If God was Less
We Need All He Is
“Journey” in acrylic by Myra Alibrando (my birthday request April 2023)
Not Loving?
My absolute favorite part of God is His unconditional love for me but I must admit, I cannot imagine us, if God was not loving. I suppose it is unimaginable but for God, it is a choice.
Not Smart?
What if God was loving but kind of dumb? It's inconceivable, but nature would be a mess if He was not a great inventor, biologist, chemist, and master of fields of science that haven't been discovered yet. I am constantly inspired by the powerful, genius beauty I see in all of nature, space, and suspending the earth with precision.
Not Just?
What if God was smart and loving but not just? What if God said "I love everybody and nobody will ever die and everyone can live forever." That sounds like a great Santa-like God but life would be far, far darker than it already is in this world. Sometimes just knowing the evil people who seem to get away with everything at great expense of so many others, are going to finally punished for their secret and open deeds, calms me down.
If it wasn't for God's justice, I think I might have become a very bitter old man. Sure, there are powerful people who die heroes because they were wealthy or popular or even perverted. At the same time, there some borderline saints who were optimistic despite a life of poverty. They refused to be dishonest or take advantage of others, even when they could have. They die and the family is hard-pressed to pay funeral expenses or hospital bills. Because I believe Judgement Day is real and that God the Creator will render justice not only for the powerfully corrupt, but also the forgotten poor who honored Him, I am able to calm down. The just live by faith. We have no choice because we don't see justice but we believe it is coming, we are not eaten by resentment and vengeance.
A Promise-Breaker?
God says, "I promise I will take care of it" many times in the Bible.
Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:1-4
Weak?
What if God was loving, just, and smart but weak? What if Satan could defeat God? What if man's military could defeat God? What if the world could evict God forever from earth because they hated His values?
Ha. Believe they have tried, are trying, and will keep trying. Man wants to be God. Man is not smart enough to make a living blade of grass or a single living cell, but refuses to give God credit insisting it happened all by itself. Man is not strong enough to stop a Tsunami, a tornado, a storm, or the seasons from changing. We can't predict weather accurately on a daily basis but the Paris Accord is supposed to control the climate?
Earth Created for Man
God made earth for man. God made the creatures and everything here for man. Read Genesis. When man was so corrupt and God regretted ever making man, he was going to destroy the whole earth.
So the LORD said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” Genesis 6:7
The earth is nothing to God without man, because He loves us. Jesus died for no animals or plants, only those made in God’s image.
Demons Know What Many Doubt
No army, no power of man, neither Satan nor all of hell can stop the power of God. God owns victory
“Victory belongs to the Lord.”Proverbs 21:31b
and that is why demons shuddered in fear at the presence of Jesus.
In Matthew 8:28-33 were two violent, demon-possessed men. When they met Jesus they didn't attack did they? Not even close. Afraid they said "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" Those were demons who knew God's final plan of judgement and justice is completely unstoppable and that they will be tortured. God keeps His promises. They know that.
Then did they fight Jesus? Of course not. They begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. They waited for his answer. Once Jesus gave permission, they went into the pigs.
I cannot explain the part about the pigs all jumping off a cliff, if that was the doing of the pigs, Jesus, or the demons. I just know demons fear Jesus and nothing created can threaten the infinite power of God.
This is Why Wickedness Will Vanish
God is wise, loving, powerful, just, and has a plan to redeem all that wish to step out of the curse and embrace His love, His mercy, and His commandments . . . for our good always.
I'm sure you could think of more important qualities of God that if missing, would be terrible. I am grateful that He is all that He is.
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming. Psalm 37:12-13
Thanks Karen
In contemplating the attributes of God, His love, intelligence, justice, omnipotence, and fidelity, it's impossible not to reflect deeply on the catastrophic voids that their absences would leave in the cosmos. As a research scientist, I find the hypothetical absence of these divine qualities not only spiritually disconcerting but also intellectually provocative.
Firstly, God's unconditional love anchors the emotional and moral compass of countless believers. If this were absent, I imagine a universe cold and indifferent not just to human suffering but to the very notion of well-being itself. This thought experiment parallels my work in the laboratory, where the absence of a controlled variable can dramatically skew an entire experiment. It teaches me the importance of constancy and attention to detail.
Secondly, considering God as devoid of intelligence, imagining Him as "dumb" challenges me to appreciate the intricate complexity and harmony of nature. My work, which often dwells at the intersection of undiscovered scientific fields, mirrors this reflection. It pushes me to acknowledge that behind every unturned stone of scientific inquiry could lie a testament to a greater intelligence, a blueprint of higher design that we, as part of creation, strive to understand.
Thirdly, the notion of God lacking justice brings to light the fundamental need for fairness and accountability in my field. Just as divine retribution offers comfort against the backdrop of worldly injustice, rigorous peer review and ethical standards in research ensure that truth and integrity prevail over misconduct.
Reflecting on a hypothetical weakness in God reminds me of our own vulnerabilities particularly in the face of natural disasters or the vast unknowns of space. It underscores our limitations and the humility required to truly advance in any scientific endeavor.
The promise-keeping nature of God resonates with the commitments we hold as scientists to pursue and disseminate truth, despite the pressures and temptations to do otherwise.
Sam, I am grateful for the thought-provoking article. It has not only offered a spiritual reflection but also a mirror to the virtues and challenges inherent in the scientific pursuit. I look forward to your next piece with great anticipation, eager to explore further the intersections between our faith and our work in the scientific realm. Thank you for enriching my perspective.