The Trinity is a concept commonly struggled with, there are many metaphors to help grasp it, all with their strengths but also with their flaws, because while helpful they over-simplify the make-up of God. God being God, any understanding of the Trinity is bound to fall short, but this week I was reflecting on the most useful explanation of it I ever heard and realising that while still short of the full glory of our God it continues to help me understand the nature and grace of God even more. So here goes...
As humans we all seek out the company of others: friends, family, even our pets, and we go stir crazy when left with only our own thoughts for too long. Even when we crave a good book, or great tune, we are wanting to hear from someone else in whatever medium the conversation is in because at our core we are relational beings, something inside us is relational and is not satisfied existing completely alone. But why? Well the bible is clear we are made in God’s image, reflecting the core of God's nature in his most treasured creation. We are relational at our core because God is relational. However, God’s identity that he reflects in his creation is, and always has been, complete and perfect in him. Inside God exists relationship, in fact, God by himself is the very blueprint for the perfect relationship. When I think about it, it becomes so obvious, the bible tells us God is love, but God is complete without any of his creation, before anything else existed, God was love and always has been love, because before anything else was created God had relationship inside his very nature. Between father, son and spirit exists the closest, most intimate, loving relationship that could ever exist, completely satisfied and perfect in itself, Trinity.
The thing that really blows my mind though, that I have been reflecting on this week is what this means in relation to the cross. Jesus was punished for our sins by the father, so that we could have that relationship with him. To restore relationship with him, God in all his glory and Trinity took the punishment on himself and we see this in the words Jesus spoke: “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” The closest, most loving relationship ever, took it on itself to restore relationship with its creation through its own suffering, as father punished son on the cross.
In the run up to Easter I am humbled by the grace of God, that relationship with me was of such value, that the closest and most loving relationship ever was laid bare on the cross for my sin, in the words of the well known song:
The father turns his face away,
As wounds which mar the chosen one,
Bring many sons to glory."
Tim Holt
No comments:
Post a Comment