Does God have a man shaped hole in His heart?

By Pastor Chris Centola

It seems to me in our day God has gotten a lot smaller. How is it He has become so much more like us? Weak, powerless, emotionally distraught? Now I hope you like myself cringe at such a description of God, but from the lips of so many who profess to know Him, this is exactly what supposedly describes our sovereign Lord.

What I'm referring to is what you might call "relational theology", or maybe even better "romanticized theology". It's the kind of teaching that describes God as though He was a lovesick teenage guy who would do anything to win the heart of his crush. It used to be the old theologians had a saying " There is a God shaped vacuum in mans heart only God can fill". But now, according to some, it is God who really has a man shaped hole in His heart that only YOU can supposedly fill. That's right, God would do anything, if you would just give Him a chance, He would show you how much He loves you!

This distortion of the nature of God stems from those who persist in teaching a particular half-truth. It's the idea that God really just wants to connect with you, that all He really wants is a relationship with you. Now as I said, this is partly true. God does desire a relationship with His people. However, the problem comes when we as Christians fail to give people the whole truth of the gospel.

What you will find lacking from many sermons today, both in the pulpit and the coffee shop, is the issue of sin. The utmost priority of God in dealing with you and I is the issue of our sin. We have offended and rebelled against the Holy God and so we are worthy of eternal hell. Listen, God did not send Christ to suffer and die so as one pastor I recently heard said "He can make a connection with you". What? What bible is that found in? My bible puts it this way:

2 Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jn 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jn 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Jn 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

See, our problem isn't that we just haven't been talking to God and so He is just really hurt and if we would just pray and say what's up, chat with Him for a few, He would feel a lot better. Even in modern worship songs, it's hard to tell whether it's being sung to the Lord or to a girlfriend!
Listen, God is God, He is not like us. He has no emotional deficiencies. He was perfectly content in His own company before He ever made any of us. We need to stop trying to drag God down to our level. He is not our buddy, He is not our homeboy, He is the sovereign, awesome, omnipotent King of glory and should be exalted and worshipped as such. We are not doing ourselves or anyone else any favors by trying to present God as a romantic lover or a lovesick puppy! God loves us, and has provided for our redemption, but not because we are so awesome, but for purpose of His own glory. The gospel is about our depravity and need to be reconciled to the Holy God, not His need to be reconciled to us. It is we who need Him, not He who needs us.