God's Kryptonite

Have you ever seen the way a person that seems to be perfect can (because of their perfection) seem very distant or even unreal.

Now, I know
that none of us believe there is actually such thing as a perfect person, but many times we naturally, and yet wrongfully attribute higher levels of perfection to certain people. Like...

• religious people
  
• religious leaders
• bankers and politicians (oh wait, blaaa haaa haaa haaa -- if you're a banker or a politician, sorry, but thanks for the laugh)
• Police
  
• you get the idea

Now, this isn't to say that these people aren't decent people, but I think they serve as examples of my point. They are usually the type of people we think are "better behaved" than most, BUT along with this label of "better than most", these people also become somewhat removed from the rest of us. It's the pedestal effect; when we look up to someone so much that we raise them up above most others then they become kind of distant from the rest of us, kind of, "unreal".

As a Pastor I get this all the time, "dude, you're like a REAL guy". Simply meaning that they somehow realized that I'm not some stoic, perfect, super human.

This often leads me to wonder about how we relate to God, truly, the only perfect being that exists. But, did you know that the God who is sinless, perfect, and above us, is not impervious to hurt and pain??

God has a kryptonite

What could possibly hurt God", you ask!?!?

Jeremiah 8:21

"since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me".

We are His kryptonite, or maybe a better way to say it is, our pain is. Where do you think great story tellers have gotten the idea that the only thing that can hurt a superhero, is the hurting of the people he loves.

This was a human story line LONG BEFORE superman put on his tighties.

In the following verses God actually goes on to say if his eyes were springs of water, He would cry with flowing tears all day and night, feeling pain over our pain.

Have you ever thought of Jesus (the God who formed you, and all that is) as one who hurts when you hurt, who cries when you cry, who is crushed when you are crushed?

Maybe God seems close to you when life is good, but distant when life is painful or difficult, but anyone can celebrate with those that are celebrating. Only one who CARES DEEPLY can cry with those who are hurting.

So, may you know today that our God is a God who DEEPLY CARES and to whom you deeply matter.

P.S.
Serve First Sunday was AWESOME! I will write more about the impact we had latter this week.