Friday, November 16, 2012

“Touched With the Feeling”


     The Bible depicts God as an emotional being.  “We have not a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews4:15).  As an infinite being, God is in fact the most emotional person who exists.  Our own emotions proceed from the reality of feeling in the God who originally created us in His image.

     The Bible teaches that God rejoices.  He also grieves.  He can be pleased, and He can be disappointed.  God feels affection, and hatred exists in His emotional sensibilities.  Most importantly, He experiences the feelings of love more passionately than any ardor or devotion the most enraptured human heart has ever imagined (Nehemiah 8:10; Genesis 6:6; Psalm 51:19; Matthew 23:37; Ephesians5:1; Proverbs 6:16; Ephesians 3:19). 

     Wonderfully, and unlike ourselves, God’s emotions exist in perfect temper and harmony with His character, nature and way. Never do His feelings cause Him to act in discord with who He is, or with His eternal purposes in the Lord Jesus Christ. Sentimentality will never cause our Heavenly Father to violate the sanctity of His being, the glory of His Son, or the legitimate and best interests of His creation.  “Thy testimonies that Thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful” (Psalm 119:138).

     Nothing about God more fills my heart with wonder than this, the Lord who feels.  Our Heavenly Father is emotionally involved with a creation whose realities prompt feeling of every variety and measure.  Indeed, I often think of the pain God has known deeply within His heart, pain more keenly felt than any heartache or heartbreak I have ever known.  I think of the times when I have grieved Him, and I grieve.  However, I also rejoice in the knowledge that the grace of the Lord Jesus makes possible our bringing pleasure to the heart of God by thoughts, attitudes, words, prayers, and actions that flow from His love revealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

    I know you join me in desiring to live in such a manner that God’s heart is pleased.  It is a heart that has known much sorrow, and a heart worthy only of joy and blessing.  If we have believed, the Spirit of the Son who most pleases God dwells within us. Through Christ, we can think, speak, act and relate in a manner that elicits pleasure in our Father’s heart.  Let us avail ourselves of the grace that makes such blessedness possible.  Indeed, may the Lord who was touched with the feeling of our infirmities be touched with the feeling of joy by children in whom the faith and faithfulness of His beloved Son shines forth in God-pleasing love and devotion.

“The Lord taketh pleasure in His people.”(Psalm 149:4)

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