The Loneliness of God

If you are made in the Image and Likeness of God, does that mean that God is lonely for you?

I sometimes think about how Jesus - in His loneliness on the cross - must have found consolation in the good thief at His side. His presence must have been like having a friend 'hold your hand'. It made sense that Jesus would ask His Father to bring His new friend into heaven. To join Him ASAP - not just eventually. This friend next to Him - the only one who shared in His physical suffering on the cross.

In the past years, I have found opportunities in which I could understand and experience, within my capacity, this part of 'hanging with Jesus'. This approach helped ease the pain, at times, when I could imagine going through it with Jesus on Calvary. And it transformed some moments of pain into joy - it was like whatever suffering had meaning because I could go through it with Jesus and make Him feel less alone in His pain, and be intimate in joined solace with Him.

Since humans are made in the image and likeness of God it would make sense that we  express unique faces and facets of God's own goodwill and personality.

God, like humans, must be lonely for someone who shares some part of Him. Even as He exists in the perfect love of the Holy Trinity He wills Himself to want us and be lonely for us.

I imagine Jesus as one who hangs back in a crowd watching you longingly. Waiting for you - loving and wanting you. In the same way, humans can long for intimacy in a marital relationship, I think Jesus also longs for a "bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh" encounter with us.

And so, I have come to think that Jesus sees a unique part of Himself in you -and He is lonely for it. In some way, He longs for a facet of Himself in you - His Image and Likeness - to reflect back and see Him too.