'Goddess' religion

I will never leave you; I will never turn my back on you (Hebrews 13:5).

Lately, there has been renewed interest in ‘goddess’ religion. People call themselves witches or druids and worship Mother Earth. They teach that Mother Earth gives birth to all living things; she shares her divinity with every living creature. Plants, animals and people are all connected, and each contains a spark of the divine.

Goddess religion has been around in some form or another for most of human history. It is even part of our daily conversation. How often do you hear weather reporters talk about Mother Nature? How often do people speak of their native country as the Motherland?

We generally think of mothers as more concerned about their children than fathers. Most of the time, judges award primary custody of the children to a mother, not the father. This is because so many fathers walk away from their parental responsibilities. It’s no wonder that the idea of God being female can be so appealing.

But when God reveals Himself to us, He is masculine. When God caused Mary to give birth, it was to a Son named Jesus. Even the Spirit of God is referred to in the masculine gender. God is our Father and His Son is our brother. Through faith given by the Holy Spirit, we are members of His beloved family.

God made the world out of nothing. The earth is not divine, nor are the plants or animals God fills it with. God fathered each of us, yet we are not divine because we are not made from His substance—God the Father has no physical body. But we are created in the likeness of God—we have a soul that can see things in terms of right and wrong. We are not little gods and goddesses, but we are special among all that God has made.

Unlike human fathers, our heavenly Father is perfect. He loves us with unending commitment. He works tirelessly to protect us from evil. He uses a firm hand when we misbehave. When we ask forgiveness, He enfolds us with His love. He is the Father of us all, and He can raise the dead to eternal life—something that 'Mother Earth' can never do.