"The relation between Creator and creature is, of course, unique, and cannot be paralleled by any relations between one creature and another. God is both further from us, and near to us, than any other being. He is further from us because the sheer difference between that which has It's principle of being in Itself and that to which being is communicated, is one compared with which the difference between an archangel and a worm is quite insignificant. He makes, we are made: He is original, we derivative. But at the same time, and for the same reason, the intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another. Our life is, at every moment, supplied by Him: our tiny, miraculous power of free will only operates on bodies which His continual energy keeps in existence - our very power to think is His power communicated to us. Such a unique relation can be apprehended only by analogies: from the various types of love known among creatures we reach an inadequate, but useful, concept of God."
- an excerpt from The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Let me just make this clear. It is very hard to read books written by C.S. Lewis. After all, he was the professor of English at Oxford University for the majority of his life. Let me just simplify what Lewis said, and I will add my own commentary onto that.
The very first sentence that we see is concerns the relationship of God and man to be one that is "unique, and cannot be paralleled by any relations between one creature and another." It's the simplest of terms, there is nothing that can compare to the relationship that we have with our Father in Heaven. Even your closest relationships, such as your mom, your dad, your best friend, your girlfriend, or your youth pastor, aren't even worthy to be put against the contest of Him. Jesus makes it very clear. In Matthew, He says that, "the person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of me." (Matt. 10:37) That's scary to think, but that's just the transparency that Jesus used to preach to the crowds that followed Him. You may raise the question,
"But didn't God tell us to obey our mother and father?" Well, no, not exactly. He told us to HONOR our mother and father. While obeying is a way to honor them, if their commands go against God's Word, and His plan for your life, then you respectfully tell them that it isn't right. I love my mom and dad, but my mom and dad didn't save me, nor could they ever save me. Jesus is the only one who saved me.
Why could nothing compare to your relationship with God? It's an easy answer. He made you. He also made you for a reason. While some of us may not know the specific reason as to why God made us, we can rest assured knowing that whatever reason it may be, the main reason is so we can honor and worship Him. This means our whole life. Every waking second should be dedicated to worshipping God. Is this easy? Of course not. I struggle with it sometimes, because it's really easy to not worship God. There are far more ways to defy the name of the Lord, rather than to worship it, especially with the world we live in today. Also, it's very easy for us to do that too. We were born into sin. Our nature is to sin. The law of thermodynamics wasn't lying when it said all things tend toward chaos, or disorder. Sin creates disorder in our lives, and we tend towards that disorder. Always remember, our walk with God is never about being constantly perfect. That's humanly impossible. Instead of being constantly perfect, walk with the Lord with persistence so that He can keep you blameless before His eyes.
Another point that Lewis brings up about our relationship with the Father is that it's unique. It's different. It's special. He states that while our relationship with God is like the relationship between "an archangel and a worm." Obviously, he is the archangel in this comparison, and we are only a worm. We're insignificant compared to Him, or at least to the naked eye we are. But just as John Mark McMillan said it best, "You set us up above all the stars." While we presume to be insignificant, he makes us dressed in glory that isn't our own. He sets us above any creature, plant, star, galaxy, or mountain. That's what makes the relationship so precious, because we don't deserve it. Even the most broken, dark, crusted heart has a closer relationship to God than any other human. Put this in perspective. God saw adoration for even Adolf Hitler. He loved Hitler.
Isn't that crazy? That's pretty far fetched if you ask me, but he did. It's the truth. The thing that shakes me the most is that he continue to give Hitler life. God gave Hitler the power of free will, and he took advantage of it. Am I saying Hitler is in Heaven because God loves him so much? No, not at all. God loves him enough to be fair with him. To give him his deserved punishment.
That's God's love in a very discrete manner. A person could make up analogy after analogy to "properly" describe the love of God, but that is impossible. A way a husband loves his wife? Doesn't come close. A way a dad loves his children? Doesn't come close. A way a dog loves it's owner? Doesn't even nearly come close. While we can see mere glimpses of God's love through these specific occasions, it can never even come close to matching up the love he has for his children.
Just as a father is still a father to a child who disobeys them, so is God is still our Heavenly father even when we run from him. No matter how far you may seem, you are never out of reach. God has a pretty big wingspan if you ask me. If you're walking with God today, stay by his side. Let him lead you wherever he wants. If you're not walking with the Lord right now, don't fret. He hasn't abandoned you. He loves you too much to make you do it on your own. No matter how distant he may feel, just give him a call.Knock on his door. He's going to answer you, and that's something I'm not afraid to promise.
“Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
- Matthew 7:7-8 (HCSB)
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