Who is God? Many of us have pondered this question at some point in our lives. Do you think of Him as a distant magician? A loving father? A stern teacher? A shepherd? An eagle? A mother? This is a question that millions of us all over the face of the planet spend our lives thinking about. But what is the answer?
The mystery of Christianity is that though we strive to understand God, we never fully can. We can spend a whole lifetime getting to know Him. The joy of walking the Christian path is that there is always more to discover with God. He does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17), but the wonder of His nature means that He is so many things all at once, and there is always more to discover. Isaiah 55:8-9 says; "For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways... As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways." Living with this mystery means that we get to see parts of God's character, and yet we live realizing that we cannot know Him fully. As in Ephesians 3:19, which reads: "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully" (NLT), we rejoice in what we see, knowing that there is always more.
The good news is that the Bible tells us many things about God's character; I have highlighted just some of these verses in this blog. God is light 1 John 1:5 He is patient 2 Peter 3:9 He does not change His mind: "God is not a human that He should lie, not a human being that He should change his mind." Numbers 23:19 He is faithful: "And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." 1 Cor 10:13 He is perfect: "As for God, His way is perfect: the Lord's word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him." Psalms 18:30 He is a God of justice: "The heavens proclaim His righteousness for He is a God of justice." Psalms 50:6 He is full of compassion: "The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion." Psalm 116:5 He bears our burdens: "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19-20 He is a sun and shield: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor." Psalms 84:11-12 He will be with you wherever you go: "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:8 He is merciful: "Who is a God like you who pardons sin... You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy." Micah 7:18-19 He is love: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:8,9
Fundamental to our understanding of God is that we know that He loves us. He is love: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:8,9 The greatest demonstration of this love is that He gave His son to save us: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
God is far too big for any of us to fully see, so we see different parts of Him as we need to. If you want to know what God is like, turn to the Bible, where you will read that He is just and kind. The Bible says that He will give us wisdom when we ask for it (James 1:5), so if you want to know more of God today, then ask Him to reveal more of His character to you.
Knowing God is not about learning facts or stories about Him; He is alive and moving today and wants to be actively involved in your life. Talk to Him, listen to Him, surrender your life to His plans and purposes and you will find that your life becomes a story you can share with others. Your story interwoven with the plans and purposes of God will become a beautiful tapestry, woven with gold when you have heard and responded to His word. The more you share this with others, the more they will catch a glimpse of the Father too.
Indeed, as well as finding out what the character of God is like in the Bible, we find out some of His names, which highlight the myriad things that He is and does for us. Here is a list of some of them. Redeemer (Isa. 59:20) Lord of Peace (2 Thess. 3:16) Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6) Healer (Psa. 103:3) Restorer (Psa. 23:3) (ESV) Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) Provider (Gen. 22:14) Refuge (Isa. 25:4) Hiding Place (Psa. 32:7) Resting Place (Jer. 50:6) Deliverer (Psa. 70:5) Friend (John 15:15) Everlasting Light (Isa. 60:20) Husband (Isa. 54:5) Hope (Psa. 71:5) Shield (Psa. 144:2) Helper (Heb. 13:6) Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5-6) Bread of Life (John 6:35) Strong Tower (Prov. 18:10) Everlasting Father (Isa. 9:6) Advocate (1 John 2:1)
If you want to know more about God and who He is, check out the Glorify App, which has daily devotionals to help you understand more about Him. Let's pray together: "Heavenly Father, Thank You that You hear my prayers. Thank You that if I ask for wisdom, You will give generously to me. Lord, show me more of Your character. Let me know You are close to me as I walk through the day. Thank You that You are a mystery and that I can never get to the end of all that You are. Amen." Photos by Philipp on Unsplash
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