We all want to hold a “correct” view of God, and may assume that the way we see God aligns with the great orthodox creeds. Yet, honest reflection may reveal that your image of God does not fully align with the God revealed in Jesus. Old assumptions can continue to shape our thinking. For many, this means living under a heavy burden of guilt, shaped by a harsh and punitive deity who feels menacing rather than merciful. With such a view of God, nowhere feels safe from the looming presence of a God created out of our own fear. What we need is a huge shift toward the God revealed in Jesus: the God who invites us into loving communion rather than dread.

The God we encounter in Jesus, through the Spirit, has already done everything necessary to restore that communion and continues to work so that it becomes a reality in our daily experience. We are invited to trust that it is God’s initiative, not our effort, that establishes our relationship with God. Our part is simply to turn toward God with openness, attentiveness, and a willingness to receive His love. This is not an obligation to be met, but an invitation into transforming encounters of love.

Such a journey begins with knowing, deeply and personally, the vastness of God’s love for you. All of us must return to this truth again and again; indeed, we can never receive too much of it. Our walk with God is shaped and strengthened when we rest confidently in His love. Everything else required of us in life is meant to flow from this lived experience of God’s extravagant affection.