He Likes Me?

 From Miriam Webster:

¹like

 verb \ˈlīk\

: to enjoy (something) : to get pleasure from (something)

: to regard (something) in a favorable way

: to feel affection for (someone) : to enjoy being with (someone)

liked lik·ing

Full Definition of LIKE

transitive verb

1

chiefly dialect :  to be suitable or agreeable to <I like onions but they don't like me>

2

a :  to feel attraction toward or take pleasure in :  enjoy<likes baseball>

b :  to feel toward :  regard <how would you like a change>

3

:  to wish to have :  want <would like a drink>

4

:  to do well in <this plant likes dry soil> <my car does notlike cold weather>

intransitive verb

1

dialect :  approve

2

:  to feel inclined :  choose, prefer <leave any time you like>

It was interesting.  I had a conversation recently that caused me to look up the word “like”.  I really didn’t find anything unexpected or earth-shattering in the definitions above.  But, the reaction I had to the word during that conversation has caused me to sit and ponder it a bit.  Looking back on it, I’ve had really similar reactions to the word in several conversations (all different people but the same topic) over the last several years.  I was sharing with a friend how much God really “likes” them. The response was off the charts!  You would have thought I went and grew a third eye on my face right in front of this person by their look.  It was sort of comic, really.  It started out as flat out disbelief, incredulity, then a sort of “could it be possible?” morphing into a sort of “nah, you’re just pulling my leg”.  But all through, they kept looking at me as though I was somewhat crazy, as though the idea that God could actually like them was beyond belief! 

It’s even more interesting – believe it or not – that the same people who have acted rather shocked that God could really like them are ready enough to believe that He loves them. Maybe it’s the “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16) verse that has them convinced that he generally loves, because, well…He loves the whole world! But, they think, "Not really ME just as and for myself".  Or maybe it’s the idea that He loves everyone – He’s God – He has to, it’s in His nature and character!  But it’s only that sort of, "I love you because I have to (I’m loyal)" and mostly that translates to “I put up with you” in their hearts.  After all, you may “love” your Uncle Mort.  He’s family and you love your family.  Doesn’t mean you want to spend countless hours with him or take him on vacation with you every year. But, you would help him, can put up with his corny jokes or crabby rants during the holidays or visiting.  You have a loyalty to him.  But liking – that’s a whole different category.  Liking someone involves actually preferring their company and looking forward to being with them for themselves! 

Some people may not believe it - But God actually does like people.  I found this out very personally over the last few years myself.  Though I’ve always had a sense that God loves me – I didn’t really believe He personally preferred me.  Oh, I knew that He committed everything in and through Jesus so that I could spend eternal life with Him (hey, I know John 3:16).  But in my heart, on an ordinary day of the week – what exactly did God loving me look like?  Yes, He brought the sun up, gave me my every breath, food, people, etc… Believe me – I’m grateful and very thankful for each and every thing. But still, aren’t those things He is, being God (The Creator)?  I didn’t have a very deep understanding of how seriously God takes relationship – His and mine.  He is completely in – fully committed – and deeply engaged.  I started to see, through some very difficult encounters where I had to rely heavily on God, because I had no ability to defend or protect myself.   He showed up BIG – I will tell you.  I had such a season of discovery about who God is for me, personally, and truly – I’m still in it!!  And, I will tell you it changed and still is changing how I see people and things and myself and certainly, chiefly - GOD!!  I no longer just talk in generalities about God’s affection, attention and interaction with and for people.  I know that He specifically cares and longs for people to spend time with Him.  Please don’t mistake me – God does not “need” me or other people.  However, He wants me and He wants other people too.  Experiencing that – it was huge for me!  He doesn’t just put up with me – He relishes time with me and enjoys me.  And, GUESS WHAT?  I CAN ENJOY HIM TOO!!  Shocking!! Who knew?  He looks forward to our time together and He’s always attentive to me – even when I’m wandering about completely oblivious (I am quite a Magoo at times).  I want to learn to enjoy Him more and He's teaching me, cause that's what I'm made for!

Does this touch your heart?  I think it touches about everyone’s heart I’ve discussed it with. Significance – everyone is searching for theirs.  When you discover it’s in God – there is no bigger surprise or joy!  After all, THE CREATOR of all things WANTS to spend time with YOU and actually LIKES YOU? Ha ha! WOWEE!  I’M ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!  I’m not important enough to get 2 seconds with Bill Gates, but GOD, the one who knows me better than I know me (the maker of Bill), I can have all day every day with Him in the joy of His company.  Whew – my brain gets twisted THINKING ABOUT THAT!!

It’s Valentines Day again this week.  I’d just like to put it out there for those who don’t really get this – think about it, God liking you.  Ask Him and spend some time listening!!  I guarantee, you will marvel at the answer.

Mirror Mirror

It’s always wonderful to focus on God (You are so full of surprises and wonder, Lord).   He Himself is beyond marvelous to gaze upon and enjoy! In sitting with Him and His word there is always something in me that gets adjusted.  I am so thankful to have more freedom from some things that have held me in deep bondage.  And, I would not even have known they were there but for God’s goodness to me.

I have never wanted to become embroiled in the “man vs. woman” battle.  It’s just wrong for so many reasons and degrading and dishonoring to both men and women.  It is the enemy’s best weapon upon the body of Christ and I’m not up for giving any ground to him!  I’ve wanted to distance myself from even talking about it, but not God! Nope!  And, He’s very persistent when He wants something – ever notice that? Haha! Well, it may take time, but it’s always better when I go His way on things (it’s best when it’s sooner and rather than later!).

There have been times I have been so saddened and so disappointed.  When both men and women dishonor, insult and out and out tear each other up – it hurts my heart.  The lengths fear goes to are immeasurable.  I’ve said it before and will repeat – I am not a feminist.  I don’t believe in holding one’s sex as superior and the other’s subordinate.  I believe men and women are Co-heirs, equals –we are both made in the image of God and bring equally unique and required design features to working together in God's Kingdom. "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." And God made us to work together – “It is not good that man should be alone”.  We were created to live out dominion over the earth in unity and mutual relationship and submission to God and each other.  Men’s roles do not exclusively assign them authority over women.  Women’s roles do not exclusively assign them this either.  Each has particular design that when rightly lived out together with mutual respect and love, magnify God. Ultimately – that’s the point – glorifying GOD!  Where God is displayed rightly – I see both men and women in all levels of leadership and in marriage in mutual submission to God and each other and living out the fullness of their complete calling in Christ! There is more fullness of this unfolding in the earth!  

There may be many who disagree with me.  I’ve gone into all the scriptural study and information about this in other posts regarding some sources of my understanding (See: What if…?, What’s Shame Got to do with it?, Ah-Ha! Women and Men in Kingdom Relationship, The Genders (another clue) and The Genders).  Good thing, you don’t have to agree with me for me to love you.  And, really, that completely frees me.  Its part of what I had broken off of me! GOO-OOD!  I am free to love people who despise, distrust, hate, fear and loathe me and all I stand for (and that’s not just those who believe it's their job to dictate what's right for the opposite sex but also staunch anti-theists, racists, and boatloads of others)  YAY!  Their treatment of me does not in any way bind or obligate me to treat them as anything but people who God deeply loves and therefore who I really love. They can’t force me to see them in any other way.  It wasn’t always so, but it is more and more NOW – thank you, God!

You see the mirror – it reflects exactly what it’s aimed at.  I have been unjustly the object of contempt over long periods of time.  When first exposed to this I was deeply hurt and lived in a toxic pressure-cooker mix every day for several years.  I took it very personally and did a lot of crying out to God. I wrote a little previously about how I asked if He wanted me to leave the situation and He firmly told me NO! There are only two options when undergoing such things – you’re either gonna get bitter or better.  As I kept going to God – He kept putting me back on track and training my eyes on His truths instead and in the midst.  And guess what?  He showed me some of the ugliest most horrifying and disappointing things about me inside me! YIKES! Yep, it’s true.  Rude things. Truly humiliating. I had no awareness about them.  He showed me, pride, hatred, rage and fear, rescuing for acceptance, masks of perfection - uck! Then, he gave me a safe place and people to be real with about those things – while completely being accepted. He brought me through - as I kept coming to Him - into a willingness to lay down things. In the process, He taught me how to see those who had contempt for me with different eyes.  He showed me that other people are put in my life to show me those things in me that have to go.  AND He proved He is my defender!!  I could not lift a finger to save myself or defend in any way. HE HIMSELF showed He is for me and provided for my every need. He’s my Daddy, the wonderful Papa who protects and provides for His little girl! I catch Him on days still doing that and I always look at people trying to mess with me and think – “You don’t know my Daddy, do you?!” :D  And He actually went further and changed the whole atmosphere and situation to greatly bless me in completely extravagant ways (financially, honor, respect and acceptance)!  I actually went from pain filled crying to joy filled crying in overwhelmed thankfulness.  I was not expecting that, but more astonishing I was not expecting my vision and understanding of who God is personally for me to expand so dramatically.  I am ever falling down grateful to Him for making me to know Him better.  It’s the cry of my heart to know Him more. His faithfulness, commitment and love are far more personal than I could have ever imagined, for me.  Knowing that affects completely how I trust Him, walk with Him and obey Him.  God’s growing me and this is a life long process.  Like the mirror – I reflect what I’m aimed at.  And, like a mirror – I reflect much more truly when I’m clean (God is ever cleansing me from distortion, dirt and gunk!).  When I aim at hate and resentment that's aimed at me – I reflect it.  But God’s taught me, whatever is coming at me I can aim myself at Him and I will reflect Him.  In this process anything in me that prevents His complete reflection from shinning out is exposed – and believe me, though it’s painful it is the best thing that can happen!  Here in this place when I humble myself and stay real I become my true self as he cleanses me from those things that are not the real me.  And, miraculously, when I reflect Him to situations and individuals – HE changes things!  Sheesh – ONLY HE CAN DO THIS!

I have not always been quick to embrace going God’s way in this.  Initially, I did not do it at all and tried to protect me.  But, over time – God re-enforced in me laying down fleshly responses (even when they are trying to smack me in the face) and living from my real joyful love centered self in Him. And wow – me living that way completely changes the world around me.  Who knew? And hey, God's not satisfied that we just be good at this - He's bound determined to make us great at this actually - perfect in Him! So, I get a whole new set of things to practice practice practice the truth of this out in!  YIPPEE!  What an "over the top" life knowing my Daddy's always committed to helping me grow to reflect Him better.

So, mirror mirror  – who are you reflecting?