Viewing our typical spiritual concerns, someone could conclude that we serve
a God who is one dimensional in His concern. Someone could conclude that He
has one primary concern. That concern alone is essential. While He regards
many things as important, only this concern is the consuming concern.
Intellectually, we realize that God has many concerns. Emotionally, we feel
that God has a "most important" concern. Therefore we conclude that if we
identify and yield to that concern, God is pleased and we are secure.
To view divine concern as one dimensional is to view relationship as one
dimensional. "I will be an exceptional husband if I make a lot of money.
Making money is the most important concern in a successful marriage." "I
will be an exceptional wife if I prepare good meals. Excellent home cooking
is the most important concern in a successful marriage." "I will be an
exceptional friend to 'x' if I will spend time with him (her). Time
together is the most important concern in a successful friendship."
Intellectually, we disagree with those views. Building a successful
relationship is not a "one dimension" venture. Emotionally, we may agree.
We may attempt to use money, or meal presentation, or scheduled time to
create a successful relationship.
Talk to a wife married to a husband who thinks money is the key to
relationship. Ask about the relationship. Talk to a husband married to a
wife who thinks food is the key to relationship. Ask about the
relationship. Ask a friend who has a friend that thinks habitual visits are
the key to relationship. Ask about the relationship.
Ask God about His relationship with His child who has determined God's "most
important" concern. No relationship, certainly not a divine-human
relationship, is successful because "one essential concern" is rigorously
addressed. When commitment to the "essential concern" results in blind
neglect of all other relationship concerns, the consequence is perfunctory
association.
Jonah was convinced that if God loved Israel that God should not be
concerned about a nation that was Israel's enemy. God should hate what
Jonah hated. God should reject what Jonah rejected. God was not one
dimensional in His concerns. Jonah was. Neither is God one dimensional in
His concerns today. Are we?
Link to next article
Link to other Writings of David Chadwell