The Vulnerable God

Vulnerable … 

It may appear somewhat scandalous to have such a word as vulnerable be used to describe the One who is the Creator of all that exists and Who sustains it all. I agree that it is a bit unsettling, however, the more we look at the character of God throughout scriptures and in our lives, the more we get to understand that with God, anything that is perceived as bad, turns Good and this applies to the human concept of vulnerability.

The Definition

According to Google, the Oxford English definition of the word 'Vulnerable' are as below:

As an adjective

- exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

Of a person -  in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect. e.g. "the scheme will help charities working with vulnerable adults and young people"

You can out rightly conclude that no one in their right mind would ever want to be seen or perceived as being vulnerable. Our human nature literally loathes it. We naturally want to be seen as being Strong, Empowered & Victorious. We naturally want to be the version of Superman that can withstand kryptonite. 😊 

No one wants to be seen as being weak, in need of help, or worse … being open to be hurt by another.

More than the Definition

Tis the Season to be Jolly … tralalalalalalalala! 

We are in the festive season, and I amongst many, are just simply grateful that we are alive to celebrate Christmas this year 2020, and we are hopeful for the New Year 2021. This year has literally touched each & everyone of us. It's the year where both the Rich and Poor cried in one way or the other. It's the year where we can say that everyone at some point felt (or still feels) Vulnerable.

Let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas (Photo source: Pinterest)

However, it's Christmas! and reflecting on it in the Spirit of Truth, moving away from the glitz and glamour the world has attached to it, the very meaning of the word - Vulnerable is at the heart of it all. 

God the Father, sent God the Son - His ONLY Son, to come into the world as a baby - who is totally reliant on a young maiden who had no clue or experience on how to raise a child in a somewhat harsh society (the Jews were under the hard rule of the Romans) and who in turn was dependent on the Just and Kind Heart of a Man she was betrothed to. 

God the Son left His Glorious Throne to dwell with us (mere dust), in order to lead us back Home (union with God). He came to die as an atonement for our many Sins that had condemned each and everyone of us justly, to eternal death. 

In other words, God the Father became Vulnerable, by sending His Only Beloved Son to be vulnerable to the rejection, unfairness & attacks of mankind - a people that had dined with the evil one and were ruled by him. 

He came to save and redeem a people that would reject Him. 

Pause for a moment and think. Does any of these make sense at all? 

To Love is to be Vulnerable

The above subtitle is from a quote written by C.S. Lewis in his book titled "Four Loves". He explains that anyone who opens him or herself to love anything, is liable to have his or her heart wrung and possible broken. O.K.

With that in mind, we proceed to read in the Holy Scriptures that 'God is Love'. It is one thing to be able to love - to open oneself to the idea of taking another as yourself and the possibility that the person in view is the one person that can hurt you and you hope to God that such a situation never happens, but to say that You are Love and that Love is You? That is a whole dimension filled with wonder, awe and questions.

John 3:16 (Photo Source: Pinterest)

John 3:16 - a popular but lightly taken verse, is one that when prayerfully read, reveals amazing truths that weakens one in the knees. In a verse, it talks about how God, the One through whom all the wonders of the world and everything in the Universe came into existence. The One whom the waves that swallow up mighty ships - bow to in adoration, and obey when He speaks. The One who created the Sun that is roughly 109 times the diameter of the planet earth (you would need about 1.3 million earths to fill its volume). The One who put the magnificent stars & galaxies in place. The only One who can give life. The only One whom Death bows to … is the God who became a baby born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes as a spotless lamb that was to be sacrificed for the sake of Mankind. He came into a world He created and the same world had no room for Him. God came to us as a vulnerable and dependent baby and as a lamb to be slaughtered. 

Vulnerable. Why?

God came to us in our state of brokenness as one of us, so that we could identify ourselves in Him and believe that with Him, it is okay to be Vulnerable. The differentiating factor between being vulnerable on your own and being that with God, is that God transforms its meaning from the human definition to that which translates to the Divine - beyond our reasoning. 

God came to show us that it is Divine to Love and it is okay to be hurt, for in the pain, we get to experience the beauty of Mercy, the amazing power found in Forgiveness and the fulfilling joy found in Reconciliation. He came to show us that we should be patient with ourselves and to trust in His timings and seasons - to trust in His processes and to appreciate the privilege and satisfaction found in growth. He came as a Vulnerable One so we should never think for a split second that He does not know how we feel when we are broken, hurt or in a place of vulnerability. 

With God, to be vulnerable is not to be weak or to be exposed to harm or attack as the world says. Rather, with Him, it is to be open to an infilling of Goodness, to know Him in ways beyond our imaginations, to experience Him transform all the so called attacks and harms into something wonderful and glorious, just as He transformed a once void world into the wonder we see today, and how He turned clay into a work of art that is you and I.

So ... Feliz Navidad, yh?

Beyond the smiles, the merry greetings, the unwrapping of gifts, the new shoes, the party jollof and turkey accompanied by fine wine and sweets and the warmth of good company, let us not throw away the reason behind the season we are so eager to celebrate - i.e. while men were merry, the King of the Universe, became vulnerable to redeem and save these ignorant merry men from destruction.

Compliments of the Season, and may God be with Us and Remain with Us as we approach the New Year ahead.

God with Us (Photo Source: Pinterest)

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, reign in our hearts and may the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in perfect peace, Amen.

#Shalom 💙