I make no secret that my faith in God is shaped fully, completely, by Jesus. In that one life, I believe I can discover the very nature of the divine. I treasure Jesus’ Jewish heritage, I honor our church’s history and doctrine but, for me, it is to Jesus and Jesus alone that I go to find the truth of God.

In this adventure, I have discovered a God who is not dependent on judgement or cosmic schemes of atoning justice. Instead, I encounter a God who is shaped fully and completely by love, a God who yearns for everyone to discover the joy of loving, the joy of experiencing God’s own self.

As a Christian, I yearn for others to discover what I have discovered: A life of meaning, purpose and joy is available to everyone. By my life, I hope to share my discovery but I also know that nothing I can do can coerce this belief upon others. They alone must decide. I cannot make their decision for them.

Such a realization tempts me into impatience. Why don’t they see what I see? Why don’t they understand what I understand? Such temptations can be the source for all kinds of evil thoughts.

The very development of hell can be traced to such thinking...

"If you don’t agree with me, then to hell with you!"

Do you see the problem?

What is conceived in goodness and love can soon be twisted and perverted into something ugly and decidedly unlovely.

Look around.

The beauty of Holy Baptism with its announcement of God’s creative love is slowly squeezed of its beauty and becomes a requirement based in fear that has frightened parents racing to baptismal fonts to somehow earn God’s love for the baby.

The gift of Holy Communion reminding us of our unity as children of God is obscenely re-arranged to exclude the very people that Jesus always welcomed.

The Bible with its holy promise of God’s unending, resurrecting love is somehow changed into an instrument of damnation and destruction.

This is why I turn to Jesus: to rediscover the intention of God.