An I/Thou
Relationship With God
There is a passage in the opening chapters of Genesis that has come alive in my heart recently.
I invite you to review with me -- the story of how & why God created us.
My friends -- God created us so that He could have fellowship with us.
Let's begin with Genesis, chapter 2, starting with verse 7. -- (Gen. 2:7).
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground -- & breathed into his nostrils the breath of life -- & man became a living soul.
Skip down to verse 15 --
The Lord God took the man & put him in the Garden of Eden -- to work it & take care of it. -- And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; -- but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good & evil -- for when you eat of it you will surely die." -- The Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. -- I will make a helper fit for him."
It is interesting to observe how the sequence of days closes in Gen.
Repeatedly -- we discover the phrase -- "And God saw that it was good." God created light -- & "God saw that the light was good" (vr. 3). God created the waters -- & the dry ground -- & the sky -- "And God saw that it was good" (vr. 9). And on & on the story of creation continues -- God seeing it was good.
Do you remember what God said when it was all done? Genesis 1:31 -- "God saw all that he had made -- & it was very good." Then God looks down & sees the man in the garden -- & God says -- "not good" -- "It is not good for man to be alone" (2:18).
I just love this next sequence here -- "It is not good for man to be alone. -- I will make a helper fit for him. -- So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field ..." -- Do you catch that? Humm -- "Thank you, Lord! -- That is so considerate of You." That's something -- isn't it? -- Maybe it's just to keep us men humble.
We continue reading -- verse 19 --
Now the Lord God formed out of the ground all the beast of the field --
& all the birds of the air. -- He brought them to the man to see what
he would name them; -- & whatever the man called each living creature
-- that was its name. -- So the man gave names to all the livestock --
the birds of the air & all the beasts of the field. But for Adam there was not found an helper fit for him -- So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep -- & while he was sleeping -- He took one of the man's ribs -- & closed up the place with flesh. -- Then the Lord God made woman from the rib -- & brought her to the man" (vr 22). "And brought her to the man" -- like the Father of the Bride! And the man said: -- "Now we are getting some where!" Do you understand what has happened here? God created all the beast of the field -- & the birds of the air -- & Adam looked them all over -- & said -- "Naaa." Then God created woman -- & brought her to Adam. Adam took one looked at Eve -- & said -- "Woo, Man!" -- & she has been called "woman" ever since! "This is now bone of my bones & flesh of my flesh; -- she shall be called 'woman' -- for she was taken out of man." -- For this reason a man will leave his father & mother & be united to his wife -- & they will become one flesh. --The man & his wife were both naked -- & they felt no shame.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. -- He said to the woman, "Did God really say ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’ -- The woman said to the serpent -- "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden -- but God did say -- 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden -- & you must not touch it -- or you will surely die.'" -- "You will not surely die" the serpent said to the woman. -- "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened -- & you will be like (or "as") God -- knowing good & evil." -- When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food -- & pleasant to the eye -- & also desirable for gaining wisdom -- she took some & ate it. -- She also gave some to her husband, who was with her -- & he ate it. -- Then the eyes of both of them were opened -- & they realized they were naked; -- so they sewed fig leaves together & made coverings for themselves.
If you know anything about fig leaves -- you will understand that torment had already begun. -- Sin always brings torment! I've read more than I usually do -- but there is just so much wonderful literature here. -- God creates man & woman! -- He makes them! Adam looks at Eve & says -- "She is bone of my bones -- & flesh of my flesh" -- & they together enter into a special "I/Thou relationship" -- with each other -- & with God. I/Thou -- I/You -- one on one -- person to person. -- That's fellowship! The human couple is toward each other -- in fellowship with each other -- & also -- together -- in fellowship with God!
It is important to understand that God is always leaning toward His creation -- toward you & me -- desiring this I/Thou kind of relationship.
We probably all have a beautiful mental image of God walking in the garden & talking with the couple -- "in the cool of the day" (Gen. 3:8). A God Who comes & fellowships -- with His creation. Man & woman are in dialogue with God; -- He speaks, they respond.
Then the serpent comes into the picture -- who is the villain of this drama. -- The serpent has a conversation with the woman about God -- in which God does not come off looking too good! The serpent says: -- "Did God say...?" -- To which the response is, "God did say! -- And the day we do this we shall die." And the serpent says: -- "You shall not surely die. -- God knows that if you eat of it -- your eyes will be opened -- & you shall be like God" -- Which is something Satan desired -- & that is why he was cast out of heaven -- & he is still trying to convince us to become -- our "own" god.
And as this conversation takes place -- God is silent. He is present -- for He is present every where -- but He is silent. I sometimes wish God would have stepped into that conversation -- & said -- "Now, wait a minute here! ... Let me set you straight." But instead -- God just listens. -- He is silent. God take us seriously; -- & He wants us to take Him seriously! He respects our free-will. -- He allows us to make our own choices.
So God has become the object of their conversation; -- the serpent & Eve are having a conversation about God -- Who remains silent. In that conversation a decision is made -- a posture is taken -- an action preformed -- the covenant bond is broken -- & the I/Thou relationship is distorted. This early part of Genesis shows the effects of broken fellowship with God. -- Joyful fellowship comes to an end. -- When the fundamental relationship is broken -- the I/Thou with God is broken. Even the relationship between the couple is distorted. What does the coward Adam says? -- "This woman thou gavest me..." Oh, great! -- & mankind has been playing the blame game ever since! So -- the parents quarrel; -- & what do the children do? -- they murder. Well -- what is done is done -- & we cannot go back & change it -- but I sometimes wonder how much different the story of human history would have been if Eve had just said to the serpent -- "Scram! -- Get thee behind me Satan -- & don't push!" I know -- I know what I wish Eve would have done. That's what I want us to pursue a little bit with you this morning. Do you know what I wish Eve had done? -- I wish Eve had gone back to that dialog relationship with God -- & said: -- "God, You said... ; -- he said You said -- because...; -- What do You say to that?"
I am profoundly convinced -- that the dialog would have continued -- & the relationship -- along with the fellowship -- would have continued! But instead, out there -- the serpent & Eve talked about God -- & not to God.
We are a people who talk a lot "about God."
We engage in a remarkable amount of -- "God talk."
Some of it sounds suspiciously like -- "snake talk."
People like us -- tell other people what we think God has in mind!
Oh -- be careful about telling others what you think God has in mind!
Don't do that when people are grieving! -- Don't do that to people who are hurting. -- Don't say, "Now what God wants is for you to ... " Maybe it is all right for God to interpret God -- but don't you try to interpret God's will in the lives of others. Some of what I hear sounds an awful lot like "snake talk."
If you study the Book of Job -- you will discover that a lot of the conversation between Job & his "friends" -- was little more than "snake talk" -- as they talked about God -- rather than to God! Job found answers -- only when he turned to God -- & began to ask God questions -- the answers to which God provided. Far too many people talk about God -- instead of to God! I wish Eve would have gone back to God -- & talked openly with Him.
1. I wish Eve had done what Abraham did!
Remember the story of Abraham's life? -- God made him a promise. And years & years & years went by -- & nothing happened. The promise was not being fulfilled. -- Finally in Genesis 15 -- Abraham comes to God & says -- "God, look, -- I remain childless -- if I don't have the child you promised me -- my servant Eliezer is going to be my heir." That is when God came & revealed Himself to Abraham in a new & marvelous way. There is so much meaning & significance in that passage (Genesis 15) -- but I would surely get side-tracked if I took the time to fully develop it.
Abraham did not engage in "snake talk" by complaining to others about how God had not kept His promise. Rather Abraham went direct to God with his concerns -- & expressed to God just how he felt -- & what he feared. See -- Abraham went back to God & says -- "God, you made a promise & the promise isn't coming true; -- nothing is happening." And the dialog between God & Abraham kept on going -- & the I/Thou relationship kept on growing -- & God did marvelous things. I wish Eve had done that!
2. I wish Eve had done what Moses did!
In Exodus 3 -- we are told that God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush -- while he was tending his father's-in-law sheep on the back side of the desert. As Moses stopped to look at that burning bush -- God called out: -- "Moses! Moses!" -- And Moses said -- "Here I am." God did not need to ask Moses who he was. -- God already knew his name. -- God always interacts with humans in a personal way. God has no to-whom-it-may-concern messages. He desires an I/Thou relationship; -- an intimate personal relationship.
God says to Moses -- "I
have indeed seen the misery of my people in
So Moses returns to the Lord
& says -- "O Lord,
why have you brought trouble upon this people? -- Is this why you
sent me?" (Exodus. 5:22). Notice to Whom Moses is talking! -- He is
talking to God! The I/Thou
relationship continues; -- Moses & God -- talking to each other! -- God
says in effect to Moses -- "You haven't seen anything yet! -- Just kind of hang on here." That conversation leads to the transforming
of the situation. Out of that dialog
came the Exodus -- the escape of the people of
3. I wish Eve had done what David did!
David -- a man after God's own heart -- sinned greatly! We are talking lust & adultery & murder! In the context of great & real guilt -- David came back & talked with God. Do you remember Psalm 51? You had better know Psalm 51... -- It is David's prayer of confession! "Against you -- you only -- have I sinned & done this evil in your sight." And the dialog kept on going. -- David & God kept on being -- I/Thou. It's a wonderful thing -- isn't it? -- I wish Eve had done that.
4. I wish Eve had done what Jesus did!
In the God-forsakenness of the Cross -- Jesus said -- (listen to this) -- "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" -- That's I/Thou.
There is all the difference in the world between saying to God -- "Why have you forsaken me?" -- & saying to those around you -- "Why has God forsaken me?" -- They are not the same!
We ask question like: -- "Why in the world would God allow this -- or that -- to happen to me?" -- We ask others -- "Why would God permit this?" There is no real answer to those questions. And yet we find ourselves engaging in "snake talk" -- about God -- rather than talking to God. What you need to do is go direct to God Himself -- & ask, "God, why did you..." -- We need to do what the Psalmist so often did. They cried out to God & said: -- "You are not there! -- Why?" They came into His presence & said: "You're not here; -- where are you?" They poured out their hearts & said -- "God, You don't seem to care." Such Psalms are called the Prayers of Lament -- of which there are more than there are Psalms of Praises. Read them; -- discover them for yourself! -- It's talking to God! But also notice how those prayers of lament end! -- "You are my rock; -- You are my shield; -- my refuge; -- I trust You; -- I will pay my vows; -- You are my salvation." No real miracle has happened between the cry of lament -- & the words of praise -- except for the dialog. The greatest benefit of prayer -- in any form -- is that it brings us into the presence of God! That I/Thou relationship makes all the difference in our lives. I wish Eve had done that.
Conclusion: -- I
wonder if I am talking to anybody like Eve.
Basically you are living in a pretty good garden -- but in the middle of it is something that is forbidden -- & God has put a fence around it with a sign –"Keep your hands off!" -- You are unblessed by that! You want something -- & you can't have it. Who are you talking to about that?
I wonder if I am talking to anyone like Abraham -- to whom God has made a promise -- & nothing has happened since. Who are you talking to about that?
I wonder if I am talking to anyone like Moses. -- You have been given an assignment -- but instead of seeing victory -- things are getting worse. -- Who are you talking to about that?
I wonder if I am talking to anyone like David -- who deep in your heart there is a guilt. If someone would ask -- "Is it forgiven?" -- you would say -- "Well, ya..." But there is not quite the joy & the freedom you hunger for. Who are you talking to about that?
I wonder if I'm talking to anyone like Jesus -- who feels utterly forsaken. -- Most of us would have to say -- "Yes, yes, yes ..." Have been -- are -- probably will be. -- Who are you talking to about that?
We often talk to our friends -- about stuff -- that does not really matter. Who are you talking to about what really matters to you? Are you talking to your friends? -- to anybody who will listen? Talking to yourself? -- How often has your spouse heard this? -- How many times do you expect them to keep listening? -- Who do we talk to?
I hope you are talking to somebody -- but most of all -- I hope you are talking to God!
Over the years I have heard people question the church -- the injustice they feel -- & they conclude -- "Well, if that is the way it is ... there is no place here for us." -- Does that sound familiar? "Well if that is the way it is... or, if that is the way Christianity is -- they I want nothing to do with it." I wish we would all go back to the dialog thing -- & say -- "God, what do you say...?"
Sometimes when we are in this posture of talking about -- instead of to -- & God & the church & the whole situation doesn't come off looking too well -- too good -- maybe we ought to redirect our questions. When the church -- or even the pastor -- comes off looking poorly -- as I'm sure it has at times -- or he has -- at least a couple times I can remember through the years -- we talk to one another -- but have we come back & talked to God?
Maybe -- maybe, we just haven't talked to anybody. We just sucked it in -- held it in -- pulled the curtain -- & remained silent. Like people who suffer great grief -- in death -- & just won't talk about it.
What if the worst -- the most unpardonable sin of all -- was not to talk with God -- at all? -- I can almost be persuaded. On the other hand -- I am deeply persuaded that it may not matter quite so much what we say to God -- as it does that we say to God! Say, whatever! -- There is not much that God has not already heard! There is not much that He cannot handle. That's is a truth that is beautifully illustrated in the lament Psalms. Some people truly know the language of yelling at God petty well! You know what? -- God knows how to handle them! It is not so much that we say it right -- as it is that we say it -- to God. According to Paul -- the Holy Spirit interprets our hearts before God -- for we "know not how to pray as we ought" (Romans 8:26).
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything -- (Everything? -- Everything? -- not everything?
Yes, Everything!) -- to God in prayer!
Who am I talking to today -- besides me?
Am I talking to anybody who is going through a really rough time?
My friend -- come back to the dialog Partner; -- to the I/Thou relationship with God Himself. -- He bids you to come & talk with Him!
Thank God for the wonderful fact that He never stops talking to us! He does not withhold Himself from us -- but He speaks to us -- through His Holy Spirit. He knows us by our name. -- He desires to be in an I/Thou relationship with us. -- We need to be that way with Him. -- Open your heart to Him.
Closing Song: -- What a Friend we have in Jesus!
I am indebted to Dr. Reuben Welch for much of the content of this message.
Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ
www.wynnechapel.org