"God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient- so much love, so deeply true-loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin." Exodus 34:6-7
Once there was a man who was in love with a girl. This girl was not special or beautiful. This girl did not have lots of money or friends that made her stand out. This man was a kind man. He was a giving man. This man adored her, and because of his love for her he lavished her with gifts. He took care of her every need and want. Over time, the man's lavish love transformed her into beautiful and captivating. Her great beauty made her famous far and wide. The woman began trusting in her beauty- her beauty that had come from the man's love. As visitors from around the world cam to see her, the man watched as she turned her back on him and played the harlot for other men- men who didn't love her, men who only wanted to use her. Jealous and angry, the man was brokenhearted and devastated, yet he was always willing to forgive her.
That is us, and that is the story of Israel. Read through Ezekiel 16 for it straight from the word of God. As Christians we are not molded into Israel, God's chosen people. We are now apart of his bride. But instead of following after the one who made us and gave us l ife, we often follow the adulterous path of our ancestors. Therefore, that is our story too because we- as God's bride- are the ordinary who were chosen by God and made beautiful by his great love. God is the loving, faithful, forgiving, and righteously angry and jealous man who watches as his bride turns her back on his love. God feels emotions intensely. Our God, is an emotional God.
Since we are image-bearers of God, the feelings we feel are the same ones He feels. The only difference is that since we are God's finite creations living in a fallen world, our emotional experience differs from God's in a few ways. One example is that God's feelings always stem from the purest motivations and since God is good (Romans 8:28), his emotions flow out of the pure goodness of who he is.
God knows everything completely, so his emotions are always spot-on. Although God is experiences strong feelings his emotions never weaken him. Even when he is feeling betrayed, at that moment- at every moment- he is infinite and powerful. That infinite power allows him to feel more than one emotions as a time (even conflicting emotions). Our God feels. He feels strongly. And even at his most deepest experience of emotion, the universe and all things in it are still subject to his power.
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