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It is not for me easy to define intimacy, even more difficult regarding my relationship with God. Maybe, an example might help here. Yesterday morning as I was thinking about someone who died four days ago, I closed my eyes and looked at Jesus in my spirit. I recall that I did not say anything, neither loudly nor silently in my mind, but my question was heard by Him, nonetheless. This person who died was famous and some might know that I write about British pop star George Michael who died at the age of 53. I did not know that much about him, I only remember some of his songs that touched me in a certain way, especially ‘Last Christmas’ where he sang,

“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I’ll give it to someone special…”

It seems to me that this song was somehow prophetic for him since George Michael died on December 25, 2016, (t)his ‘last’ Christmas. What happened in my prayer time yesterday morning was that a simple glance from Jesus confirmed to me that He was the one to whom George Michael had given his heart four days ago.

Someone who does not know God that closely might wonder how and why God shares such secrets with His children, however, I can tell you that I never fear for their eternal destiny whenever I hear about someone’s death, neither in my family nor regarding my friends nor as for several famous people. In cases where I am not that sure immediately, I turn to Jesus and without any exception I have always felt His overwhelming peace in which all questions vanish into thin air. I know that with what I am writing here I might make some people pretty angry because they know the Bible better than I do. But I believe it is not enough to know Scripture. We need to also know God and His heart for this world, too, so that the real depth of Scripture shines out. In fact, the Bible is full of mysteries that can only be detected by an illuminated heart and mind.

After some research on the internet I saw that George Michael who would be a homosexual had become a target by some radically conservative and legalistic Christians about five years ago. There was a group of American ‘Christians’ who seemed to have even prayed for his death because of his ‘sinful lifestyle’. Reading such horror makes me shudder! I think it is not necessary to say that such a behavior (I hope and pray they repented meanwhile) cannot have sprung from Christ’s Spirit, ever, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3:16-17 ESV)

As much as I am convinced that George Michael has been saved by our loving Savior, I want to speak up and issue a warning also, a warning to not throw the baby out with the bath water by preaching a licentious gospel instead of a legalistic one since neither of these directions is the true gospel. It is clear to me that Christians who suffered from legalism tend to emphasize the grace of God much more than the wrath of God, which is a biblical reality, too. Being balanced in our view of biblical truth cannot be achieved by what we have come to believe is true according to our own liking. Instead, we urgently need a close relationship with our Savior and God who alone knows man’s heart and “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4 ESV) If we really share God’s heart, we will eventually have a heart that weeps and prays for others instead of judging them wrongly or even condemning them. If we claim to know what God’s thoughts regarding a certain person, a group, an event or an issue are, we should only publish these if we have already become partakers of His divine nature as well.

It saddens me every time when I meet Christians who write self-righteously about groups that are struggling with their sexuality as much as I feel repelled when I detect a Christian who tells others that there is no cross in their life needed and that they can stay just as they are. Of course, we cannot change ourselves, much less can a repeated adulterer who fell prey to sexual addiction or a homosexual be ‘reversed’ by their own efforts. But I think if God allows, we need to share the truth in love with those who are concerned. Nevertheless, we must be IN LOVE before. At first in love with God and then in love with our neighbors, even enemies, as well.

Just for clarification, I am referring to agape love here, not to normal human emotions that have sprung from the soul, still. If our heart has been touched, that does not necessarily mean that the Holy Spirit was the author of our feelings. All human beings have a soul and can be touched in their hearts. But being in love with God and our neighbors is a spiritual thing which requires that the eyes of our heart have been enlightened to see God who is The Light without any darkness. If that has not yet happened to us, we should not even dare to touch on a such a sensitive topic as sexuality is because without love, we can even destroy someone if we bluntly and blatantly tell them ‘the truth’ in our own view. We might even become their stumbling block that keeps them from seeking God. Imagine this! Words have so much power! From my own experiences with God I can tell you that it is the power of love alone that finally heals our wounded hearts and helps us grow as joint members of The Body of Christ as apostle Paul confirmed,

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Eph 4:15-16 ESV)

Let’s keep seeking God and His heart, dear brothers and sisters.  ❤

Much love,

Susanne