The Struggle to Love God “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment.”—Jesus Christ, 33 C.E.* Some people find it difficult to love God. To them, God seems unfathomable, distant, or even cruel. Consider the following expressions: “I prayed to God for help, but at the same time, I felt that he was far away, almost unreachable. To me, God was an abstract entity without feelings.”—Marco, Italy. “Although I sincerely wanted to serve God, he seemed so far off. I thought he was a harsh God who only punishes us. I didn’t believe that he had tender feelings.”—Rosa, Guatemala. “As a child, I believed that God was searching for our mistakes, ready to punish us if we deserved it. Later, I saw him as aloof. God was like a prime minister who manages the affairs of the people he leads—but who is not really interested in them.”—Raymonde, Canada. What do you think? Is God unlovable? Christians have raised that question for centuries. In fact, during the Middle Ages, most inhabitants of Christendom did not even pray to Almighty God. Why not? People were in morbid fear of him. Historian Will Durant put it this way: “How could a simple sinner dare to take his prayer to so awful and distant a throne?” How did God come to be viewed as “awful and distant”? What does the Bible really teach about God? Can learning the truth about God help you to love him?The Lie That Made God Nameless WHAT MANY BELIEVE “We have gained no consensus as to whether we can even speak of ‘the’ name of God, and if so, what that name might be.”—Professor David Cunningham, Theological Studies. THE TRUTH FROM THE BIBLE God said: “I am Jehovah. That is my name.” (Isaiah 42:8) Jehovah is a Hebrew name that means “He Causes to Become.”—Genesis 2:4, footnote. Jehovah wants us to use his name. “Call upon his name,” states the Bible. “Make known among the peoples his dealings. Make mention that his name is put on high.”—Isaiah 12:4. Jesus used God’s name. In prayer, Jesus told Jehovah: “I have made your name known to them [Jesus’ disciples] and will make it known.” Why did Jesus make the divine name known to his disciples? He continued: “In order that the love with which you [God] loved me may be in them and I in union with them.”—John 17:26. WHY IT MATTERS “A man who does not know God by name does not really know him as a person,” wrote theologian Walter Lowrie, “and he cannot love him, if he knows him only as an impersonal force.” A man named Victor attended church weekly, but he did not feel that he really knew God. “Then I learned that God’s name is Jehovah, and it was like an official introduction to him,” he says. “I felt as though I had finally met the One about whom I had heard so much. I came to see him as a real Person and to develop a friendship with him.” Jehovah, in turn, draws close to humans who use his name. Regarding “those thinking upon his name,” God promises: “I will show compassion upon them, just as a man shows compassion upon his son who is serving him.” (Malachi 3:16, 17) God also rewards those who call upon his name. The Bible says: “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”—Romans 10:13.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 19:54:44 +0000
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