Interviewer: Why did You choose Mary and Joseph to be Jesus’ parents on earth?
God: Mary was a special girl in many ways, but in her role as Jesus’ earthly mother, she is not just an individual.-She is a representative of humanity. She was a wonderful mother to Him, but she was not so extraordinary. She was a typical woman, as Joseph was a typical man. Part of Jesus’ mission was to be born and raised in a family very representative of the vast majority of other families. He was going to experience life as it was typically experienced, so that He would have firsthand knowledge of what it was like to be an average human being.
Interviewer: I think You have just preempted my next question: Why was Jesus not born to people of more standing in the world? His birth was in even more humble circumstances than His family was accustomed to.
God: Yes, that is so. That was all part of the plan. It really has been a test for humanity to see if they could believe that a man born in a stable in an obscure country-then under foreign rule-trained as a carpenter, later becoming an itinerant holy man and then executed as a criminal, would actually be God. It is a testament to the spiritual power behind this truth that people have believed that Jesus was God, not to mention that contemporary believers are numbered in the billions.
Interviewer: He certainly didn’t receive any encouragement from either the civil or religious authorities of His day.
God: He certainly did not. His fiercest critics should have been his greatest supporters.
Interviewer: You are referring to the religious Jews of the time?
God: There were some of His race that believed, but not that many. Most of them regarded Him as anathema, and it was they who brought the charges against Him. Then it was the Roman rulers, even convinced of His innocence, who nevertheless had Him executed in the most cruel fashion that they could. A lot of people have had a lot to answer for.
Interviewer: I imagine that they have. But even though some Jews opposed Him, nevertheless all His original followers were Jews.
God: Of course, and many of them were dynamos.
Interviewer: Tell me-the disciples Jesus chose-they weren’t really the most trained and educated people, were they?
God: That is the understatement of the year. You described them very delicately. Afraid that you might have to answer to some of them when you get up here?
Interviewer: Honestly, no! It is just that I am often dumbfounded at the accomplishments of the men and women who took up the torch once Jesus had gone, how they spread His teachings throughout the known world.
God: Once again it is a testament to the message even more so than to the messengers. But they were really a great bunch, once they got the fire in their bellies. It was their boldness and conviction that won people. Paul was the most zealous, and he wasn’t even around Jesus personally when He was on earth.
Interviewer: He was also the most educated and trained for the task, too.
God: In some ways, yes, but his education didn’t mean that much as far as what he did. His knowledge stood in the way of his belief for a long time, and it wasn’t till he saw the light that he was willing to accept that he was wrong. Later he was able to use his knowledge in his writing, but I would be the first to admit that you’ve got to be pretty bright to understand some of what he wrote.
Interviewer: By “saw the light” You are being quite literal here and referring to how he was blinded for a while by that brilliant light?
God: Yes. Before that, he was fanatically for the opposition, so much so that he refused to acknowledge the truth even when it was quite obvious.
Why did God choose Mary and Joseph?
Does God have a human heart?
Interviewer: Getting back to Jesus Himself, what was it like for You when He was on earth?
God: I had very mixed emotions. I was very happy that His mission that We had planned for so long was now in progress. On the other hand, I was sad because even though We had contact, it was not the same as it was between us when He was wholly in the spiritual realm with Me.
Interviewer: So it wasn’t as though You were in contact all the time?
God: We were in contact all the time, but it was similar, though much more constant, as it can be between Me and people on earth who love Me today. There is contact, but it is not always tangible and apparent. We wanted to have stronger contact, but because of the limitations I had originally put in place between the physical and spiritual realms at Creation, We couldn’t. During this time I grew to love humanity even more, as I learned to understand more how it felt to so want to reach out.
Interviewer: This is a revelation! You “learned”?
God: Is that so surprising?
Interviewer: Definitely, yes! You are in our eyes omniscient. If You know all things, how can You learn?
God: I had never been in the position of being separated from Jesus like this. It was a new thing, so I learned something from it.
Interviewer: I am still reeling over this. Wouldn’t You know what it was like anyway, because You are all-knowing?
God: Even being all-knowing doesn’t mean I had experienced everything. I loved and sympathized with humanity, but one can never empathize unless one has experienced something. I experienced many of the emotions that humanity goes through during the time Jesus was on earth. I felt the greatest tenderness when I saw Him there as a tiny babe at His birth. I felt the greatest pride in seeing Him reject all the temptations placed before Him to do something with His life other than what We had planned, and rather choose to go ahead with His mission. I felt the greatest sorrow and anguish when I watched as Jesus suffered and died on the cross. I had to hold Myself back and not interfere, or else all We had gone through would have been in vain. I then felt the greatest joy and happiness when I was reunited with Him after that ordeal was over.
Interviewer: Although that is logical and extremely touching, somehow it just seems to make You less omnipotent for some reason, less divine and more…
God: Human?
Interviewer: Yes, I suppose “human” is the word for it.
God: You don’t want Me to be “human”?
Interviewer: In some ways, no. If You can learn in this way, it gives the impression that You are not perfect and therefore could make mistakes or something.
God: You are afraid I will make a mistake?
Interviewer: Well, perhaps I am, I don’t know. I mean, we have enough of us down here making mistakes and so we can’t afford to have You making mistakes, too.
God: Yes, I see what you mean. Well, don’t worry, I am not making any mistakes. But don’t you want to learn more, to experience new things? Would you want to deny Me the same?
Interviewer: No! But it just seems to open a … a whole new aspect of things, so I am not so sure about it.
God: You were going to say “can of worms.”
Interviewer: True, but I thought better of it. It was not appropriate.
God: Glad you got that right.
No regrets
Interviewer: Me too! When reading the Bible, one has the impression that You had somewhat of a change from the way You were in the Old Testament to the way You were in the New Testament. When You said You “learned,” and You spoke of the difference between sympathy and empathy, does that explain this apparent change?
God: I didn’t change per se, but it did cause Me to modify My behavior towards humanity. Both Jesus and I knew that this experience would have this effect, so it wasn’t that We were not prepared for it in every way. But due to His coming to earth to die for mankind, We did change certain basics. The keeping of the laws of the Old Testament was replaced with the grace and love of the New Testament.
Interviewer: This is a big subject that perhaps we could cover another time. To finish off our time now, may I get rather personal?
God: Yes.
Interviewer: When Jesus died on the cross He is said to have called out to You, asking why You had forsaken Him. Was that difficult for You?
God: There are no words to describe the pain that both He and I suffered at that time. Many of you know what it is like to have a loved one suffer and die. You have then had a glimpse of the sorrow that We suffered. But what sustained Us was the knowledge that what We were doing was going to result in a wonderful victory for Us and for mankind. We don’t dwell on the pain but rather on the triumph over death and pain that happened as a result.
Interviewer: So You weren’t just able to shut Yourself off from what was happening?
God: No, of course not. My Son was dying in agony in a cruel and ghastly and unjust execution. No good father could turn his back on that. But I could not intervene. I had to let it happen for the sake of mankind.
Interviewer: The reunion must have been marvelous.
God: Between Jesus and Myself? Yes, it was the most marvelous moment ever.
Interviewer: But You had to wait the 40 days, till He ascended to Heaven.4
God: Are you kidding? Not at all. We were together in spirit as soon as we could be after the ordeal. All this is very mysterious to most people. They have tried to put their various spins on this event, but let Me assure you that We were not separated for an instant longer than was necessary.
Interviewer: You have great love for each other, don’t You?
God: Greater than you can ever imagine.
Interviewer: But You have no regrets at what You both went through.
God: It was extremely difficult for both of Us, but neither of Us regrets doing it, because We knew of the eventual help and happiness it would bring to all of you.