Are you willing to play? ∙

Are you willing to play? ∙

Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD. – Isaiah 1:18

Can two walk together, except they are agreed? – Amos 3:3

Genesis 3:8-10

 8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

 9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Scientists have identified a possible explanation for why dogs became man’s best friend. Wolves are likely the first animals domesticated by humans millennia ago. They are probably the wild ancestors that became today’s dogs. Some wolves were willing to play fetch. The researchers at Stockholm University have discovered that wolves do not have to be trained or selectively bred to chase after an object and retrieve it. Instead, a few young wolves appear to have an innate playful streak and a willingness to respond to human interaction and direction.

Behavioral ecologist Christina Hansen Wheat of Stockholm University began behavioral tests and observations on three litters of hand-raised, 8-week-old wolf pups. Ten of the wolf pups showed little to no interest in retrieving balls. But three pups from the same litter not only retrieved the balls but also responded to encouragement from unfamiliar people. One pup did so on all three tries.

“When I saw the first wolf puppy retrieving the ball, I literally got goose bumps,” says Wheat in a press release. It was so unexpected, and I immediately realized that if some wolves possess a genetic variation for human-directed play behavior, this could have been instrumental in dog domestication. Wheat suggests that the game of fetch may have been the key to the taming process. Humans identified and bred those wolves that were willing to play. “It makes sense, we connect with our dogs when we interact with them” (iScience, January 16, 2020; The Week, February 07, 2020).

Perhaps, the Father created sentient human beings because some pack members would be willing to play with Him. When Adam and Eve were created, the Father would walk in the garden of Eden with them. The Father wanted to spend time with His intelligent creation.

When the Lord Jesus Christ was on Earth, He enjoyed spending time with people, particularly His disciples.

John 3:22 Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing.

The Greek word translated as spent time is diatribo. Diatribo means to wear, rub through, and spend or pass the time in a place, remain, stay, tarry. He rubbed shoulders with His disciples. Today we might say, He just hung out with them.

Observing how the Lord Jesus Christ interacted with His disciples in the Gospels, I imagine the Father enjoyed just hanging out with Adam and Eve. But regrettably, after  Adam and Eve sinned, everything changed.

Genesis 3:8-10

 8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

 9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

The Father’s only sentient beings created for planet Earth turned away from Him. They no longer wanted to play and just hang out. They were afraid and hid from Him. How tragic! Yet, the human race has been doing the same thing ever since. We treat the Father like wild wolves treat humankind. Wolves want nothing to do with humanity. For the most part, humanity shows little to no interest in the living Father God. Basically, they want nothing to do with Him. Only a few members of the human pack are willing to play with the Father.

We all know what it is like when a pet dog “gets out,” and we frantically go looking for it. The Father has been seeking us, calling to us for over 5000 years. Only those that are His, respond to the call.

John 10:27-28

 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father is not a harsh, cruel, mean, vindictive judge, as many people have been led to believe. Instead, He is warm, loving, tender, and, if you can possibly imagine, an affectionate “hugger.” He does not command us to come; He calls us to come.

Father thank You have called me by name, and I belong to You forever. Create in me a hunger and thirst for Your word and for spending time with You.

INSIGHT

The Father invites us to play with Him wherever we wish. For Adam and Eve, it was the garden of Eden. Many of the Father’s children have a special place where they can be alone with Him.

The playground for each of us is often uniquely different. Young children love to play in the sand or mud. Baseball players practice and play on baseball fields. A concert pianist requires a piano to practice and enjoys the thrill of a live performance in a symphony hall. For intellects, the playground is the mind and the realm of ideas.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD.

The Father allows people to reason with Him. But there is far more here than simply negotiating. He urges the people to talk things out with Him, using logic and reason.

The historical situation behind Isaiah’s words provides additional insight. The nation has violated the law of God. The Father has basically filed a legal complaint through the prophet Isaiah. The people had a significant problem that they must come to terms with. But they were in denial. He compares their sins and iniquities to blood-colored stains on their souls (scarlet, a red dye, and crimson, red-colored cloth) (BKC).

The Hebrew word translated as reason is yaḵaḥ. It is a legal term. It has the sense of arguing, convincing or deciding a case in court. The Father says to the nation, “let us debate our case in court” (TWOT).

The Father has an opinion on all things. The difference between His opinion and our opinion is that His position is always absolutely correct!

The Father wants them to realize for themselves and be convinced in their own minds of their guilt. And then take appropriate action and repent.

He is offering them a pardon if they repent, change their ways, and turn from their sin (Wiersbe). He would expunge their record and forgive and cleanse them. And they will become “spiritually white like snow or wool” (BKC).

When the Father plays, He has an endgame in mind. In this case, His endgame is total forgiveness.

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 4-23-2

© Dr. H 2022