“I have been seized by the power of a great affection.” BRENNAN MANNING
1991… that’s a long time ago… 33 years to be exact. That’s when my hands first got a hold of Brennan Manning’s book, The Ragamuffin Gospel. By no means has my life been free of sinfulness and selfishness over the past 33 years, far from it but I can tell you this - my life has been different. Very specifically, my friendship with God has been different and I can attribute much of that difference to what I read in the Ragamuffin Gospel 33 years ago.
Maybe like you, I grew up believing that God loved me. But to be honest, it was not that much different than how I thought about my parents loving me… they kind of had to love because after all, they’re my parents.
Very similarly, I didn’t question God loving me because like my parents, He sort of has to love me if He’s going to be God. At a very rudimentary level, loving people seems like a good prerequisite for being God.
That being said, I’ve always believed God loves me (initially in that parent sort of way), but what has transpired over the past 33 years has been a journey of learning to live my life in light of God’s ‘great affection’ for me.
Affection… somewhat of a funny word that often is used to describe the physicality between a husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m guessing when you think of affection, what comes to mind is a ‘couple’ holding hands or hugging or kissing one another.
Well, affection, biblically speaking has almost nothing to do with physicality, at least in the way we think about it. Here’s what I mean… affection is an emotion (a feeling) of the heart that in time begins to ‘affect’ our ‘actions’ towards someone or something.
The TEN COMMANDMENTS… not the movie, but the actual 10 Commandments given in Exodus 20… they speak of our affections:
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.”
Exodus 20:4-5 (NLT)
Idol worship is not so much about the physical act of ‘bowing down’ to man-made wooden statues. Rather, that’s the end result of hearts that had ‘feelings’ or ‘emotions’ towards lesser gods, that in time became manifest in people physically giving themselves to those lesser gods.
My point is simply this - the affections of our heart will ALWAYS show up somehow, someway in our actions.
This is WHY the CROSS OF CHRIST is so foundational to our Christian faith. God’s affections for me and for you were made visible in His actions. I never need to question, doubt, or even wonder about God’s ‘great affection’ for me because His affection was made visible in His actions… the CROSS OF CHRIST.
I think this is one of the reasons that most Christ-followers (and even lots of non-Christ-followers) are so familiar with John 3:16…
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son…”
John 3:16 (NLT)
AFFECTION… it’s a bit of a weird word, totally understand that. But as best you can, allow God’s ‘great affection’ towards you, made visible in the CROSS OF CHRIST, begin to shape (or reshape) your affections.
Practically speaking, what might that look like? Let me give you just one… one that has helped me… REST.
Because of His ‘great affection’ for me, I can rest. I don’t need to stress and strive for something God’s already given me. And I don’t need to stress and worry that He’ll take something away from me when I feel unworthy of it. His ‘great affection’ for me FREES me to simply REST.
Lots and lots of words for you in this devotional to simply say…
GOD HAS GREAT AFFECTION FOR YOU!
