I heard someone say the other day how thankful we should be that we don’t serve a mean, vicious, spiteful, or angry God. We don’t serve a God of ancient Greek mythology who meddles in our lives for self-gratification or, worse, out of boredom.
No, we should be thankful because we serve a good God–a kind, generous, faithful God. I’ll admit, though, that I had never really contemplated the fact that our God could have been some other type of God. He could have been a mean, forgetful, neglectful God.
And what if He was? What if God treated us the way we treat Him? It’s not a perfect, apples-to-apples comparison, but play along anyway.
If God treated us the way we treat Him…
He would see us on Sundays for a couple of hours, but that’s about it.
He wouldn’t spend time with us when other things felt more important–work, friends, TV, a football game, kids, a spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend.
He would only answer the prayers that benefit Him.
He would get hung up on our theology, doctrine, and the like, instead of actually trying to know us or have relationship with us.
His forgiveness would be conditional.
He would tell us He loves us and is crazy about us, but then, depending on who was looking, He would act like He barely knew us.
He would use our names as curse words.
He would make promises, then turn around and forget those promises a few days later.
He would ask for our forgiveness, then keep doing the same thing that hurt us in the first place.
He would keep a record of our wrongs and rights, then hold them over us as He pleased.
He would easily forget all the kind things we had done. Instead, He would doubt and question our love.
He wouldn’t stand up for our reputation. He’d let others think whatever they want about us.
He wouldn’t give freely, meaning He wouldn’t have sacrificed Himself for us.
What did I miss? If God treated you the way you treat Him, what would that entail? Comment and confess.
He’d go to sleep when I talked to him.
John, so true…
Wow Nicole – this is powerful and challenging stuff! I needed this today.
Thank you.
Thanks Micaela. I was challenged in writing it. Most everything I list are things I have done myself.
He would hardly talk to us, unless He was pissed at us.
Sadly, Travis, I can so relate to this one. I do this often with God and I hate that I do.
He would ask 20 questions. (And then not actually listen for my answer.)
Oh man, Lindsey, that is a good one. No other conversation works like that in life. If I asked you a million questions and then walked away without waiting for your response, you’d think I was a nut job. But we do it all the time with God. Ask and then don’t bother to wait and listen for an answer.
He would ask us all day long…why? Why does my life suck? Why things don’t go my way? Why can’t i get what i ask for? Why, Why, Why,?
Arny, right on. We often sound like little kids whining with “Why, why, why…?”
It would be impossible to have a clear conversation with him because He would go off on tangents every other sentence & never really get the point… I do this constantly when praying
Erin, I do this too. One thing to be encouraged by, however, is the fact that the Holy Spirit prays for us when we don’t know what to say (or I suspect when we ramble and digress). I always remember this when I assume that my prayer was incoherent. He is God after all. he can work through our distractions. But yeah, it’s be nice to not be so distracted sometimes.
This is so convicting.. I’ve done all of these too many times. I too easily forget that God is here next to me, pained by all of my selfish actions.. even though I can’t see him. Thank you for being so honest and challenging me to think about my actions!
Chelsea, we all have. This list is me. We are all selfish at times, but what freedom in that we serve a selfless God!
He would refuse to respond to me even when i clearly communicated to him.
He would forget who I am, or my desire to be near to Him, very quickly, and very easily.
He would push me away, and blame me for his difficulties.
He would let the noise of the world distract him from personal intimacy with me.
The list goes on. Great post.
Josh, one you wrote breaks my heart because I am so guilty. “He would push me away, and blame me for his difficulties.”
I am always working on not blaming God. My natural tendency is to think He has forgotten me, purposefully hurt me, or is punishing me. But then I try to remember that He is not my earthly father.
Thank you for sharing friend. I so relate to each one you wrote. I know others do, as well.
He would use us as a slick way to get out of doing something He didn’t really want to do anyway.
He would tell us how much He believes in us then act like He never met us.