What do you think of when you hear the word "God"?
Seriously, what is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word "God."? Or maybe it is "god."
I mean, it's just a little, 3 lettered word. What's so difficult about answering that question?
Could it be that that little 3 lettered word is a key that unlocks your soul? Could it be that in answering the question, you expose who you really are? Or don't you want to answer? After all, how could one be so narrow minded to admit that there is a "god" never mind "God"? And yet, once the question is asked, why can't we get it out of our minds? Why does that question nag us or haunt us? Why do we struggle with that? What don't we want to admit about ourselves when we begin to ponder "God"?
Now, I didn't ask, "what do you think about God?" Why? Because whatever our puny, finite minds may begin to think about God is almost completely irrelevant. Did I say "almost?" Sorry, it IS irrelevant. How does finite man begin to comprehend, let alone apprehend, an infinite God? Take a look at the Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah chapter 55 and especially verses 8 - 9; Psalm 104 or Psalm 139 for Job 38:31-41 for a glimpse at who God is.
When Moses asked God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God properly answered (obviously), "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you." ...This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation." Exodus 3:13-15. God simply "is." Because God is outside of time, He always was, always is, and always will be.
Don't worry, I'm struggling with all of this too. After all, if He (there I go claiming the gender of God and that He even exists), does exist, then... And then we open the door to too many seemingly unanswerable questions. For this reason, we are obligated, out of pure love, leading to obedience, to begin comprehending and apprehending WHO God is. We do this by regular reading and studying of His Word, the Bible, prayer (talking to God, then listening), and understanding orthodox or correct Doctrine.
Returning to the idea of God's existence, allow me to rephrase that, God just doesn't simply exist, He is existence itself - and nothing exists without Him. We humans have no purpose without God; none whatsoever. Existing in perfect tri-unity as Father, Son & Holy Spirit, He doesn't even need us for relationship. To you, this may sound self-serving, but all of creation exists for the pure pleasure and glory of God Himself and nothing else. And yet He does this out of His abundance, never out of need. God doesn't need anything...
And yet He chose to create each galaxy, each star, each planet, and mountain and river and tree and flower and animal to bring glory to Himself. And then there is every one of us. Man is a little more special because we are created in HIS image and He has chosen to bestow on us (unlike every other created being or thing) some of HIS attributes. Attributes such as love, honor, justice, forgiveness, and even grace and mercy - should we be so bold as to attempt to use those attributes. But the bottom line is that when all is said and done, God can still exist without man but conversely, man cannot exist, let alone live, without God. Without God, I have no purpose whatsoever. That's a real blow to the theist or deistic unbeliever I know, because it begs the question, "so what?" The same question is brought to the feet of the agnostic or the evolutionist and we ask, "so what?" Man struggles to survive because he believes he has purpose; but purpose to do what?
To build, to think, to write, to sing, to pro-create, to recreate. So what?...If we're here for a paltry 80 years or so, compared to billions (if you believe the evolutionist), so what? What's the point?
But if we have the purpose, the "divine" purpose of giving back glory to God and enjoying fellowship with Him for eternity, well...that's quite a different story isn't it? Eternity and God suddenly mean something, don't they? Not just believing in, but trusting in the eternal security and mercy of a perfectly holy God gives you something to live for, doesn't it? Having a perfect relationship with God who already is in a Perfect relationship within His own God-head of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is something to behold. Something that should make us fall on our faces in worship.
And we haven't even begun to contemplate His majesty, as mentioned in 1 Chronicles 29:11. Or, how about His sovereignty, Genesis 1:1. How about His perfect righteous, Psalm 145:17, or perfect wrath, Amos 2:3-5 and Romans 1:17-19? What of the Holiness of God as shown in the book of Isaiah 6:1-4? So holy that without His personal intervention and salvation, I cannot have fellowship or relationship with Him. God chose to have a relationship with us; with you and me. How will we individually answer His call?
As we open God's Word and study Christian Doctrine, let's ask God to more fully reveal Himself to us.
All Bible quotes are from the Holy Bible New International Version.
 Knowing GodBy J.I. Packer / Inter-varsity Press J. I. Packer's Knowing God has become a classic of the Christian faith. Why? While it gives us information about God with clarity and grace, it does much more---it aids us in actually knowing him, in building our relationship with him, and helps draw us closer to him in love and worship. |
