In the blog post “Am I Radical?” we thought about how each of us might be more like a first responder to an emergency, where the emergency is the eternal status of a friend or acquaintance.  We marvel at the willingness of everyday heroes like police, fire, and Coast Guard to risk it all for strangers, while we stay safe at home.  Why are we staying safe at home?  Why aren’t we risking it all for Christ?  Let’s remind ourselves of selected verses in Luke Chapter 9, verse 23 and verses 57 through 62.

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”  But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”  62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

These verses speak of people who are risking it all, walking towards an uncertain future with Christ.  Today, we might look at people in our church, people who are on fire for the Lord, people who are witnessing to perfect strangers and seeing salvations and think “why not me?”  We might cast a glance at someone with passion, energy, commitment, and  think “boy, I wish I was serving the Lord like he is!”  If we received Christ as a youngster, or if we found Christ as an adult, time passes and our early fervor for Christ may have cooled.  What makes one person a stalwart soldier for Christ and another person a silent sage?

 
I think the answer is found in two words – “follow me.”  It is so simply stated, yet so incredibly described that it merits our attention.  Christ’s clear call to follow Him has at its heart the desire to be Christ’s disciple.  Re-read Luke 9:23…the desire to be a disciple comes first!  It could almost be expressed as a logic statement in a computer program – IF you want to be Christ’s disciple THEN deny yourself AND follow me.  This oft-repeated verse is quoted to emphasize the denial of self.  I think it better if we focus on the desire to be a disciple!  Do we truly want to be Christ’s disciple?

 
Imagine what it must have been like to be in the group of disciples on the way through Samaria to Jerusalem.  Go ahead, put verse 57 in modern terms…wouldn’t it be like running into some incredibly famous pastor like Rick Warren or Tim Keller or David Jeremiah after a visit to their church?  We’d be so tempted to say just what we think the pastor needs to hear.  We’d be likely to stumble and stammer as we try to remember the sermon and say “I agree with you—you made so much sense when you said…”  Here, a disciple must feel some sense of excitement as he finds Christ along the road.  I know I would!  How does Christ respond?  He doesn’t say “Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed my sermon and found it applies to your life.”

Christ says so much more!  In His response, he affirms one fact that we might fail to see if we don’t pause to listen…in following Christ, we are to GO!  The disciple says “wherever You go” and Christ doesn’t say “hey, friend, I’m glad you are planted at a great church where you can hang out and enjoy fellowship with other believers.”  Christ says “I’m going—are you with Me?” simply by describing His journey.  Read verse 58 again.  Is it a pleasant trip?  Is it a night at the Courtyard with WiFi?  Road warrior or occasional traveler, this journey will have us calling the front desk clerk to complain…we are NOT going to get what we reserved!  Our going with Christ, our following Him, is likely to be the toughest journey we’ve experienced.  Will we GO?

In His conversations with the many taking the trip to Jerusalem, Christ challenges someone to follow Him.  To me, this challenge describes most of us clearly.  Let’s look at just the words used by the individual in response to Christ in verse 59:

Lord – a clear indication that the man knows Christ’s position, His authority, His identity
First—a time word, a word that conveys the order of things, and a word that shows the man has not completely subjected himself to Christ’s Lordship
Let me – a plea for permission, perhaps a polite way of addressing Christ as Lord, but in this conversation more evidence that the man has not relinquished control
Bury my father – clearly an important task, one falling to sons, and one that is not dishonorable in the culture, or to the man’s friends.  It is an expected duty, and a duty not to be forgotten.

Do we resemble this man at all?  Do we know who Christ is, but do we have our own vital task for which we cannot immediately follow Christ?  Do we have our own agenda (a sense of timing and order) for which Christ must wait?  Surely we are all like this man in some way, at some time.

 
Two things are clear from Christ’s response in verse 60.  First, the task that is so important to us now must indeed be done.  Second, we are not the ones to accomplish that task!  Christ never says “Look, honoring your father, providing a proper burial, dealing with the legal issues, doesn’t matter.”  Christ instead says “I release you from this task!”  What is so amazing is the task with which He charges us “GO (there’s that word again!) and proclaim the Kingdom of God!”  Will we GO and proclaim His Kingdom?

 

Now, Christ finds yet another disciple who initiates a conversation as one desiring to follow Him, yet expresses some feelings with the same telling words, seen in verse 61:  “But…” “first” “Let me…” “family…” Only natural.  We’d all feel the same way!  Wouldn’t we?  Christ’s response in verse 62 has troubled so many people over the centuries – but should it?  Is Christ linking our faith in Him and our service to Him to an abandonment of our family?

 
I think not.  Christ, in His response sees deep into the nature of man.  It is difficult to say for certain, but I believe Christ is speaking to the challenges of serving Him, and what happens when we look back at the way things were.  I have never attempted to plow a straight line behind a strong-willed mule, but I have tried to aerate my yard with a rented machine that weighed about half-a-ton and had a mind of its own.  Just controlling the general direction of the aerator was hard enough.

When my wife graciously came out to offer a glass of iced tea, and I looked back…well, you get the idea.  I think Christ is not asking us to abandon our family, but is admonishing us that our focus from this moment on needs to be on serving Him!  Will we GO and never look back?

Am I following?

A few years ago I was laid up with one of those odd illnesses that was just strong enough to keep me from work, but thankfully not so aggressive that I couldn’t function.  I stayed home, and drifted in and out of sleep while the TV kept me company.  You’ve seen those shows that highlight the adventures of fishing vessels, I’m sure.  One episode recreated a life-threatening illness of a crew member that needed immediate rescue.  A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched, and flew 90 miles through hazardous weather to the ship.  It hovered over the ship, in storm-tossed water, and lowered a rescue diver via line to the pitching deck.  A cage-like litter was lowered to the deck, the ill crewman was strapped in, and the rescue diver and the litter were winched up through the driving rain to the helicopter.  There, the ill fisherman vomited blood all over the cabin, creating a biohazard for all the Coast Guard on board.  The chopper turned for home, rushed the shipmate to the waiting ambulance, and we were told that the chance of survival was good.

Wow!  Talk about radical action!  Here half-a-dozen men braved the elements, executed a difficult flying operation, performed medical triage, and got a total stranger out of harm’s way.  They didn’t think twice.  They just went.  They are not unlike many first responders I know.  Police go at a moment’s notice to deal with armed robbers.  Firemen go in the blink of an eye to homes ablaze.  EMTs head for accident after accident at crazy speeds in a big truck, then care for their charges on the way to ERs.  What is common to all these acts?  First, they are all dispatched by someone else, and willingly obey a voice on a radio saying “Go!”  Second, they all go without hesitation, and with a great sense of passion.  Third, they all risk their own lives for the sake of others.

I thought about these radical responders in comparison to my own life in Christ.  Am I radical?

Luke Chapter 9 is a challenging passage.  If we look at selected verses, we see:

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”  But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”  ⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

There are three questions that arise:

1. Am I following Christ?
2. Am I proclaiming the Kingdom of God?
3. Am I serving the Lord?

First, are we following Christ?  The text describes a difficult journey, one without comforts, one without rest.  It is a journey with Christ, though, (wow!) and allows us to share in His suffering.  Following Christ brings us from that initial joy of salvation to a deeper understanding of His Being, His Love, and His Sacrifice.

Second, having followed Christ, are we proclaiming the Kingdom Of God?  That’s a difficult concept, especially for those in a culture of democracy.  Is the Kingdom Of God now, or in the future?  Scholarly arguments abound, but to me, what is important is the proclamation of the sovereignty of God and His desire for a sustaining relationship with the individual.  Am I proclaiming that Kingdom?  How?  To whom?

Third, after following Christ and proclaiming the Kingdom, am I consistently serving God?  One can imagine the joy of salvation leading to an intense period of discipleship and then a cheerful sharing of the gospel.  But, are the cares of this world, the duties of work, even the joys of family life now keeping us from serving our Lord?  Do our experiences in church, serving diligently, simply wear us down?  As we mature, as we age, as we transition from one life stage to another, are we still focused on doing what Christ asks of us?

For what Christ asks of us is simple to say, and difficult to do.  We are to love one another (the body of Christ, the church) and we are to witness to the lost.  It’s not unlike the first responders we admire.  They truly love one another serving as brothers and sisters, and they go to the lost without question, without regard for their own safety or life.

Am I radical?

A few more hours, God.  Then she takes off.  On a low and slow journey in an ancient Camry with 170,000 miles.  Thanks for arranging the new engine mount repairs!  We couldn’t have done it without You.  Hopefully the freshly changed Mobil 1 5W30 will last as long as they say it will.

Where she is going, only You know.  I’m glad that in the Bible You show us that You prepare us to go, and You will show us the way.  It seems my ship has docked here, while her speedboat is heading out into the ocean.  I know You’ll give her all the stars to guide her, the charts that outline the possibilities, and navigational buoys to speed between.

What’s so awesome about this day, Lord, is that she is doing what she knows is best.  She’s all grown up.  Really.  She knows what she wants in life, and she is confident that now is the time to seek her fame and fortune.  Clearly that is not here, and I’m glad she is going where there are so many possibilities.

I thank you, Lord, for providing a starting point there.  A place to live.  Connections.  Most importantly, for providing a drive to succeed.  You can see it, can’t You?  She’s been thinking through this for some time.  All this time here, You’ve given her more and more.  She’s been promoted at her former job, making more money.  She’s been saving.  She’s paid off debt.  She has a small stake.  And it’s just enough.

I thank You, Father, that this journey will teach her.  That You will be the source of her strength.  That You will be her strong tower.  That You will watch over her day and night.  That you will bring to her a pillar of fire by night and a column of smoke by day, to guide her path.  I know, Father, that you will in time bring her to her first real job.  And, to her first real home away from home.

I trust you, Lord, to bring Your daughter to a land flowing with milk and honey.  A land where she can work.  A land where she can rest.  To a city with a wall around it, guarded day and night by your angels.  To a place where she can worship You in spirit and in truth.

I can see the future, Lord.  Your Word shows me that in time, she will be just like her mother.  “A wife of noble character who can find?…Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”  [Proverbs 31:10-31] I love reading that passage, Lord.  It gives me comfort.  Seeing her future, and knowing You are bringing her to this new place so she can become, in time, for someone, a wife of noble character, helps me.

I’ll always be her father.  I know that.  But, I know my role now is changing.  I probably will have to change the oil in the Camry still.  You know no one can do it better than me.  Maybe I’ll get to offer guidance from afar.  Facetime?  Wait, I could take a motorcycle trip to see her!  It’s hard to write, Lord, because I can’t see the screen.

I’m happy, Lord, for her.  I really am.  I know this is the right path.  I know this is the right time.  I just want You to know, Lord, she is Yours.  I can rest in that.  In Your Holy Name, I pray…Amen.

When bad happens, we ask questions.  The questions are always difficult.  The questions often begin with the word “Why…” and end with a question mark of unbelief.  This can’t be happening.  To me.  Now.  Please.  God.  Please.  Why?  Sometimes the questions are shouted in anger.  Sometimes the questions are barely audible through the sobs of grief.

“Bad” happens to everyone.  “Bad” makes no sense.  “Bad” can’t be explained, with human reason.  But, “bad” can be explained, if we look to God’s Word.  When we ask questions beginning with “Why…” it seems that we are actually asking two very fundamental questions.

Who is God?

Who am I?

As we think about the situation, and ask why, all of our questions can be distilled to these two inquiries.  “Who is God?”  can be restated as questions about God.   “Is God real?”  “Is God rational?”  “Is God in charge?”  “Is God fair?”  “Is God in control?”  Bad situations make us question our understanding about God, indeed, our very definition of God.  Similarly, “Who am I?” is a question that we try to answer, in favorable ways.  Often these are statements like “I’m OK” or “I’m not a bad person.” Sometimes we compare ourselves to others, and say “I am more moral than so-and-so.”  As we consider our personal journey with God, we might even answer “I am religious” or “I go to church” or “I’m a believer.”  Implicit in these statements is a belief that because of our self-assessment of personal worth, we don’t see “why” bad occurs.

 
These questions matter the most to us, and as we face the trials of our lives, we seek these answers.  We try to answer, but sometimes the answers don’t make sense.   In our answers, we might change who God is, in our mind, and we reinforce who we are, at least in our own eyes.  These answers can be frightening.  Without certain clarity, our lives spiral in ever widening paths of worry.  Is God not actually in control?  If not, what’s next?  Where am I going?  How will I get there?  Do I have to try even harder?   The “bad” darkens our path, and we begin to stumble, catching ourselves as best we can.

In the darkness, we have but one light.  The Bible.  God’s Word is truly a lamp for our path.  As we read the Bible, we see many examples of difficulty and utter despair.  But, as we read of these situations, we see that the Bible shares two desired outcomes for “bad.”  These are God’s restoration and His renewal.  If we but open the Bible, and read any of the stories of “bad,” we see God’s desires clearly.

Restoration is when “bad” situations bring back God’s people to a state of sanctified holiness.  Restoration answers the question “Who is God?” in a word.  God is the restorer! God wants to restore us, from our fallen state to a state of grace.  God wants to restore us, from a place of anguish to a position of acceptance.  God wants to restore us, from a place apart from God to a place of tender love and care.  There, and only there, can we rest.

Renewal is when “bad” circumstances give new life to our existing relationship with God, nurturing it with stronger faith.  Renewal answers the question “Who am I?”  I am the renewed. God, in His mercy, renews us in ways we cannot understand, for reasons often hidden in His all-knowing love.  God truly makes all things new, in His time, and ultimately, we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth.  Here, we are certain, that “bad” will never be.

The question “Why…?” could also be the wrong question for difficult situations.  Instead of “Why…?” we should ask “How…?”

How am I growing closer to God in this circumstance?

How is God glorified by my telling of His actions in this situation?

When we focus on the reason, asking “why..,” we blind ourselves to the desired result, which comes only from answering “how…”

How am I growing closer to God?  In “bad,” we call on God, frequently, and beg “Help me.”  “Be with me.”  “Be my rock.”  “Be my redeemer.”  By concentrating on the relationship, we move from uncertainty to unwavering.  In our conversations with God, we move from formality to friend.

How is God glorified?  As we share with others, openly, we highlight our concerns and our fears.  But, as we share our faith, regardless of the situation, others marvel.  They don’t marvel at us.  They marvel at our God.  They wonder how in the world, in the midst of such a trial, we trust.  In whom do we trust?  We trust in the magnificent and majestic, yet we trust Him as a Father.  In our trust, we give God glory for who He is, and for His love for us.

Of course, “bad” is not welcome in our lives.  The specific meaning of any bad situation may never be understood.  Truly, terrible trials are faced by people, often beyond what we think we can bear.  But, in faith, we rise from our knees, wiping away tears, certain of a new outcome.  In faith, we shout, not in anger, but in joyful power.  “God, my God, restores me and renews me.”  In that moment, we are able to share with others “Let me tell the story, the story of God in my life.  Now.  In the “bad.”  He lives in me.  He overcomes, giving me strength far beyond my own.  He restores me.  He renews me.”

Let Him restore and renew you.  Even now.  And give Him the glory.  For in His glory, He will draw all to Himself, with perfect love.

Dear Daughter,

It’s 1:03 am.  I’m awake.  I wasn’t awake.  I was dreaming.  It was a good dream. But the dog was dreaming too.  He began to “run” in his sleep and his feet brushed the wall loudly enough to awaken me.  As a vibrant college student, you may just now be settling down to what I hope is a good night’s sleep.

I don’t know about dreams, and their meaning.  Sometimes people try to make too much about dreams.   I think we all recognize dreams are the mind wrestling with something, often our own feelings or fears.  This dream, though, was about you and me.

There you were, in a car, with your hair pulled back in a pony tail.  You had a nice shirt on, but you had rolled up the sleeves.  You reminded me of the tough girl in Grease. What was her name?  Anyway, out of your rolled up sleeve, you pulled out a pack of Marlboro’s.  You drew one out, lit it, and looked so very cool as you drew in the smoke.  I burst into tears.

.

In a little while, I entered the car, in the back.  I pulled the cigarette out of your mouth, grabbed the pack and threw them down, and stomped on them with some anger.  Tears were streaming down my face.  You looked at me with some shock, and said “But you let me do this…you never said anything.”  My voice trembling, I shouted “I didn’t say anything because I love you.  You’re a big girl, and make your own decisions.  But now, I’m telling you, don’t ever do this again.  Ever!  If you do, your school is over.  No more college.  You’re coming home, and you’re going to beauty school!”  My tears continued to stream, and yours began as well.

Then, as we looked at each other, I related “This is not about smoking.  It’s about temptation.  You’re being tempted to do something, and something wrong.” I went on, “You are doing something to fill a void in your life, and you can’t fill it except with love.”  We hugged, and cried and realized how deeply we loved each other as father and daughter.

At this point, my dream ended as the dog’s dream woke me up.  But the thoughts about the dream continued.  I began to see how the dream recounts in some way our own journey through life, and how our choices and actions are addressed in God’s Word.  In a way, my dream about you was also a dream about me.

In Ephesians 4:30, the Bible says “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”  In the dream, my tears over your choice of smoking are like the grief God feels when we sin. We may not know God cries over our sin.  We may think that because nothing is said that our sin must not really matter.  In reality, God grieves when we sin, and His tears make it harder for Him to enjoy watching His children grow.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, the Bible says “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”  In the dream, your choice to smoke is acting on a temptation to sin, a temptation that we all face.  Avoiding the temptation is impossible.  It could literally seize you in a strong grip.  But God will provide both a way to stop acting on that temptation, as well as the strength to endure continued temptation, as our faithful Father.

In 1 John 4:16, the Bible says “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” In the dream, our hug with deep tears represents that moment when we realize God’s love in our every day life. As believers, we have the incredible richness of life in which we see God’s love for us every day.  Instead of filling our lives with bad choices, we can recognize that God loves us and lives in us, completely fulfilling all our needs.

So here it is, the middle of the night, and my dream remains strongly in my memory. I wanted to write you, not knowing if you face some life choice at school.  I know you’re not like Betty Rizzo from Grease, and are no doubt doing your best to be Sandy.  But even Sandy tried to be a bad girl to meet her needs, donning the leather and joining the gang.

We can laugh, seeing you as the bad girl, but I hope you’ll also remember God’s Word and His incredible love for you at this wonderful time of life in college. Live in His love.

With as much love as I have,

Your earthly Father

Sunday I felt some dismay at how things were going.  A great weekend was marred by a work e-mail I read, which left me disappointed at best.

Yesterday, a colleague stopped by.  He related an emotional struggle with a child, living at home at 19 years old, still in college.  His pain was real, and so much deeper than my own.  I recalled the last time I felt this same sense of dread after reading an e-mail from work, only a few weeks ago.  That day, I stopped by a local business and the proprietor related how he was now working his real job AND three nights a week at a fast food restaurant AND on weekends cleaning offices just to put his kids through college.

My vision was corrected to 20/20 rather quickly.  I realized that each time I went to work feeling discouraged, God gave me a glimpse of real hardship, real pain, real … life.  God, in His mercy and love, carries me through my challenges.  In bringing me to new understanding, I am reminded to consider others before myself.  A self-centered viewpoint leads only to self-induced despair, when in reality I am blessed by both trials and triumphs.

God’s Word sharpens our focus, and in Philippians 2:3-4, it is written

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

May I look outward rather than inward!

In the oft-repeated Abbott & Costello comedy sketch “Who’s On First?” most people can recite the beginning of the routine.  We all know “who’s on first, what’s on second, I don’t know is on third.”  As the routine progresses, more and more names are given to the rest of the players.  By the time we reach the outfield, we might have lost track of the players.  But, as you can see in this 1953 clip, the left fielder’s name is quite memorable.  If you haven’t seen the bit, feel free to watch at this link!

Why, the left fielder’s name, is a perfect name for a player in this comedy sketch.  In our lives, though, we don’t want to play left field. Why? Because!  Just as in the routine, we often don’t know how to answer that question.

In the Bible, we read of many incredible events for which we might ask “why?”  A widow in a drought prepared to die, desparate to find any sustenance for her only child.  A man was sold into slavery by his own brothers.  A king lost his firstborn son, a newborn, when the newborn had done nothing wrong.  Women lost their sons to a horrific slaughter by the decree of a crazed regional governor.  The Bible also speaks of a man who experienced what many would consider ultimate suffering, in a progression of one horrible experience after another.  Not only did he lose possessions and wealth, he lost his children and his health.  Nothing went right.  Nothing.  Why?  Because?

Like those people, we have difficult experiences. In asking the single question “why?” we naturally ask with deep feeling, borne of our experiences and our understanding.   This feeling may help uncover our answers to two hidden questions, questions we unknowingly ask.  Who am I?  Who is God?

Sometimes we ask the question “why?” in anger.  This emotion is often our first response.  Who am I?  We might answer “I’m just a regular guy.”  Knowing we are just like everyone else, the word “Why?” comes out of our mouths with fire, with that sense of “it ought not to be.” I am like everyone else.  I should not have to deal with this. Who is God?  Who knows?  If God is God, none of this should have happened.  If God is God, this can’t be happening.  It shouldn’t happen.  God should have prevented it.

Sometimes, we ask in despair.  Sometimes so much sadness, we just can’t make sense of it.  Who am I?  We might answer “I am worthless.”  We might think we don’t merit anyone’s concern.  Who is God?  In this frame of mind, God exists, but does not care about us.  Here, we can’t see a way that God can fix this situation.  In sorrow, we imagine that God is so far far away, and incapable or unwilling to help us.

Sometimes, we ask “why?” with a sense of pain.  Who am I?  We might say “I’m just like everyone else,” but recognize that everyone is pretty awful.  We might believe that our acts, like everyone’s, are not immune from some kind of judgment.  Who is God?  We could consider God to be an all-powerful judge, jury, and executioner.  We can’t blame God for punishing us.  We screwed up.  God is God.  We deserve this penalty.

But what if, in a state of grace, we can answer these two questions more truthfully?  Who am I?  I am created by God, in His image.  I am the pinnacle of His creative work.  But, I’m not perfect.  I don’t measure up.  But I am His child. Who is God?  God is amazing.  Beyond compare.  The creator of all.  The sustainer of all.  In all things, perfect.  Demanding our moral perfection, God even provided a substitution for our sin in His Son, Christ Jesus, who died in our stead.

And so, with as much grace as we can muster, the feelings inside can change.  Our anger subsides, as we realize that we are not morally free from suffering.  Our despair brightens, knowing that God is both in control and capable of restoring us.  Our pain lessens, knowing that God offers restoration through faith in Christ.  What do I feel?  I feel His love.

The question?  It’s not “why?”  We are not in left field, as Abbott and Costello might put us in their imaginary baseball team.  The questions are simple, and the answers are profound.  Who is God?  God is love.  Who am I?  I am his beloved.  Let us live in that love.  And let us love one another.