Power vs. love
Haven't blogged for a while...and it's so nice to see my counter going up even though I haven't been writing anything new...the counter reminds me of how much people like you care about me, and I am very thankful for those of you who called me up and checked on me. =) You have no idea how much it means to me that you're reading my blog...=)There's so much that I want to blog about, and i don't know where to start. God's been very faithful, and He's been there for me, all this time, to go through my "growing pains" with me. =) Before I get to the more "serious" stuff, I want to let you all know that I have tasted the BEST hot chocolate today at Coffee & Company in Kingston. It was so yummy...and just to see them making it was exciting...hehe...=P My friend and I went there after a Praise and Worship event tonight...hm...hope I am not going to be addicted to it or I'll be in BIG TROUBLE! ^O^
Since I can't really put all my thoughts into words properly, I thought I would share some exerpts from a book with you. It's from "The Jesus I never knew" by Philip Yancey, and it's one of the books that I am reading right now.
...God's power is internal and noncoercive.
...God made himself weak for one purpose: to let human beings choose freely for themselves what to do with him.
...At times I want God to overwhelm me, to overcome my doubts with certainty, to give final proofs of his existence and his concern. I want God to take a more active role in human affairs as well...
...I want God to take a more active role in my personal history too. I want quick and spectacular answers to my prayers, healing for my diseases, protection and safety for my loved ones. I want a God without ambiguity, One to whom I can point for the sake of my doubting friends.
...although power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us and the reason he created us
...God's nature is self-giving; he bases his appeal on sacrificial love
...In short, Jesus showed an incredible respect for human freedom.
By restraining His power to control us, God is putting his own reputation at risk. But He loves us so much that He is willing to risk His reputation so that we are not just robots, but we have a choice whether to love him back or not. He definitely has the power to show himself from the heavens right now, but this would leave us no choice whether to trust in Him or not.
posted by Growing Flower @ 3/08/2004 01:52:00 a.m.
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