12/11/2011 “I WISH I WERE GOD”
“I WISH I WERE GOD”
“I wish I were God…!” How many times have you uttered that phrase?
Christmas time, our culture teaches, is the time of year for wishing. The old Sears, Roebuck, & Co. Christmas catalog for many years was called, “The Wish Book.” It was filled with all sorts of things for which a youngster would wish. I remember paging through those hundreds of thin pages with wide-eyed imagination. All those fabulous toys!
Toys-R-Us produces a catalog nowadays. Its 80 pages don’t compare at all to the Sears toy catalog which was at least an inch thick. Stacking the Toys-R-Us, Target, Walmart, Boscov’s, & other “holiday” flyers – combined – doesn’t approach half the thickness of the old Sears tome.
We still have our wishes, though, don’t we? So, if you were granted your wish to become God, what would you do as God? Tell us, please.
That was fun. You could sense some of the frustration, too, couldn’t you? We often have the impression that God doesn’t understand how we feel or how difficult things are for us. God’s so big, so alien, so far away.
Therapists tell us that when a relationship becomes an “issue” for us, one way to deal with it is to put ourselves in the other person’s place. If we can understand that person’s experience, then we gain some insight which can help the relationship.
So, today, as you pretended to be God & did things differently in the universe, I’m going to take on the role of God, too. The prophets did exactly this: spoke for God. Of the three classic roles which Christian clergy assume – pastor, priest, & prophet – preaching fulfills the prophet’s role. Today, I’ll do that with a little different style than we’re accustomed.
I’ll try to explain things from God’s perspective... & be God.
On Good Friday, we learn that God loves us enough to die for us. At Easter, we learn that God loves us enough to not even let our physical death separate us from Him. At Christmas, though, we learn where it all started, namely that God loves us enough to come be with us & become someone who understands what it’s like as a human being.
As God, I created the universe: all that is, was, & forever will be. You remember the Genesis story, don’t you? One of my specific creations was a paradise on Earth called
I also gave humans something else, free will, the ability to choose what they wanted. That turned out to be a controversial decision. The jury’s still out on that one with some folks. Debate it as you will, someone had to make an executive decision. My thinking was that I wanted to make sure that the only way persons would love & serve me, would be because they truly wanted. They would deliberately have to choose me. As fun as it would have been with a bunch of robots worshiping me, it wouldn’t have been meaningful, or best. It would be much better for humanity, & much more fulfilling to me, if persons choose to love me out of their own volition – out of their own free will. That’s freedom!
And I’m sure that all of you, especially those of you who don’t care too much for me & don’t follow my commandments, are glad that I don’t force myself on you. I have to admit, however, that giving everyone free will creates a host of problems.
I mean, we weren’t three chapters into the Genesis story when things started to go south. Adam & Eve distinctly knew my prohibition against eating from that tree in the middle of the garden, but they opted for it, anyway – a decision that sparked a whole lot of trouble for every-one. Just as I wrapped up that situation, their son Cain became jealous of his brother, Abel, killed him (!), & blamed it on – of a people – me! Go figure! You know, I’ve been getting the blame for things ever since. See what I mean about free will!?!
The downhill slide just continued from there. There was that insulting
You know the drill. There was
The fact is: all the good things in life come from me. All the bad things, humans are responsible for. I made a perfect world. People ruined it. People pollute my good creation. People drive drunk. People make faulty products that hurt others. People manufacture & use weapons of mass destruction. People build houses in flood plains & wildfire zones. Who gets blamed, though? I do. I get the blame for the natural consequences of their bad behavior. Some days I can’t win for losing!
What a mess things had become! 4,000 years of this & I had it! A person can only put up with so much abuse. There are no shelters to take in abused Creators! Oh, my Me! (I can’t say, “Oh, my God!” now, can I?) I mean, it’s not only lonely at the top, but it’s a real pain in the divine tukas some days! But do you think I learned my lesson? Nooo! I’m a real glutton for punishment. I say that because do you know what I decided to do next? (Chuckle.) Oy! Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire. What was I was thinking? In 20/20 hindsight, I needed one of those psychotherapists I created!
Anyway, what I decided to do (hold on for this one!) was give up my cherished home in heaven. I was sufficiently removed from the headaches down below. I enjoyed a place where I could recline rather comfortably, where I could be creative without anyone bothering me, where I never had to endure physical pain, where I was happy & contented doing the God thing.
I found it a blast creating those gorgeous landscapes, flowers, & sunsets, as well as some of the stranger members of the animal kingdom. Take Lady Gaga for example! Or, how ‘bout that pastor of yours, what’s his name? Knerd? Knerr! That’s it. Oy! And, I have to tell you, there’s no more fun than sending down a thunderstorm or two. I’ve got to say, I’m glad I’m the Eternal Dad, because if I had parents, they would never put up with the racket I make with thunderstorms!
What I’m saying is that I had it good in heaven. I had it great! Nobody ever had it better. Heck, I’m God!
But, you know what? Truth be told (an example of practicing what I preach!), you humans really got to me, right here. I had to do something. After all, who do you think gave Harry Truman the idea that “the buck stops here?” I endured no physical suffering, as I said, but my heart was breaking for you folks. I am your divine parent! Deep down, I really am an old softy. The problem was that I couldn’t convince people that I understood what they were going through, so I decided to prove that I really did understand them. I did that by coming to Earth as Jesus of Nazareth, a man whose life was as tough & disappointing & fraught with suffering as many of your own lives.
So, let me ask you this. When you so critically pronounce, “If I were God,” how many of you would have given up heaven to come join this muddle? How many of you would have been so compassionate after 40 centuries of abuse & rebellion from your kids? Most of you pull out your hair dealing with only six years of parenting teenagers. Imagine dealing with that behavior for 4000 years! Now who’s the big talker? I mean, how many of you, who can’t even stand one another some days, would have come down to save that person you don’t like, or anyone for that matter, let alone everyone, even the worst among you? I came to save you & save you from all of this trouble. Let’s talk about sacrifice! Let’s talk about devotion & love!
Forgive me. If I sound like I’m tooting my own horn, rather than letting Gabriel do it for me, well, I am. I’m sorry that you’re seeing this side of me. Believe me, I’ve taken more than my share of blame & bashing over the past few millennia. I guess that I really need to hire a better public relations firm. I heard that Slick Ideas company does decent work.
Anyway, getting back to the matter at hand. --- Being God, I knew what life was like for you, but you disagreed. So, when I was born of Mary, I proved that I could learn firsthand what being a human is like. And I did. Not to brag, but I have a rather steep learning curve! Don’t forget, I was tempted by the evil one – big time tempted. I was promised the world by that trouble-maker. I understand what it’s like having bad days. Do I ever! I’ve experienced lies & injustice, personally. I know the pain of betrayal & losing the closest friend you have in life. I hung out with diseased & wounded & hurting persons. I watched my son hurt & die. I’ve experienced what it’s like to not have enough money to put food on the table or have a closet full of decent clothes. I know about how aggravating one’s own congregation & its leaders can be. I know about addiction & the fear of dying & the heartbroken feeling of rejection that comes with certain parent-child relationships … & know that as both parent & child.
I’m being a bit brusque today. I admit it. Again, forgive me. I know it’s frustrating being you. It’s frustrating being me!
I just hope you take to heart what I’m telling you. I hope you feel a little relief after learning these things. Believe me, I didn’t just come down here to get away & take a well-deserved vacation among the beautiful world I created. I came here for you, to be with you.
My biographer, Mark, writes, “He had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). See!
Another writer, my #1 apostle, Paul, reminds you, “For you know the generous act of our Lord… that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (II Cor. 8:9).
And elsewhere, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are….”(Heb. 4:15).
What I’m trying to tell you in all of this is that I always knew what you were going through. But, in case you didn’t believe that fact when I was in my role as God Almighty, Creator of the Universe, then perhaps I could be more convincing as Jesus of Nazareth. It really does help being on the ground with you. As God, I understood, & still understand, your plight.
Yes, it was long ago when I came, but I promise to come again. In the meantime, will you take me as I am this Christmas, or will you wait for my physical return? If you wait too long, though, it could be one of those “Snooze? You lose!” kind of things. As I’ve said, “Blest are those who have not seen & yet have come to believe.”
Thanks for hearing me out. Read 1st Peter 1:3-9.
In the Name…. Copyright 2011 by G.D.Knerr at