26 August 2008

The Four Loves - Likings and Loves of the Sub-human

This past Sunday's book discussion felt a little less engaging than the previous. We read a more difficult chapter called "Likes and Loves of the Sub-human". Sadly, I never got the meaning of the title until one of the club members analyzed it for me! The conversation was enjoyable - even though the chapter was harder to trudge through. Our beloved author touched on non-human loves such as nature (naturalism) and country (patriotism).
One of the things that stood out for me was how quickly the love of anything can seem so right and good, and yet distorted can replace our love and devotion for the Creator in exchange for the created thing. Nature and all its glory in its truest form is meant to point us to and give us a revelation of God. Sometimes we get so enraptured with the thing itself, that we forget the source.
The other night, before the book club discussion, Lizbeth and I had the opportunity to be dazzled by a beautiful lightening storm on a long drive home. I even saw a double lightening bolt in the sky ahead at one point. Spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it. This inspired a conversation about God and his creative nature as our Creator. Lizbeth said how He could have made all of the world in a very utilitarian fashion. I would describe this as black and white and functional versus all of the colors, complexities, and intricate detail in the world around us. The beauty we are surrounded by speaks of love - that as God created the world, He wanted us to enjoy it, and decorated it merely for our pleasure.
How awesome is that?

3 comments:

  1. I've never really seen it as he created it for us... but because we are made in his image, we enjoy what he enjoys. It's his artwork.

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  2. totally awesome! i love how everything around us screams out His awesomeness!

    i also love how no matter what we choose to do with His creation, His love shines through and touches our hearts.

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  3. Cool! Yeah, I'm with ya, on the worshipping the created over the Creator. We've been real good at that. Sounds like you're getting what you need to out of the book. :) Wish I could be in the group!!

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♥ Juls ♥