The God Unlike Any Other

I’m currently reading The Odyssey by Homer, the Emily Wilson translation. I read The Odyssey in high school, but it was so long ago that I hardly remember anything about it. With the new movie by Christopher Nolan having been recently released, I wanted to do a refresher. As with the Bible, there are different translations available of The Odyssey. The Emily Wilson translation I am reading is the inspiration for CN’s movie. I’m telling you this because I have learned a lot about Greek mythology through this read, and it has directly affected my faith and relationship with Jesus... (cliff hanger!)

…For the better! Seeing all the differences between the Greek gods and our God has strengthened my appreciation and love for Jesus. As Emily Wilson explains in her translation and introduction to Homer's The Odyssey, “The gods in The Odyssey, like those of The Iliad, are self-interested beings, whose interventions in human lives are motivated primarily by their own desires, whims, and preferences rather than by a consistent commitment to uphold moral law” (p. 30). Rather than having a little god who is self-serving, we have a relationship with the one true God whose mission was to serve others.

One main difference I noticed between the Greek gods and Jesus was that the Greek gods would walk alongside humans and interact, but Jesus not only walked alongside humans; he fully became one of them so that we could witness the unfailing love and faithfulness of the Father. Whereas a Greek god will not die, Jesus died for us. Greek gods are self-interested, whereas Jesus willingly laid down his life, even for those who hated him. As Pastor Clayton said on Sunday, “Jesus laid aside his privilege as heir, as Son of God, and he leaned into being human. We have direct access to the presence of God because of Jesus.” The mythological gods ultimately display selfish love, whereas Jesus displays sacrificial love by giving up His life for us. I could go on and on about this specific topic, and I will, just in a different post. But I wanted to share a couple of examples of how unique and supreme our Jesus is. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a God that loves me so much He will die for me over one who doesn’t have my best interest at heart.

“So then, since we have a great High Priest in heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weakness, for he faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:14-16. I am at the point where I view God as Abba, my Father. I talk to Him about everything. I mean, EVERYTHING. The big and small, because I know He cares about all of it. I can approach Him with confidence because I know how much He loves me. I can’t help but think of my own son and how confidently and safely he shares quite literally everything from his life with me. It brings so much joy to my heart to know He trusts me that much. I can only imagine our Father feeling the same overwhelming joy when we come to Him. So, go to Him! He is waiting for you. Ready to listen and be your loving Father.