The story goes of two men walking along the beach. One man said to the other: “Tell me all you know about God.” His friend reached down and scooped up a handful of water in his hand and said: “What I know about God, I can hold in the palm of my hand. If you want to know more, you will have to go swimming for yourself.”
On pages 27-28 in our book, Chan expands on God’s diversity, creativity, and sophistication in the universe, on earth, and in our own bodies. I marveled at how the thought of it just engulfs him.
I sense his excitement in the video, “Just Stop and Think,” as he walks along the beach in awe of God’s creation, and his realization of how the God of the universe could love him so much. One can readily tell that he is genuinely in love with God, as well as has a deep understanding of how much God loves him. I feel his intense desire that we, too, embrace this crazy kind of love he is being overwhelmed with in his relationship with God. Crazy!
But, to be honest, I have to grab hold of those truths for myself. They cannot be poured into me by someone else, even a teacher such as Chan. I have to experience it in order for that craziness to be a part of my life.
For me personally, I have caught just a small glimpse of this crazy love that God has for me through the relationship I had with my earthly father. In his book entitled Father Hunger, Robert McGhee stated: “as you see your earthly father, so shall you see and relate to God.”
I shall never forget teaching this concept to a group of inmates at Stiles Prison in Beaumont, Texas. I made the statement that “my daddy had a sense of humor, and I often laugh out loud with God, because I believe He has a sense of humor, too.” To which an inmate replied: “Woman, you must be crazy. God doesn’t laugh. He is standing there just waiting for you to mess up, so he can swing his axe at you.”
I said: “Tell me about your own father.” At that point, he began to cry and related how he was physically abused as a child and how hard his dad use to “whip up on him.”
My heart broke for him because, you see:
- My dad was firm in discipline, but gentle and not abusive.
- When the deed was over, it was never brought up to me again.
- He was fun to be with.
- I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was, indeed, crazy in love with me.
As secure as I felt in my dad’s love, my heart tells me that his love could not reach to the height and depth of God’s love for me.
And so, I ask you: Do you want to experience this crazy love that Chan is, not only talking about, but obviously experiencing? If so, let’s go swimming together toward the King of Kings. I long for more glimpses of the One who bought the whole world to get a piece of the treasure, which is you and I.
*****
Let’s Pray: Father God, may we worship You for who You are, and never cease to have the praises of God flowing from our lips. Show us anything in our lives that is hindering our relationship with You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen
Your Assignment: Did you follow Chan’s suggestion at the bottom of page 28 to meditate on the Almighty One? If so, what did you discover in your silence?
Be blessed,
Martha
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About Martha Bush
wow wow wow wow wow!!!! My dear Martha!!!!! You an Mr Chan BOTH moved me to tears this morning <3 You are soooooooo very right that we all must experience God in this intimate way ourselves in order to get the whole crazy love thing! No one else can make it happen for us, but it helps to be encouraged by others who have experienced it to know that it is possible! 🙂 What a blessing this was to me this morning 🙂 THANK YOU! (…off to go meditate…)
Amazing post, Martha. I loved every word!! I especially liked the part where you talk about the correlation between our earthly father's and our Father in Heaven.. wow! I've heard this before, but to read the illustration you shared about the inmate was striking. It definitely made me stop and do some thinking!!
martha, i DO want to experience this crazy love…both from my Father AND from little me to Almighty Him! here's the crazy part i see right now: He wants my love! He wants ALL of me! <3
I so agree, Megan, encouragement is what keeps us moving toward the goal. What would we do without one another.
This was an interesting concept to me, Jennifer. I have to believe it is true; at least it was in my case. I was blessed with a loving father, and I believe it has helped me to grasp a little about God's love for me.
Thank you Martha for the realization that we view God as we do our earthly fathers. I have never even thought about that, and yet that is such a profound truth. What an insight this gives us into our own relationship with God but also some perspective on how others view him as well.
Yes, Cindy. I have seen this concept played out over and over in people's lives. Often times, it brings a healing into their lives that had been missing, and not really knowing why.
Martha, I enjoyed your post- I have a hard time accepting God's love as a Fatherly love- I didn't have a great loving dad & had a hard time relating to men as I became an adult. I have a great spiritual relationship with the Lord, but the love part is lacking….or even empty, if that even makes sense. I need to pray for the ability to accept that love- free of works- and rest in His grace & mercy.
Tabitha, I personally believe that when we get to the root of a problem, that is the beginning of a healing taking place. I am no counselor, but perhaps this morning, you might have discovered the root of why this love part is lacing or even feels empty with God. May I suggest that you start by forgiving your own father for not showing you the kind of love that you feel he should have. Most of the times, parents do the best they know how to do at the time, so maybe you could cut him some slack. I would be glad to pursue this with you by email if you like.
Loved your post, Martha! I am behind in commenting to everyone, but I have been reading! You are all doing such a great job of creating CRAZY LOVE for God!
What I thought about as I read was how I really haven't grasped the concept of how real God is. He is always with me & I am always with him. But I don't think I've truly believed that until Chan suggested to just mediate on Him. I felt such an over powering of God's love around me & in me. Simply amazing!!
I LOVE the new look to the blog too! Excellent work ladies! God is SO great!
Miss you Sarah. Feels like I should still be reviewing you. Over on the facebook page are so many comments today of the unique way God is revealing Himself to us – -mainly through our own uniquness. Meditation doing it for you – -go for it.
Martha! Loved this! As I thought about the Father image I had to think of my own husband as a father, my dad was not a good example. However, ny husband was such a good one. he was firm but loving and very forgiving with our children and loved them through everything. That's how I look at my God. Thank you fro this, it was a blessing to me today!! HUGS!!!
Thanks, Donna. Looking forward to you tomorrow.
Martha – right on! Loved your post, totally agree with everything you said. I've been walking with the Lord since 1971, and learned early in my walk that I needed to change my whole image of God, as my earthly father was cruel, demeaning, and abusive. My heavenly Father (Papa) is forgiving, loving, merciful and gracious….I could go on and on!…I love Him,so! Going to spend time with Him now…<3
Patty, I am seeing a lot of truth to this concept today. I pray for ladies who have not experienced a loving father, come into healing, and of course, grow as you have in love with your Heavenly Father. It can be done, can't it.
Again, I am left amazed at just who God is, and who I am in His eyes. Truthfully, I struggle to see myself that way! I have been striving to spend time alone, in the quiet, with God. Satan loves to throw my busy daycare day at me, and distracts me with all that I need to do, but I am learning to focus myself on HIM for my day rather on than on me.
My dad has always been my rock. I told him he's my lighthouse! Whenever I feel lost, he guides me right back to where I should be. I love my dad with all my heart, and I know that's how he feels about me. I know, deep down, that God loves me in the same way. I want to learn to let myself love God in the same way. (Hopefully that makes sense!)
It does makes sense, Becky. So glad you had a loving father and know also how much God loves you. The things of our flesh can keep us from giving quality time even in our families; it is not strange that we can allow the same situation to occur in our relationship with God. I need to work on that myself.
I'm just catching up and catching on (my mother-in-law has been in the hospital and is now in rehab–would appreciate your prayers.) I'm also studying The Five Love Languages, and felt that this would be a good study to focus on God's Love, the ultimate love. God's love is beyond amazing. As I become more aware of His love for me, I want to love Him more and to love others with His kind of love. "Oh, how He loves you and me!"
The Five Love Languages certainly could go with this course, too. Loving others with His kind of love is sometimes hard to do, but you are right, we are called to do so. Good points.
Loved this Martha….and I desire to know God more than just a handful…so girl I have got my swimmies on and I am taking a dive right into His arms and His Word and just in these first eight days of this new year I have LEARNED so much….and there have been many "Just stop and think" moments so far and I know many are to come.
Hello Beverly: Miss you and reviewing you. But, I will take that swim into the Word with you any time. So glad you are learning so much. You will have to share it with me.
Amazing Post! I wish my book would hurry up and arrive!
Michelle, hope your book arrives soon. You are going to love it.
This is my second time reading this book!!! This time by what I have read so far has been very eye opening to me. The relationship I have with my own dad isn't the best. My dad was a very hard man growing up and still can be to this day. I feel like the prodigal child with my dad. No matter the accomplishments I do make is not good enough. I feel like when he sees me he sees a failure, a low life, incompetent person. This maybe true or not true I don't know. As for me opening up and talking to my own dad wont happen.
It is crazy to think how differently people experience things. The bad things are upsetting, but the GOD things….amazing and indeed CRAZY! God is the same God for all of us; but we all experience Him differently and I do absolutely praise God for that! He has been strengthening my dear friend daily and comforting me daily this week. Thanks so much for sharing this post…BEAUTIFUL!
As I have read through these pages and watched both videos I have been reminded of our trip to Tennesse last July. My husband and I got married in the Smokey Mountain National Park. We both love nature, it's where he feels alive. Having both experienced failed marriages and feeling God brought us together we wanted God "IN" our ceremony. The ceremony took place on large rocks that had been carved and smoothed by the course of the river. With every mountain peak, bend of the river, rush of wind and sound of flowing river we KNEW God was there. He created all of this….for us. Our ceremony was comprised of promises to cherish, vows to honor and a foot washing ceremony symbolic of servitude. We had brought bottled water to use but realized how silly that was once at the river's shore. It was so surreal, being there with the one that God had given me surronded by the beautifully breath taking landscape He had created. He was there, He was in it. I wanted to stay in that moment, in that place. The rest of our stay we hiked and explored. At every turn it was impossible to doubt that God existed; yet I still couldn't and can't wrap my brain around all that HE IS. I literally cried when we left our cabin we had rented for the week. Not only did I have my husband to myself, free to fully be in love without apology. But we left God – or that's how it felt – we left the realness of Him we experienced there. It's hard to hold onto that, it's hard to capture that when you are back to your reality of jobs, school, kids, bills, limitations of time, regular demands of the day. How does one get their little piece of Tennesse in everyday life? I'm still working on that one.
Michelle, while it would be nice to feel we had the approval of our earthly fathers, we must keep in mind that all of us can be fickle minded people, forever changing. What is important is the way God sees you, and He loves, values, and approves of you always. You are a treausre to Him.
Stacy, that was the most beautiful description of a wedding, and God being in it, litterally surrounding you, made it ever more breath taking. I could feel every word you were saying. That is awesome.
WOW!! Thanks so much Martha for this post. I loved how you related our earthly father and our Heavenly Father. I did not have christian relationship with my father when I was growing up so I did not receive that type of Love from Him!!! He is deceased now and oh how I wish I could share God's love with him. I am so ready to go swimming and to dive in and learn more about Gods love for us I loved the part in the video where Chan says " Despite any or everything that we have done in our lived – GOD LOVE US!!!!