Beginning with God

Where do we start with God? How do we introduce another person to faith or invite them to begin following Jesus? At first, I used to think that a relationship with God began with us humans. We would invite Jesus into our hearts or we would convince people to name their sins and shortcomings and ask God for forgiveness. This sounded reasonable at first, but it can lead to a dangerous (and I think un-Christian) idea that somehow God does not like us until we get our act together and we choose him. I believe it perpetuates a myth that God is distant and far away, at least until we draw close to God. 

When I began reading the Gospels in an intentional way, a very different picture emerged. I was captured by the way Jesus introduced people to God and faith. Over and over Jesus reached out to them first (not the other way around). Jesus asked to eat in Zacchaeus’ home before Zacchaeus agreed to stop stealing from people (Luke 19:1-10). He forgave the sins of a paralytic man who didn’t even ask for forgiveness (Matthew 9:1-8). Jesus began a conversation with a Samaritan woman with a sketchy reputation (John 4:4-42). In many situations Jesus made the first move. He wanted people to know that they were loved deeply by God, that they mattered, and were not lost causes. He took the time to build relationships with them first.

A relationship with God begins with God … not with us. As the scripture in 1 John states, “We love because God first loved us” (I John 4:19). Our spiritual journey begins with us waking up to this love of God, realizing that our lives are more than we think they are, that we are created in God’s image. We are God’s children … no exceptions! From there we begin changing our lives and making room for God’s Spirit to live within us and work through us.

Of course, there is still a place for repentance and forgiveness. Being a child of God doesn’t mean we can live any way we want. Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more (John 8:1-11). Note, though, that before Jesus says this he says to her, “Neither do I condemn you!” Jesus was more concerned that she understand she mattered to him and to God, than she see herself as a condemned sinner. For Jesus, a relationship with God begins with God’s love! 

Perhaps this is where we should begin with ourselves and with others, too.

Together we are the hands and the feet of Jesus!

Brett