Faith & Insight: The surprisingly welcoming nature of God

Few issues result in butterflies within the abdomen like a model new connection. First conferences could be nerve-wracking! First days of college, interviews, dates, and new locations. You aren’t certain the place you stand or what it will likely be like, so that you put together and wait and soar into the second, crammed with pleasure and apprehension.
These new relationships could be sabotaged from the outset by self-talk of our personal quick comings or perception that somebody is towards us.
This explains the unease and discomfort we really feel once we take into account approaching God for the primary time or after a very long time. I see it once I invite somebody to church they usually say “me? Church? I can’t go, the building will catch on fire!” I’ve felt it in my very own life when in faculty, I needed to have interaction with this huge concept that is known as “God,” however any phrases had been caught in my throat.
When we’re hurting or offended, we don’t perceive God or know the way to take him; not to mention strategy him. We additionally sense we’re approaching one thing that we don’t have a class for. The concept of a primary encounter with God makes our temper tense, our palms sweat, and even scares us.
Enter Jesus, who Mark the evangelist calls “the savior, the son of God.” The Christian scriptures say that it’s in Jesus that the nature of God is totally revealed. But as an alternative of depicting an unfriendly, far off God who avoids people, God is revealed to be welcoming.
Jesus was usually discovered hanging out with tax collectors and sinners, together with these notorious for his or her “ungodliness.” One of Jesus’ most identified sayings is directed to these of us not sure of our footing earlier than God: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:27-29). Through Jesus, anybody has a technique to expertise the nice and cozy hospitality of God, which is prolific all through the Bible.
God is welcoming, however our misconceptions of ourselves hold us from coming into into relationship (sure, a relationship) with God. Here is the excellent news, known as “gospel” by followers of Jesus: Any who belief Jesus as their consultant earlier than God are totally accepted and embraced by God (John 6:37). Our awkwardness turns into one-sided: We are welcomed by a sort, loving God. As we be taught to hope and discover out extra about God, our fears are changed by pleasure and peace.
If your strategy of God has been hindered since you don’t know if you may be welcomed, you may be! Jump in by trying out a church, studying one of the “gospels” within the Bible, or by asking that God would present you who He is. You don’t have anything to lose, and actual reference to the dwelling God to achieve.
Gavin Jarvis is lead pastor at Living Stones Church.