It is the ¹absence of what (who) we were created to partake of and "run on" - so to speak.
We could say this is more a state of spiritual bankruptcy than being broken - a condition that results in us being unable to love as we were designed to. This in turn results in our hurting (damaging) people and things around us.
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But the effect of His ¹absence is far more than just practical or functional (though it is clearly that). It is spiritual (heart), intellectual (mind), emotional (soul), physical (strength), and every other possible way. Without God, we simply are not operating anywhere near our maximum capacity on all levels.
And because we are like God - the greatest, wisest, most powerful, yet humblest, kindest, most giving, and loving being in the universe - and meant to be in union with Him, His ¹absence impacts us far beyond anything we can comprehend. God's absence and the consequences are so significant it keeps us from even seeing His greatest, much less experiencing it.
It is a wonder we can not function fully at any level given the ¹immenseness of our Creator and the infinite void created by His absence.
Despite our enormous loss, we are still incredible (we are still like God) and can do incredible things but only a tiny fraction of what we were designed to do... (unless we are plugged in again).
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¹something designed to hold an infinite object (person) will experience an equally infinite void if absent that object.
You could compare us to a highly efficient and powerful car without gas that doesn't run when others look to it for a ride or an exquisitely decorated Christmas tree to help others enjoy and celebrate the birth of Christ, but it's in a dark room unplugged.
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Without a connection to the Source of all we are and have, we simply do not function at the level we are created to.
But the effect of His ¹absence is far more than just practical or functional (though it is clearly that). It is spiritual (heart), intellectual (mind), emotional (soul), physical (strength), and every other possible way. Without God, we simply are not operating anywhere near our maximum capacity on all levels.
And because we are like God - the greatest, wisest, most powerful, yet humblest, kindest, most giving, and loving being in the universe - and meant to be in union with Him, His ¹absence impacts us far beyond anything we can comprehend. God's absence and the consequences are so significant it keeps us from even seeing His greatest, much less experiencing it.
And not just us individually, but collectively as well. As God's image bearers, we are all designed to be loved by God 1st and love Him in return. This in turn results in our loving our neighbor.
But instead of being filled with love for one another, we seek to get (take) love from one another, which results in regular conflict with other empty image-bearers. As ⁴one author described it, we all are like tics looking for a dog... with one huge problem - we are all tics. The only dog (figuratively speaking) is someone other than us creatures i.e. the Creator. Plus we can't even clearly see who that dog is unless He opens our eyes i.e. He reveals Himself.
It is a wonder we can not function fully at any level given the ¹immenseness of our Creator and the infinite void created by His absence.
Despite our enormous loss, we are still incredible (we are still like God) and can do incredible things but only a tiny fraction of what we were designed to do... (unless we are plugged in again).
Our ability to still function at any level at all without God speaks to the significance and power of our being ²like God and the beauty and wonder of all the gifts God has given us ³inside and out.
Though we are absent His love and felt presence, we never lost the capacity to experience, partake of, and reflect Him - especially when we are plugged in again.
Though we are absent His love and felt presence, we never lost the capacity to experience, partake of, and reflect Him - especially when we are plugged in again.
But instead of letting this void from His absence drive us back to Him, we use our gifts and our capacity for God (the void left by his absence) and try to fill that absence with created things (Rom 1:21-23) - including ⁵other God like beings (us). Things that were never meant to fill us. They only give us a taste of what is missing, but never replace Him or fill the void left by His absence.
The solution? It is summed up in the greatest and second greatest commandments.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” - Matt 22:36-40 ESV
Christ also said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments..." - John 14:15-ESV
But how do we love him and others?
We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever," - John 14:15-16 ESV
"...you will receive power when (and not one second before) the Holy Spirit has come upon you...” - Acts 1:8a ESV
For a discussion on the Holy Spirit, who "He" is, what He does and how he does it, see the following.
The life, love and Spirit of God (a concise discussion).
The empowering of the Spirit (an extended discussion)
For an additional discussion on brokenness click here.
¹something designed to hold an infinite object (person) will experience an equally infinite void if absent that object.
Just imagine how effective, happy and powerful (glorious) we will one day be when we are fully united - face to face - with the Source of life, love and all things one day!
²We are still like a highly efficient and powerful car or a wonderfully decorated Christmas tree without God. We simply lack having what we need to reach our maximum potential.
And what (or who we) lack is enormous beyond our comprehension.
God give us the grace to see and trust in your greatness.
³Inside - any and all gifts, skills and talents we genetically come into the world with, be it musical, artistic, athletic, intellectual or any other innate ability.
Outside - all of creation with all its wonder and beauty...tastes, smells, sounds...the earth, air, water. Sun, moon and stars and all the resources within these.
Also the collective experience and knowledge of humanity on how to develope and utilize our innate talents or the planets resources is also an external blessing. These are all available to us as God's image bearers that we all mutually benefits from even if and when we don't acknowledge them as being gifts from God.
³Inside - any and all gifts, skills and talents we genetically come into the world with, be it musical, artistic, athletic, intellectual or any other innate ability.
Outside - all of creation with all its wonder and beauty...tastes, smells, sounds...the earth, air, water. Sun, moon and stars and all the resources within these.
Also the collective experience and knowledge of humanity on how to develope and utilize our innate talents or the planets resources is also an external blessing. These are all available to us as God's image bearers that we all mutually benefits from even if and when we don't acknowledge them as being gifts from God.
⁴Dr. Larry Crabb (one of my favorite authors) in his book The Marriage Builder.
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Grace to you
Jim Deal