In the former article I talked about “Abandonment” and “Forsaking” in man’s life. I explained the linguistic meaning then the positive connotations of abandonment like giving up sins, negative characteristics, harmful habits and bad friends who attract you to give up on true love and real humanity.
On other hand, abandonment holds many negative connotations.Most importantly, what we can consider a dividing line between life and death which is leaving God
What if man leaves God?! . It is a question that involves various answers according to each person’s belief. This age is characterized by conflicts about “existence of God”: some think that being distant from God is a moral death; however there are groups of people nowadays who think there is no harm in not believing in the existence of God. The German philosopher “Feuerbach” calls for the principle that God is created by man and not that man is created by God. However, I am talking now about those who believe in God.
Man’s abandonment of God resembles being distant from the source of life. As God is life in itself and He is also its Giver. A person who tries to live his life without God will be as if he is running toward death. Any person should be aware that God, Glory be to His name, grants him freedom of choice. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live “. Not only does leaving God mean he doesn’t believe in God’s existence, but also it indicates his insistence on walking at the evil path without hesitation. Amid the various challenges of this disturbed world, man’s need to feel safe exceeds as a result his life becomes more hollow. He who leaves God will surrender to the waves of the world’s rough sea, yet he can’t swim. Thus, currents will attract him and he will go through cycles of worry and loss. While with God, man enjoys peace and rest in as he realizes that he is totally safe with Him and he is the subject of Divine Providence.
Leaving God is also like distancing oneself form real happiness that can be found in obeying God’s commandments which are goodness, mercy, tenderness and love along with many great virtues that enhance man’s humanity and promote his life. A person who knows how to make sad people smile, grow seeds of joy in desperate hearts and hope in disappointed souls, will know that he cannot get joy out of the world or even all his treasure, but rather he simply knows that leaving God is the cause to man’s misery.
Greatness of life with God is inexpressible. Even if you try to draw an image of it, the lines will be adequate. No matter how much I describe the sweetness of life with God, you will not understand till you experience it yourself. Talking about happiness and peace will never make you feel them. You must experience these feelings yourself in order to get how wonderful they are. To figure out if you are truly living with God or not, you should ask yourself, “To what extent are you just, honest, loving, and merciful giver? How human you are?” …to be continued
Anba Ermiah,
General Bishop& President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
