What exactly, does God do?

Love…

Sean McHugh

—

Subject: Re: God’s Occupation

Date: Sun, 21 Sep 1997

Sean McHugh wrote:

** In article <3424CA70>,

The …Director, John Mark Ministries – resources for pastors/leaders
Bookroom, library, and worldwide F.W.Boreham Trading Post)
Rowland Croucher <>

** wrote:

*** Sean McHugh wrote:

*** What exactly, does God do?

*** Love…

** Good effort.

Isn’t that nice :-)? Brings back memories of childhood 50+ years ago…
I have seen stunned Christian faces when I have posed that question.
Tell ’em to read the manual…

** Is it also true that God *is* Love? If so, then what God does, is himself.

Yes, as the Spanish (I think it’s them) say: ‘Love is a verb…’

** Has anyone got any sort of a meaningful answer?

Hey, I thought you said mine was a good effort 🙁

<>

—

Subject: Re: God’s Occupation

Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997

Michael Smith wrote:

* Rebecca Moore wrote:

*** Tell ’em to read the manual…

**** Is it also true that God *is* Love? If so, then what God does, is himself.

*** Yes, as the Spanish (I think it’s them) say: ‘Love is a verb…’

**** Has anyone got any sort of a meaningful answer?

*** Hey, I thought you said mine was a good effort 🙁

** So, then, to make the given answer more meaningful: what God does is
manifests himself, perhaps? In the form of Love?

*Not if “love” is a verb.

*God loves. He loves us, and all of His other creatures.

*He loves by teaching us, by providing for our needs (and sometimes even our wants), and most of all by forgiving us for our rebellion.

And furthermore, as Hugh of St. Victor (who’s he?) said, ‘God does not share love among all creatures; God gives _all_ of God’s love to each of God’s creatures…

Not bad, eh?

From: Rowland Croucher <>

Subject: Re: God’s Occupation

Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997

Theo Bekkers wrote:

* Rowland Croucher <* wrote in article <3426E10*…

* * Michael Smith wrote:

* * * Not if “love” is a verb.

* * * God loves. He loves us, and all of His other creatures.

* * * He loves by teaching us, by providing for our needs (and sometimes even our wants), and most of all by forgiving us for our rebellion.

* * And furthermore, as Hugh of St. Victor (who’s he?) said, ‘God does not share love among all creatures; God gives _all_ of God’s love to each of God’s creatures…

* * Not bad, eh?

* Very good indeed, Rowland.

Sarcasm is the lowest…

* Would either of you guys mind explaining to me how “God gives _all_ of God’s love to each of God’s creatures…”

Ask any good parent: same sort of loving happens…

* applies to the chicken I had for lunch today.

Hope you thanked God for that chicken: God is ultimately the provider of all good things…

* How was your life, chicken?

I wouldn’t start talking to chickens if I were you 🙂

* Do chickens go to heaven?

Depends whether they’re in the innards of a human going to heaven 🙂

* If that’s too hard try explaining about the 500 people who stand on a land mine each week.

God didn’t create landmines; humans did. I’m at a loss to explain how you
can blame God for them…

(I hear Australia voted for the mine ban but is probably

* not going to sign. don’t want to upset the US of A?)

Good point: I think we’ve also been irresponsible on the greenhouse issue…

* Tell me something “god” has actually done this year.

gods (lower case) do nothing. But _God_ has been working in the lives of
everyone who has been willing to be obedient… And until one _obeys_ one
doesn’t _know_, as classical Christian theology expresses it…

* Cheers

* Theo

Shalom! Rowland

—

Subject: Re: God’s Occupation

Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997

*Sean McHugh wrote:

* The subject was “God’s Occupation.” I was enquiring about God’s activity. Love and worry are, by themselves, passive, not active. Love and concern may be the motivation behind activities, but I am not making enquiries about the motivation, only the motion. I am NOT asking, what would he like to do, or what he is allowed to do, or what he is able to do, or why he would like to do it (out of love, concern, malice etc). I AM asking, what does God actually do? Specific enough?

The closest Jesus came to answering this question this way was to say ‘My Father is still working…’ Ie. The process of creation continues…

(Now let me wait until you come back and say, ‘Be more specific!’ 🙂

Shalom! Rowland