The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have lived, forever, in an endless 'dance' of self-giving, each in the others and each making space for the others. That God who is Love itself (1 John 4:8) has invited
us into the middle of that eternal relationship of infinite love and self-giving! We stand in the middle of the most amazing 'group hug' as it were, that could be imagined. See John 17 and Ephesians 1 as some starting places to read how the Lord Almighty loves us.
That invitation is so wonderful that sometimes we don't believe it could be true. I've thought many times, yes, God so loved the world, but he's really not very fond of me! Yes, he loves people as a whole, but some of us, not so much. But that's not how God loves. The God who is Father-Son-Spirit loves us, in all our brokenness, just as much as the Father loves the Son (John 17:23). Love is not dependent on behavior, else most parents wouldn't have children for very long -- and a mother's or father's love is only a tiny flicker of a flame compared to the all-encompassing fire that is God's love.
The love we are invited into is like an endless dance of joy and celebration. No longer wallflowers, left out of the party, we are all invited in, beckoned toward the love of God by the Holy Spirit who is Relationship defined. Don't think you know the steps? No problem -- the Spirit is the Master Teacher, and you'll get used to the rhythm soon.
Just a minute -- do you see that person over there? The one you don't really like and you don't think God should like either? And why is she dancing with such abandon, with such an expression of complete joy and delight? Surely she's just putting it on because others are watching...Doesn't she realize she doesn't deserve to be here? Why, she could ruin the party!
Well, if we really consider the truth, you and I don't deserve to be here either. But the same infinitely-loving God has loved and invited us both. The only way the party could be ruined, is if one of us refuses to see and accept the Holy Spirit in that other person (Rom. 8:16) and so accept her just as we are accepted. To see that God has called us both and is helping us love one another, warts and all, and learn to get along, and to hear him together and respond together.
And that, my dear friends, is the first step in becoming the Church. More on that next time.
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