Rethinking Divine Wrath

I've spent my whole life thinking God was angry at me and that I had to perform well in order to stay in His good graces. I knew I was forgiven, was in relationship with Him, and knew God loved me. But, honestly, that love has always felt conditional.

Deep down I really believe God loved me as long as... as long as I was faithful, as long as I did good, as long as I didn't sin... the list felt endless at times. I always felt afraid of God, and thought that's the way He wanted it to be.

I love the story that Wayne Jacobsen tells to illustrate the wrath of God. Wayne, his wife Sarah, and then two-year-old son were camping in the mountains some years ago, a couple of hours from any medical assistance. He and Sarah heard blood-curdling screaming and looked up to find their son in the midst of a swarm of angry bees. Maternal instincts fully charged, Sarah led the foot race to rescue the boy.

The problem is that she was deathly allergic to bee stings. With no thought to her own well-being she swooped in to get her boy out of harm's way, incurring numerous stings in the process. And what do you think the youngster saw on his mother's face as she raced toward him? Fury.

But it wasn't directed at him. Here's the paradigm-shifting definition of God's wrath for me: "God bringing the full weight of His being against that which seeks to destroy the object of His affection."

You are the object of God's affection. Repeat slowly, "I am the object of God's affection." What looks like anger is not intended for you; it's aimed at sin, and guilt and shame--those things that twist and distort you into being less that God created you to be.

It is so liberating to know God is not angry at me when I fail, even when I sin. He knew I would do "it" before I chose to do it. And my doing it doesn't stop Him from loving me.

I've always been taught that the cross was about God punishing His son for my sin in order to satisfy His need for justice. God is not into child sacrifice, even when it's His child -- he's not like the other "gods" mentioned in the Old Testament (see Molech, Ba'al).

The cross was not about God satisfying His need as His son's expense. That would be like God saying to you, "I really want to be your friend, but first I need to go home and beat the daylights out of my kid for everything you've ever done to offend me, then you and I can be friends." If your neighbor made you that offer you'd think he was sick, and you'd be right; but that's what has been taught about God in many religious circles.

The cross was not about God satisfying some sick need at His son's expense, but about satisfying my need at His own expense. The cross was not so much about the punishment for my sin, it was about the cure of my sin... and my shame... and my guilt. God brought the full weight of His being against that which would destroy me, the object of His affection. He did that to remove all the obstacles so that I could have LIFE, a relationship with Him.

So I don't have to be afraid of God anymore. I can trust His love for me, come out of hiding, bring all my crap to Him so He can heal me. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

God says, "I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you."(Isaiah 44:22) It's safe to come out of hiding and approach God. He is not angry at you for any wrong-doing. He doesn't want to punish you, He wants to heal you.