What is your image of G-d? Is He up in the Heavens looking down sternly at you? Or perhaps you see Him as a loving G-d dressed in white waiting to embrace you?
For many generations, G-d was a very impersonal G-d. The Baal Shem Tov and the teachings of Chassidus changed that. But, they weren't the originators of the idea of a personal G-d.
Abraham was.
In this week’s Torah portion when Avraham is giving instruction to his servant Eliezer to go find a wife for his son Yitzchak (Isaac), he declares: “And I will adjure you by the Lord, the G-d of the heaven and the G-d of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I dwell.”
Yet, a few verses later, when reflecting on his past, Avraham says, "The G-d of Heaven who took me from my father’s house..."
Why isn’t He the G-d of Earth in this instance?
When G-d first took Abraham from his father’s house, indeed G-d was only the G-d of Heaven. G-d was at that point unknown on earth. Not only because people didn’t believe in Him, but also because those that did, believed He was in Heaven, apart from their personal lives.
But Avraham through his faith and self-sacrifice turned G-d into the G-d of Earth as well. He proved that G-d was personally involved in his life.
And the same is true for each of us. G-d is an intimate G-d, Who directs our lives to the most minute detail. And cares about everything we do.
What does this mean on a practical level? It means that G-d is my friend. G-d is close to all of us. G-d is not a distant G-d but our G-d, who I can turn to in good times and in tough times. G-d wants us to be connected to Him in all we do. Not only when we are doing holy things but also when we are engaged in mundane behavior. In all these instances, G-d wants us to be thinking about Him and enriching the world around us with His presence.
So what are you waiting for?
Based on an essay by Rabbi E. Schusterman