving
Abounding in Love
Answers Us
None like Him
No deeds compare with His
Great and Does Marvelous Deeds
Great is His Love Toward Us
Delivers Us from the Depths of Despair
Compassionate
Gracious
Slow to Anger
Abounding in Faithfulness
Gives Us Strength
Helps Us
Comforts Us
Perhaps it would be good therapy to write what our picture of God toward us was when we were under the teaching of GCx churches, and what it is now. We can see where we need to change those mental images to agree with the truth of GOD’s Word.
The astounding thing about learning these facts to form a true portrait of God is that when we do receive them by faith we instinctively treat others in the same manner. We are able to give love because we are confident of receiving it.
“Freely we have received, freely give”
