God as Us

God is with us, within us, around us and — as us!

Most people are okay with that statement except the last two words.

God as us…

That is a bridge too far…that is hard to believe!

It is hard to comprehend because “God” is understood as separate, distant and divided from humans. That is the predominant image of God in the Old Testament.

People have been believing in that God, praising and worshiping that God for centuries, and look at the sate of the world. It is a mess. People are angry, frustrated, distracted, divided, and depressed.

The planet is not a paradise although most of the planet believes in such a God.

Focusing on separation from God fosters separation from others, and separation is fertile ground for fear, hostility, rivalry, competition, and even abuse of others.

Focusing on union with God, fosters union with others, which leads to co-operation, collaboration, friendship, and love.

If you really believe that the person next to you is divinity in disguise, your whole approach to that person will change.

If you really believe that your neighbor is god brought to you in the form of a human being…your attitude to that person will immediately change.

I am not proposing anything new. I am just pointing out something that people have not paid attention to.

Look at the gospel of Mathew 10.40. Jesus says to his disciples:

“He who receives you, receives me and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Jesus is saying there is equivalence between you, your neighbor, Jesus, and God.

This reshapes our understanding of who god is, where god is, who we are, and who others are.

I have a chaplain friend who is a staunch Baptist. He is so focused on our separation from God that he cannot see himself or others as gods with a small g.

He sees himself as an instrument of god, not as god.

What is an instrument? An instrument is basically a tool. Instruments are separate from the person using the instrument. An instrument is usually used and tossed.

We are not mere instruments in the hands of God. We are part of God. We are different from God, but we are not divided from God!

We don’t have a separate existence from God. Our being is contained in the being of God. We are in God as a fish is in the water. You cannot imagine a fish living anywhere except in the water.

When you start thinking and believing that you and others around you, and all the people in the world are gods with small g, you will see amazing things happening to you which will make your life much easier and joyful.

I was more confirmed in my thinking about God like that, after I read the book the Shack. If you haven’t read the book, I strongly encourage you to read it or watch the movie.