Recently, I've been reading The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. It's been a really awesome book in looking at a whole new perspective in seeing God for who He really is rather than who WE say He is. Check out this awesome analogy about God's love for His children and why people can still end up in Hell despite His love for us...
"'Well, each one of my children is unique. And that uniqueness and special personhood calls out a unique response from me.' Mack settled back into his chair. 'I remember after Jon, my first was born. I was so captivated by the wonder of who this little life was that I actually worried about whether I would have anything left to love a second child with. But when Tyler came along, it was as if he brought with him a special gift for me, a whole new capacity to love him specifically. Come to think of it, it's like when Papa(God) says she is especially fond of someone. When I think of each of my children individually, I find that I am especially fond of each one.'
...'But what about when they do not behave, or they make choices other than those you would want them to make, or they are just belligerent and rude? What about when they embarrass you in front of others? How does that affect your love for them?'
Mack responded slowly and deliberately, 'It doesn't, really...I admit that it does affect me and sometimes I get embarrassed or angry, but even when they act badly, they are still my sons and my daughter, they are still Josh and Kate, and they will be forever. What they do might affect my pride, but not my love for them.'
...'So, who is it that I am supposed to judge?' 'God'--she paused--'and the human race.' Mack was dumbfounded. 'You have got to be kidding!' he exclaimed.
'Why not? Surely there are many people in your world you think deserve judgement. There must be at least a few who are to blame for so much of the pain and suffering. What about the greedy who feed off the poor of the world? What about the ones who sacrifice their young children to war? What about the men who beat their wives, Mackenzie? What about the fathers who beat their sons for no reason but to assuage their own suffering? Don't they deserve judgement, Mackenzie?'
...'And what about the man who prays on innocent little girls? What about him, Mackenzie? Is that man guilty? Should he be judged?' 'Yes!' screamed Mack. 'Damn him to hell!'
'Is he to blame for your loss?' 'Yes!' 'What about his father, the man who twisted his son into a terror, what about him?'
'Yes him too!' 'How far do we go back, Mackenzie? This legacy of brokenness goes all the way back to Adam--what about him? But why stop there? What about God? God started this whole thing. Is God to blame?'
Mack was reeling. He didn't feel like a judge at all, but rather the one on trial. The woman was unrelenting. 'Isn't this where you are stuck, Mackenzie? Isn't this what fuels The Great Sadness? That God cannot be trusted? Surely, a father like you can judge the father!'
Again his anger rose like a towering flame. He wanted to lash out, but she was right and there was no point in denying it.
She continued, 'Isn't that just your complaint, Mackenzie? That God has failed you, that he failed Missy? That before the creation, God knew that one day you and your Missy would be brutalized, and still he created? And then he allowed that twisted sould to snatch her from your loving arms when he had the power to stop him. Isn't God to blame, Mackenzie?'
Mack was looking at the floor, a flurry of images pulling his emotions in every direction. Finally he said it, louder than he intended, and pointed his finger right at her. 'Yes! God is to blame!' The accusation hung in the room as the gavel fell in his heart.
'Then,' she said with finality, 'if you are able to judge God so easily, you certainly can judge the world.' Again she spoke without emotion.' You must choose two of your children to spend eternity in God's new heavens and new earth, but only two.'
'What?' he erupted, turning to her in disbelief. 'And you must choose three of your children to spend eternity in hell.'
Mack couldn't believe what he was hearing and started to panic.
'Mackenzie." Her voice now came as a calm and wonderful as he had first heard it. 'I am only asking you to do something you believe God does. He knows every person ever conceived, and he knows them so much more deeply and clearly than you will ever know your own children. He loves each one according to his knowledge of the being of that son or daughter. You believe he will condemn most to an eternity of torment, away from his presence and apart from his love. Is that not true?'
'I suppose I do. I've just never thought about it like this.' He was stumbling over his words in shock. 'I just assumed that somehow God could do that. Talking about hell was always sort of an abstract conversation, not about anyone that I truly...' Mack hesitated, realizing that what he was about to say would sound ugly. 'Not about anyone that I truly cared about.'
'So you suppose, then, that God does this easily, but you cannot? Come now, Mackenzie. Which three of your five children will you sentence to hell? Katie is struggling with you the most right now. She treats you badly and has said hurtful things to you. Perhaps she is the first and most logical choice. What about her? You are the judge, Mackenzie, and you must choose.'
'I don't want to be the judge,' he said, standing up. Mack's mind was racing. This couldn't be real. How could God ask him to choose among his own children? There was no way he could sentence Katie, or any of his other children, to an eternity in hell just because she had sinned against him. Even if Katie or Josh or Jon or Tyler committed some heinous crime, he still wouldn't do it. He couldn't! For him, it wasn't about their performance, it was about his love for them.
'I can't do this,' he said softly. 'You must,' she replied. 'I can't do this,' he said louder and more vehemently. 'You must,' she said again, her voice softer. 'I...will...not...do...this!' Mack yelled, his blood boiling hot inside him.
'You must,' she whispered. 'I can't. I can't. I won't!' he screamed, and now the words and emotions came tumbling out. The woman just stood watching and waiting. Finally he looked at her, pleading with his eyes. 'Could I go instead? If you need someone to tortue for eternity, I'll go in their place. Would that work? Could I do that?' He fell at her feet, crying and begging now. 'Please let me go for my children. Please, I would be happy...Please, I am begging you. Please...Please...'
'Mackenzie, Mackenzie,' she whispered, and her words came like a splash of cool water on a brutally hot day. Her hands gently touched his cheeks as she lifted him to his feet. Looking at her through blurring tears, he could see that her smile was radiant. 'Now you sound like Jesus. You have judged well, Mackenzie. I am so proud of you.'
'But I haven't judged anything,' Mack offered in confusion. 'Oh, but you have. You have judged them worthy of love, even if it costs you everything. That is how Jesus loves.' When he heard the words he thought of his new friend waiting by the lake. 'And now you know Papa's heart,' she added, 'who loves all her children perfectly.'"
WOW
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