Image matters

Last week I overheard a woman at the gym talking to her friend. "Do you think God is trying to tell this world he is not too happy? All the fires and earthquakes and cyclones? He said he wouldn't send a flood again to destroy the world but he has other tricks up his sleeve." There was no comment from her friend. The conversation went to other topics.

With that image of God, how will she experience Jesus and know that she matters to God?

One of our Turning Point facilitators, Sarah Rulli, succinctly wrote in a post how a changed image of God changed her life.

"Growing up, my image of God was that of a foreboding taskmaster. A God very big and very far away, but a God that always looked down from his imperial palace in the heavens pointing out every evil thing I ever did. He was cold and uncaring and distant, at least that’s what I thought. As I grew older, I began to nurture a disdain for Christ and Christians. All my encounters with Christianity left me feeling empty. I wanted nothing to do with any of it. So my aversion to Christ solidified.

But something remarkable occurred the summer of 2002. Once again I encountered Jesus, but this time I saw him truly. And upon meeting him, I discovered that he was nothing like what I expected. My preconceived notions of Jesus were wrong. He was forgiving and welcoming and revolutionary. He wasn’t always shouting at me about how bad I was, I already knew that. He was telling me that I was really special, that I was of precious value to him, that he would lay down his life for me… that he loved me. When I met Jesus, I was expecting condemnation but what I received was grace. And that grace has made all the difference in my life."

Sarah experienced Jesus. She wasn't pushed or convinced. Jesus met her right where she was. It changed her imgage of God and it changed her life.

Everyone brings a different image of God to our groups and our church. Meet people where right where they are. Create space for them to experience Jesus.    

Comments

[DC Curry]

Yeah Kathy, I've been connected with Chad since he was at Flamingo Road in Florida. He's a great guy and the church that he's at now is awesome!

p.s. I love your blog.

[Zena Holderbaum]

Kathy,
Great timing! We always need to keep in mind where people are at. God brings people and cirsumstances in our life and we need to be willing to just love the way He showed us. We don't know what place in their life they are at or what they feel about God at that time. If we just love them the way Jesus loved us, we are never wrong. I'm so greatful of His love for me at the right time in my life and that the people that brought HIm to me just showed me Him by LOVE.
Zena