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<blockquote data-quote="Monna" data-source="post: 72438271" data-attributes="member: 395087"><p>No, not in the way I think you mean. I love 1 Corinthians 13, and read it as if God is telling me (us) how he wants to be known. We often think of God as all-knowing (omniscient), and all powerful (omnipotent). All of our knowledge exists in words, in language. Every language has concepts that do not exist in other languages. In the first verse, he says know all the languages on earth and heaven, is nothing more than a clanging potlid if it is not accompanied or used in love. Love is better. He deals with the almighty part next - his confidence (faith) can move mountains (in fact he created the universe by his command) yet he doesn't see that as of any merit if his power is not exercised in love. And generous? - sure - every single good thing we have, from our living bodies, to the sunshine and rain, has been given us by God. He even gives to the worst type of characters. But if generosity is not shown with love, then it has no merit. Then He says</p><p></p><p>" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. <strong>It does not dishonor others,</strong> <strong>it is not self-seeking</strong>, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. <strong>It </strong>always protects, <strong>always trusts</strong>, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."</p><p></p><p>He will not force himself on you. His love respects your right to decide your own path. His love is not self-seeking. In other words, he doesn't use love to manipulate. But the thing that blew me away when I understood it was that "He always trusts me!" or "He has always believed in me!" Throughout my life I have heard preachers tell me that I must believe in Him, I must trust Him. But when I found out that love wishes to have a reciprocal relationship, it shook me to realise that "He believes in me!" Not like I can do anything significant for him, But he really believes that in me there is something worth while, something that can grow to be fully human, something that will ultimately reveal that yes, He made me in His Likeness. Before I believed in him, he already believed in some potential or other in me. And he was/is willing to invest in me. And he has never stopped - in spite of my frequent frustration over him not doing what I'd like, my annoyance when he doesn't do things in my time frame, my frequent refusal to consider what he is suggesting or prodding me to do in an awkard situation. </p><p></p><p>If words like Father, or Lord conjure up images that cause painful memories, or overbearing, controlling characteristics, use other words, like mentor, counsellor, partner or other equivalents that don't have negative connotations. Maybe that will help. He knows your pain, he knows your history, your emotional distress ... and he wants to heal.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Monna, post: 72438271, member: 395087"] No, not in the way I think you mean. I love 1 Corinthians 13, and read it as if God is telling me (us) how he wants to be known. We often think of God as all-knowing (omniscient), and all powerful (omnipotent). All of our knowledge exists in words, in language. Every language has concepts that do not exist in other languages. In the first verse, he says know all the languages on earth and heaven, is nothing more than a clanging potlid if it is not accompanied or used in love. Love is better. He deals with the almighty part next - his confidence (faith) can move mountains (in fact he created the universe by his command) yet he doesn't see that as of any merit if his power is not exercised in love. And generous? - sure - every single good thing we have, from our living bodies, to the sunshine and rain, has been given us by God. He even gives to the worst type of characters. But if generosity is not shown with love, then it has no merit. Then He says " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [B]It does not dishonor others,[/B] [B]it is not self-seeking[/B], it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [B]It [/B]always protects, [B]always trusts[/B], always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." He will not force himself on you. His love respects your right to decide your own path. His love is not self-seeking. In other words, he doesn't use love to manipulate. But the thing that blew me away when I understood it was that "He always trusts me!" or "He has always believed in me!" Throughout my life I have heard preachers tell me that I must believe in Him, I must trust Him. But when I found out that love wishes to have a reciprocal relationship, it shook me to realise that "He believes in me!" Not like I can do anything significant for him, But he really believes that in me there is something worth while, something that can grow to be fully human, something that will ultimately reveal that yes, He made me in His Likeness. Before I believed in him, he already believed in some potential or other in me. And he was/is willing to invest in me. And he has never stopped - in spite of my frequent frustration over him not doing what I'd like, my annoyance when he doesn't do things in my time frame, my frequent refusal to consider what he is suggesting or prodding me to do in an awkard situation. If words like Father, or Lord conjure up images that cause painful memories, or overbearing, controlling characteristics, use other words, like mentor, counsellor, partner or other equivalents that don't have negative connotations. Maybe that will help. He knows your pain, he knows your history, your emotional distress ... and he wants to heal. [/QUOTE]
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