Seeking that elusive relationship with God
I’ve just finished reading The Furious Longing of God
by Brennan Manning, where he states:
The seldom-stated truth is that many of us have a longing for God and an aversion to God. Some of us seek Him and flee Him at the same time. We may scrupulously observe the Ten Commandments and rarely miss church on a Sunday morning, but a love affair with Jesus is just not our cup of tea.
This is my first exposure to Manning, a prolific author who would probably describe himself as a man obsessed with the love of God. In his introduction, he describes the numerous books he has written as variations on this captivating theme, one that I must sadly confess has never featured prominently in my own studies, reflections, or teaching until the past two or three years.
Those of us who embrace a Reformed soteriology (doctrine of salvation) have many mind-boggling themes competing for our attention: the covenants of grace and works, the absolute sovereignty of God, predestination, providence, and what we often call the doctrines of grace (total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints). We could insist that, since all of these themes are deeply rooted in the love of God, every aspect of a Calvinistic worldview inherently proclaims God’s love, but I’m afraid that would be putting too positive a spin on the reality.
Perhaps I’ve missed something along the way, because I can remember vigorous theological discussions on whether Calvinists could legitimately say to non-Christian people, “God loves you.” Many of us find ourselves squirming in our theological seats because the Reformed “system” only makes room for God’s love toward the elect, those whom He has chosen to save from the foundation of the world. So we feel very uncomfortable expressing God’s love to just anyone. In our minds, the “elect” are few in number compared with the overwhelming mass of humanity who are traveling the broad road that leads to eternal destruction. God does not love the non-elect, our theological system tells us; in fact, He will forever and ever pour out unimaginable punishment and suffering on these “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Romans 9:22, ESV).
This perspective of God has made it very difficult for me to fathom what Brennan Manning means by “a love affair with Jesus,” even though I consider myself to be a recipient of God’s grace and a follower of Jesus Christ. And yet I think back to the garden of Eden, prior to Adam and Eve’s trespass, where the first human couple walked with and enjoyed unhindered fellowship with the Triune God. The Bible gives us virtually no information about their daily relationship with God or how long before sin entered and tainted the perfection of Eden’s paradise, but surely they enjoyed an intimacy with their Creator that would stagger our imagination.
A more fully developed portrait of God dwelling with men can be seen in the life and ministry of Jesus, who held nothing back when He said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9, ESV). Think about that. Daily interaction, shared experiences (meals, parties, festivals, funerals, frightening episodes on the sea), times of hushed reverence and exuberant laughter, teaching in the context of life, sadness, disappointment, suffering and the full range of human emotion must have characterized the Savior’s life as he walked this earth with his disciples. While we may not know how Adam and Eve interacted with God prior to the Fall, we have been given an even greater vision of daily life in/with God through the Lord Jesus Christ in his three-year ministry in the towns and villages of Palestine.
I hunger for that. I long to know God’s grace more fully in the ordinary routines of life, outside what many people would describe as the religious component of their life…the weekly church-going activities where we tick the obligatory boxes and hope God sees our sacrifice. We participate in the holy rituals that have been handed down through the centuries because we want to know Him, and yet those activities often leave us feeling empty and wondering if God can be known in these ways.
At the same time, we’re not sure what we would do if God really showed up on Sunday. How would we know? Does the hair stand up on the back of your neck? Does the pace and intensity of our “praise and worship” increase when God’s in the house? Do we sense a special anointing on the pastor’s sermon? Should we stand, sit, or fall prostrate on the floor? And what if God doesn’t show up in most church services week after week? What does a “worship service” feel like when it’s devoid of His presence? You see, I’m not sure we can tell the difference; in fact, I don’t think we really want to know, because of our deep-seated aversion to God. We want to be God’s people, but we’d rather the Almighty keep His distance, like the Israelites of old feared hearing the voice of God.
Should our relationship with God (I speak here of the triune fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit) resemble anything of the faint glimpses we see in Eden or the more robust images of first century Palestine? Do we look to the Puritan era or modern movements like the emerging church? If our religious rituals seem empty and unfulfilling, should they be jettisoned as relics of the past that have little or nothing to do with a daily experience of His presence? Or should we dive deeper into ancient patterns, like the neo-monastics or those seeking God in a more formal liturgy of worship? More young Christians seem to be doing this, praying the “daily office” and observing the orthodox holy days like monks in an ancient monastery, exchanging their middle-of-the-road evangelicalism for a more high church, smells and bells liturgy.
At this point, pursuing various styles and approaches to “church” (I hesitate to even use the word in this way) seems quite ludicrous unless they lead me to know God more intimately on a day-to-day basis. Christ died for me! I want what Paul prayed for the Ephesians: that I would have the strength to comprehend the dimensions of Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge. I want to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:18–19). And I don’t think experiencing these realities is dependent on what we do when we gather with other believers, whether informally over coffee or in a more structured Bible study group. The fullness and the reality should already be present within us, shouldn’t it? We take that with us everywhere we go, so that the fragrance of Christ may permeate every place, sacred or secular, our feet take us.
Bill,
Brennan Manning is a brother that Father has brought into my life via his writings and has richly pointed me to the One is making Himself more and more real in my life.
The religious entrapment’s which are many, are in my opinion but an outer expression of an inner entrapment, as Jesus said, “Beware of the ‘leaven’ of the Pharisees, not beware of the Pharisees!
There is NO knowing this one Whose we are without a a major inner dismantling of that which has at best in many lives established but a form of godliness, but NO power.
Bill,
I’m a “simple-churcher”, and am not a personal fan of “high church”. I’d like to sidestep this dialectic for a moment though, and jump in on the “high church/low church” dichotomy for a moment. I think the high church is actually more accessible to many than what you called “middle-of-the-road evangelicalism” as it is less based on social norms, and more on a shared experience. It also tends to be less grouped by race, economic status, etc. When I was a non-Christian and then a young Christian, I definitely felt creeped out by most Baptist, etc. services, and felt fairly comfortable in ‘high church’ setting. I think younger people are seeking greater authenticity, and that this is leading towards neo-monasticism and the like.
The way you ask questions and when you said that “You see, I’m not sure we can tell the difference; in fact, I don’t think we really want to know, because of our deep-seated aversion to God”, is a clear manifestation the you do not know what the Bible teaches regarding this things. If you beleive that what is written in the Bible is inspired by God, I suggest to put much of your attention reading the Bible than reading books that are products of people own opinions, imagination, assumptions etc. I am very happy to say that all the questions you wrote on your article have answers in the Bible.
When you said “What does a “worship service” feel like when it’s devoid of His presence? “. Is there a possiblity that a worship service can be devoid of His presence? If yes, God is not everywhere?
Sadly, John, those who are experts in the written Scriptures (such as the Scribes and Pharisees) are very often the ones who follow the letter of the law without having a relationship with the One about whom those writings testify. After nearly forty years of studying the Bible and attaining the ridiculous-sounding degree known as a “Master of Divinity,” I am convinced that many of us substitute our knowledge of the Bible for living in the Father’s affection (His love and grace). As wonderful and enlightening as the Scriptures can be they were never designed to become an idol for us to fall down and worship—God Himself has redeemed us to walk together in fellowship with Him. Not a book! Perhaps you should spend more time reading those who are truly seeking to walk with the Lord. You might learn something from them.
Thanks for your courteous reply. I do not agree that the Scribes and the Pharisees are experts in the written Scriptures. Yes, they read the Scriptures yet they do not understand it like what is written in Daniel 12:10. They do not understand it because they are wicked/hypocrites. Another is in II Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Scribes and the Pharisees do not follow the letter of the law that is for sure. There is no way that you will not have relationship with God if you follow his law. Please read this verse Colossians 2:8 (Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.) I do not know what you mean by the “Master of Divinity”. Is that a title given to a person after some studies/research or sort of experience?
The way you exlpain things seems you do not base your faith in the teachings of the Bible. The way we should worship God is written in the Bible not in anyone else’s book. All the things when it comes to salvation is written in the Bible. My appeal is let us be Biblical. How could we live in Father’s affection if we do not know his will and commandments. How can you walk in fellowship with Him? These are all written in the Bible. If that is the kind of understanding that I will learn from reading those books, no way.
Many preachers claim that they base their faith in the Bible, that they do not contradict it and they are Christians. It does not show.
Dear Bill Lollar,
Please read 1 Timothy 4:16. If you are a preacher or a religious leader, you should learn from this verse. Isaiah 34:16, the Bible is complete and everything is on it. This is my love for you and for your followers to say the truth even if it will hurt. Your beliefs are not Biblical. It shows on your article and from your reply…
John,
The Scribes and Pharisees were highly trained teachers and defenders of the Law of God, similar to the conservative evangelicals of our day. They knew God’s Word inside and out. The sad thing is this…their zeal for a BOOK and their religious traditions kept them from loving God and loving their neighbor as the Law commanded. They followed the strict letter of the law, but without love in their hearts, which is why they crucified the Son of God for messing with their religious idolatry.
If you are unwilling to engage with the issues I’ve addressed in this article—hungering to know God more deeply—then please move along to someone else’s blog and post your judgmental comments there. Frankly, I don’t have the time or the interest in debating off-topic issues with you. Get your own blog if you want to pontificate about how unbiblical everyone else is and how right you are!
Preachers and leaders on the Bible are always ready to answer all questions from their detractors and they always find time to entertain them (1 Peter 3:15). Remember what Lord Jesus Christ said on Matthew 9:12. If you are happy that somebody praises or made good comments on your article, you should be happier when there are people who critcize your beleifs because you will have a good chance to preach to them what you think will give them the right way towards salvation. Well, I am not suprise when you said that you do not have the interest in debating “off-topic” with me. That is always the escape rope of majority of the preahers of our time. They are the same kind of people indicated in Jeremiah 51:30. I am not off topic. You aksed lot of questions from your article regarding serveral things which you said you cannot tell the difference etc. and what I said is that if you only have a good kwowledge of what the Bible is saying, you should have not ask those questions because all of the answers are written in the Bible.
You said that the scribes and pharisees followed the STRICT letter of the law. Isn’t it that one of the most important commandment from the Bible is “Love”? (Oppose this and I will prove it to you). How can you say that they follow the STRICT letter of the law if they do not have love. Come to think of it. They follow some and they neglect others, that is definitely wrong (James 2:10). They are not a STRICT follower. Does it make sense? Sure it is! you too said that they do not have love in their hearts yet you said that they follow the STRICT letter of the law. Now, that does not make sense.
I am chalenging you to a peaceful debate. You can choose a topic. If you are man enough to defend your faith like what the first century Christians did before, let’s get it on!
We also have our own blog. We are always ready whenever there is someone who criticize our faith. I would like to invite you to visit our blog. Just send me a reply and I will give you the link. Please have sometime just like I did when I visited your blog. Thanks for your time. Take care!
John,
Please post a link to your blog by all means then, using the ‘website’ link in the comments field! With regard to studying scripture, I think that people should read and study the Bible more than all other sources of Biblical knowledge combined. That said, i think you are representing a narrow view. Whether you are protestant or orthodox or pentecostal or whatever, your heritage of faith probably goes through someone who benefited from studying Biblical analysis written in a book. Also, I don’t think it is right to trivialize scripture by saying we can just read a verse and all agree as to what it means.
Hi Tom,
Thanks Tom M, I am very happy with your reply. First of all I am not a protestant or orthodox or a pentecostal. I am a Christian. As to what Church I belong, you can find it on the blog. It is actually the blog of our Presiding Minister. What I can assure is that you will read something different, something new from what you are usully hearing from different religous denomination of our time. We are very happy to hear from you even if it will be a good comment, critical or something that will contradict our beliefs.
I know that you are all good people and that you are all seeking the grace and relationship with God. Especially when I read this article “Seeking that elusive relationship with God”. It is just that there are a lot of things written on the article that really caught my attention. I am just a simple member in our congregation yet I beleive that with the little Biblical knowledge that I have learned from the Bible (courtesy of our Presiding Minister), I can tell that the author of the article do not have enough knowledge of the Bible teachings. If we are all saying that we are all Christians, we should not contradict each other, we should be one when it comes to things of faith (1 Cor. 1:10, 1 Cor. 13:11, Ephesians 4:5-6).
I am not encouraging everyone to join us, my appeal is to examine all the different faiths and compare them. Be meticulous when it comes to our soul, we only one soul and if satan capture it, it is very hard to win it back. People are very meticulous when it comes to food, clothing, when choosing freinds, in everything… if we are meticulous with these things, we should be more meticulous when it comes to our soul.
Here is the link of our blog: http://esoriano.wordpress.com/
Thanks again for your reply. May the grace of God be with you all! Take care!
Bill- I have a gravatar, but I don’t see how to tie it into the sight? Any tips?
Hi, Tom. I checked the settings in WordPress and it’s set to allow your gravatar to display. I’m not sure how these things work exactly.
Tom,
You need to be signed into your blog account for your gravatar to appear when you post comments elsewhere.
Tom
How are you guys doing? Have you visited our blog? http://esoriano.wordpress.com/ I’ll be happy to hear comments from you guys… Take care!
Bill,
I read this essay shortly after you posted it.
My birthday was about a week and a half ago. Wife gave me a copy of the little book by Brennan which your essay spring-boards from. Began reading it yesterday, and yes, it is true-to-form Manning.
Like you, I’ve studied the Bible since I was old enough to shuffle through Middle English (sometime in 3rd grade). In my mid-50’s I realize that all of my “knowledge” has left me dry and bereft of emotional intimacy with God–Abba.
Manning is right. The most important experience we can have is union with the God Who furiously longs for us–to FEEL that longing. Is there any doubt why the wedding metaphor is so prevalent in Scripture, especially in the Gospels and Revelation?
T