God is God

I was at a worship service once - I'm thinking it might have been at Annual Conference...not sure... Anyway, the reading that day was from the Psalms and went something like this: from Psalm 111

God has caused God's wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 God provides food for those who fear God;
God remembers God's covenant forever.
6 God has shown God's people the power of God's works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of God's hands are faithful and just;
all God's precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 God provided redemption for God's people;
God ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is hGod's name.

Grammatically and politically correct. REALLY awkward... And I have to believe that it was uncomfortable for everyone there - at least everyone I talked to thought it was taking a right idea to the point of caricature... Yet this person was sincerely trying to edit the gender specific references to God...

One of the real benefits of attending a seminary that was theologically different from where I am was that I became much more sensitive to the issues that bring up "alternate" theologies (e.g. - feminist, womanist, liberation, process...etc...) and I have found ways in my traditional-conservative-orthodox theology to deal with the issues...

God is God. WAY beyond our definitions. But I like that I can think about God as being like a loving Father. I had a pretty good dad, even though he wasn't a church goer. If ONE IMAGE of God (not the only image of God) is like a dad (Abba -- Daddy), only WAY better, then I draw comfort from that. I understand that others don't -- and I won't force them to accept it - as long as they don't force me to reject it...