MiniBlog: A Fierce God

by scotteliasmacha

I know so many people who have a subconscious perception of Jesus as being weak and as a victim. Disclosure: a lot of gender generalizations are used here. Our Christian culture, in some ways, is geared toward women, but neglects to show how God appeals to manly men. All it takes is just a cursory look at popular worship music lyrics or common keys the songs are played in. Most men don’t want to sing Kari Jobe’s song:

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand.

Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat

This love is so deep, its more than I can stand

I melt in your peace, its overwhelming

This is very emotional language.  Some men appreciate, but most are bored by it. Christian comedian Tim Hawkins once joked men would rather watch a game and eat nachos with God than talk about their feelings. Don’t get me wrong, men need to understand and appreciate their emotions, but unlike most women, men don’t get excited about God when they ponder emotions all day. Our churches should emphasize passages like the end of Isaiah 49:

“For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.””

As a man, this passage gets me stoked. It’s gory. It’s aggressive. God is victorious and we’re on His side. He’s our hero. This is the stuff that gets me excited about God. 

If we want men to start engaging in the call of God, we need to show them how exciting He is. He isn’t tame, he’s the greatest warrior in the universe and he is calling us to battle. Are you in?