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Be Aware of God
Have you ever considered just how our human, finite intimate spiritual relationship with a Holy and Righteous God appears? What earthly everyday examples are there, that realistically, depicts our committed relationship with our Loving Creator?
For many, our relationship with God is on a primary level, expressed and practice as we obtain a “knowledge about God.” To just have knowledge about God simply denotes mental and intellectual data and or information that will eventually limit the desired purpose for intimacy by-which each soul is created for. In the Hebrew expression, the term yada means more than the possession of abstract concepts. The desired level of commitment that our Creator delights for each soul is our obtaining knowledge which compasses deeper inner appropriation, feelings, a reception into our souls.
The very best knowledge that we are created for by God is a blend of both intellectual and emotional. Thus, this syncretism is how the Holy Spirit of the Most High communicates internal engagement, dedication or attachment to each of us who are seeker of spiritual maturity. Only then, can we obtain the ability to experience sympathy, pity, or affection for others. One may argue that they have always had the ability to have sympathy, pity and the like for others, however,the “other” in question, is not other human-beings; it is perhaps for the very first time, God’s desire to bestows to a faithful seeker, not just knowledge about Him, but an awareness of Him. This newly obtained spiritual awareness of God teaches a soul the very things that are sensitive to God, a concern for the divinity within each person, as each soul now has the capacity toward inner reformation that eventually is “Practiced out-loud,” as morality and ethical behavior/actions and deeds. It is through our trails, temptations, testings, and failures as humans, that God through His Love for us, enables us to learn God’s perspective of compassion, forgiveness and grace as it is extended to us through Messiah.
One of the very best example of just what this “deeper intimate spiritual relationship” looks like is written in the Book of Hosea. In Hosea, the relationship between God and Israel is that of an “other worldly” combination of marital love, desertion, and the hope of new betrothal. Due to God’s hesed [love] for Israel as well as each living soul who is non-Jewish, the newer, deeper relationship demands not only for reformed actions on our part, but also for a renewed mutual feeling for both parties due to spiritual laws of forgiveness and reconciliation. This deeper expression of the enhanced relationship is noted by each of us, not just living out the external moral commandments, but developing and the practice of inner reformation of spiritual virtue.
Hosea was told by the Lord to marry Gomer [a harlot, one who has the spiritual disposition to become unfaithful]. After three children were born, he discovered that his wife had been unfaithful and had given herself to many lovers. The Lord once again said to Hosea: “Bring Gomer back to your home, renew your love for her, even as the Lord loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods.” (3:1) Hosea did bring her from the slavery into which she had fallen, the marriage was renewed. Our Creator cannot nor will not abandon Israel nor non-Jewish followers of Messiah. Those who are in a covenant relationship with our Creator will not be forsaken because of our abilities/tendencies/disposition at being unfaithful.
The Holy One in Your Midst
In conclusion, I deeply encourage each of you to consider reading the Book of Hosea for yourself. In this most wonderful book, one may obtain a far deeper insight into the heart, mind and will of our Creator’s love toward each of us. God in the Book of Hosea [as is the case throughout all Holy Scriptures] is not a self-detached Ruler, but a ultra-sensitive Holy Being who deals with evil, sin, and deception by His standards and not mankind’s. Our heavenly Father is forever pleading for His followers to remain loyal, while equally longing for any and all reunion of those who go astray. As is the case in this intimate spiritual relationship between us who are finite, and God who is Holy and Righteous, God’s is passionate in reconciliation and maturity of our soul-care in this lifetime. Be forever Blessed!
How shall I give you up, O Ephraim!
How shall I surrender you, O Israel!
My heart is turned within Me,
My compassion grows life a flame.
For I am God and not man,
The Holy One In Your Midst,
And I will not come to destroy.
Hosea 11:8-9
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Grace and Peace!
Brother Alonzo E. Thornton