Our misunderstood and often maligned God

It’s not that long ago that I was complaining to the Lord about being misunderstood. You can complain to Him you know, King David did (Psalm 142:2)! And it’s better to complain to Him,  rather than to others,  because when you complain to others, it’s all too easily to be promoting disunity (2 Corinthians 12:10).  But I digress! God’s ‘tongue-in-cheek’  reply to me was “You think you’re misunderstood,  what about all those people who say they represent me,  but don’t have a clue who I am? What about all those who blame Me for everything that goes wrong? What about most of  the over 40,000 registered Christian denominations whom claim to have figured Me out, but don’t have a clue nevertheless tell anyone who is not them,  that they are right and everybody else is wrong?” In other words He was saying “And you think you're misunderstood?” Feeling misunderstood?  There's nothing we go through that He has not gone through in spades (Hebrews 4:15).

I believe that nowhere has God been more misunderstood than in women's issues.  God's blueprint for relationship between men and women is Adam and Eve before the fall. And we are to seek, with His help,  to bring the Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven, and as it was in paradise (Matthew 6:10). Adam and Eve were neither a patriarchal nor a matriarchal society. In paradise Adam did not rule over Eve. And so when we read in Genesis 3:16 that the man will rule over the women, it is to my way of thinking,  a prophecy of what would take place post fall. It was not, and is not,  something that God was desiring, let alone commanding!  And in fact for a long time that was, and in many places still is, an accurate description of what has actually happened.  But God's desire, is that the man love his wife sacrificially,  just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25).

And if we really want to know what God is like, we just need to look at Jesus Christ. He tells us “If you have seen Me, You have seen the Father (John 14:9).  God has revealed Himself supremely in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2). In fact the whole of Scripture testifies to who He is (John 5:39). But it is not enough to know about Him, we need to know Him,  as in have a relationship with Him. He promises “You will search for Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your Heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).  To know Him in relationship is the essence of eternal life (John 17:3).

Father, please forgive us for jumping to conclusions as to who You are.  I suspect when we think badly of You,  we have  believed lies,  for You are the very essence of love (1 John 4:8).  Lord Jesus, as the God-Man You show us God and You show us mankind as God intend for us to be (John 14:9-11). In relationship with You we move towards life in all its fullness (John 10:10b). So I pray this morning Lord, that You will continue to teach us who You are, and to draw us to Yourself. I believe we will be fascinated for all eternity with You,  our mysterious, fascinating and wonderful God. Thank You that when time is no more, we will be able to praise You as we aught,  and as You so richly deserve in Your precious Name Amen.