Like butter melting in the sun

God loves us and wants to live with us, but that is not possible without continuous atonement. Otherwise, the purity of his perfection would melt us as the noonday sun melts butter. And note that it is he who determines the terms of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable for us to exist in his presence. — Called to be Holy, page 29

<idle musing>
I like that metaphor, very graphic. I also like the fact that he doesn't emphasize wrath, but love. I've been listening to some sermons online lately, and noticed two things: The preachers love to shout and pump up the listeners. And they emphasize the wrath of God in order to get response. I don't think either approaches are necessary.

If you want people to respond from the heart, don't you think that a response based on love is better than one of fear? And if God's basic nature is love (and I believe it is), then why not emphasize that? Sure, there is wrath, but that's only if you turn your back on the freely available offer (made to everyone equally, by the way) of atonement and reconciliation through Jesus the Messiah.
</idle musing>