GOD redefined

Don't let the title fool you - I am absolutely a Bible believing Christian and weigh the teachings I hear against the Word before I accept a new idea. I'm just fastidious that way. But last night I heard a concept that I suppose I had an brief inkling of but never fully pondered or examined to any extent. But it has stretched my thinking in a wonderful way about my Maker.

GOD, the Father of creation, formed the earth and everything in it in HIS womb. HE bounces us on HIS maternal knee. HE protects us like a mother. Yes, it's true...GOD the Father can also be seen as GOD the Mother. Now I know that GOD technically has no gender, but HE is always referred to as a male, a father figure. But HE is the one who formed us; it was HIS labor that gave us life. HE delivered us here. HE holds us, comforts us, teaches us, and has all those motherly traits.

It makes sense - after all, we, male and female, were made in the image and likeness of GOD. Since we are not all male, then it follows that somewhere in all that GOD is are those female traits. Yes GOD is spirit and has no physical gender assignations. He transcends, and yet includes, both male and female. (Thank you Nooma!)

So GOD is more than we give HIM credit for. I've known that our image of GOD is influenced and shaped by our relationships/images of our earthly fathers, but has my view of my mom shaped how I see and relate to GOD? Not shaped how I see HIM so much, but she is the reason I know GOD, she laid my spiritual foundation. Moms have a definite influence on how we relate to GOD. I just never really thought about it until now.

So what does this information mean to me now? I think it can help shape (broaden and expand) my view of GOD. There will be fewer limits to who HE is. And with more understanding, there will come a closer relationship.