GOD

GOD AND PEOPLE

One God Many People

I was contemplating the attributes of God.  I don’t know why there is only one God.  But if God is infinite, how could there be room for another?  I’m glad there is only one God.  I don’t have to split my allegiance.  But why are there so many people?

I was taught that we are created in the image and likeness of God.  That’s fine until you wonder about God’s physical traits – a seeming impossibility for a pure spirit.  So I will look for the similarities in other aspects that are not physical.  When I got to humor I had a hard time.  As a Christian, I believe that Jesus is truly God and truly human – quite a mystery.  Trying to relate to the human side of God, I looked for a sense of humor in Jesus.

The Gospel writers may have been reluctant to trivialize the presentation with humor.  It wasn't too long ago that I saw that Jesus was probably having a good chuckle about Peter stepping off the boat and starting to walk across the water to where Jesus was, then starting to sink.  Maybe not, that is a bit like a practical joke.   Maybe the parables were a source of a laugh or two.

I was not satisfied with those explanations.  Now I see God satisfying his sense of humor with us.  Knowing everything that was, is, and is yet to be, the surprise and unexpected connections that often are part of humor cannot be there for God.  But like we get great joy out of a good joke by repeating it and seeing another person’s laughter – we even laugh along with them, shouldn't God also be able to enjoy humor vicariously.  So that may be one reason there are so many people.  

We are bonded to God by his great love for us.  That only increases, if that is possible, his vicarious appreciation of us.  If we exercise our free will and reject God, it is a sad state of affairs.  But if it bothers God, he can easily create another galaxy where billions of others can offer some degree of replacement.  I doubt that that is the way God would solve the problem, but I think I will find out with a very pleasant surprise in the hereafter.

Joe Engemann     June 8, 2013