On Calvary, does God make Himself vulnarable?

[Charlotte Mercer]

I agree with Billie. God was very much vulnerable in going to the cross as Christ. Some of His final words were "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" That sounds awfully vulnerable to me, if God incarnate was feeling deserted by God.

But it didn't even take Him going to the cross for Him to be vulnerable, though that is a Great example and shows it more fully than other examples. Most of us here have heard or said "God is love" and "For God so loved the world" so much that those verses have nearly lost all meaning, but if you think about it, the idea that God could love anyone at all says that God makes Himself vulnerable. To love someone is to make yourself vulnerable. When you love someone, you run the risk that they won't love you back, and most of us probably remember a time in our own lives when we loved or even just liked someone who didn't love or like us back. If it hurts that much for us, and we only love very imperfectly, how much more must it hurt for Someone who loves perfectly and who's love has been rejected by billions of people throughout history?

I would go even farther than just saying that God can be vulnerable. I would say that our own ability to be vulnerable might just be a reflection of God's vulnerability, just as our love is a reflection of His perfect love.

[Bruce Carriker]

There is a great passage from Max Lucado's book "In the Eye of the Storm" where God and one of the angels walk forward in time to the Incarnation and Calvary. I'm not sure of the exact words, but they go something like this:

Angel: "Does it have to be like this?"
God: "Yes."
Angel: "Will they all reject you?"
God: "Not all, but most."
Angel: "Wouldn't it be easier not to give them choice?"
God: "Yes, it would. But then it wouldn't be love."

And as a wise man once said, "God is God and love is enough." :)

[Randy Wise]

I believe the Lords prayers reflect His very much human side - Hebrews 5:7 - Now if we can follow His example as He suffered so much yet trusted in God to get Him through any ordeal that came up. Including the cross.

Randy