Almost twenty five years ago, the book “Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus” was published. It was and is a very popular book that looked at how men and women are fundamentally psychologically different. The book’s title meant to convey the idea that the differences are so great that it can be compared to men coming from one planet while women come from an entirely different planet.
This passage from Matthew kind of reminds me of that book title, only refashioned: “People are from Earth, God is from . . . everlasting to everlasting.” Jesus is very different from people — at least different from me. Jesus absorbs information from his surroundings very differently from me. Jesus is irritated by things that I almost certainly wouldn’t notice. Jesus draws conclusions and implements solutions that would not even occur to me. There is an uncomfortably wide gulf between his motivations and mine.
Acknowledging how different I am from God, yet trusting the descriptions of His love for me, I am challenged, humbled and encouraged to pursue Him.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.