Who do you say that God is?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(Revelation 1:8 (NIV))

To paraphrase this passage, God is the beginning and the end. He is all things in between. He has always been. He is now, and He will always be. He is the Creator of all things. He holds all power and authority. His power and authority were in the beginning and they will be in the end. He is unchanging and no one can come close to His power and authority!

Humanity has spent thousands of years trying to define just who they think that God is. Along the way, various different groups of people have created false gods. Most of these are simply attempts at putting a limited understanding of creation onto a persona that they could understand and define. People have even gone so far as to create idols that they assign godlike attributes to.

I want you to stop and ask yourself a question.

Who do you say that God is?

Are you able to comprehend the God of the Bible or do you try to make up your own definition, your own mental image, of what you believe God to be?

We know that God is called “Father.” Is your understanding of a loving father swayed by an earthly father who was less than loving?

We know that God is called “Creator.” Do you struggle with the concept that God has the power and that everything was simply spoken into existence?

We know that God is called “Healer.” Are you so blinded to the fact that humanity allowed sin and death into the world that you can’t understand why God allows things to happen to those you love?

We know that God created us in His image. Do you struggle with the idea that He loves you so much that He took the time to create you? We know that He created us to be in fellowship, in relationship, with Him. Do you understand the concept of sin and the consequences of sin and how that relationship was broken in the Garden of Eden? Do you struggle with the idea that God did not want to spend eternity without us, so He devised a plan to redeem us so that He could call us His own? I could go on and on, but we are simply not capable of fully grasping all that God is.

Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
(Job 11:7 (NIV))

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV))

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
(Isaiah 40:28 (NIV))

All of His wisdom and righteousness we cannot even begin to understand, but there is one thing that we can understand if we will simply humble ourselves.

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 (NIV))

I feel that I need to ask this one question once again. It is my prayer that you dwell on this question and pray to come to a true understanding.

Who do you say that God is?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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The image of God

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
(Psalms 145:17-20 (NLT))

What is your image of God? Be honest.

Is it of a Santa Claus type figure who gives you what you want if you are good? Perhaps it is of a life guard type of figure – someone who rescues you when you get in trouble. Maybe you think of God as a kindly old man who is nice to everyone and allows anything because He is too timid to take a stand. Perhaps the one that I find so amusing is the idea that He is so busy that He doesn’t have time for us and that He doesn’t care what we do. Still another image of God that some people have is of a Grandfather Time type of figure who is more concerned with keeping things on schedule than with enjoying the Creation that is at His feet right now.

There are many images of God. Some are true, for all we have to do is look at the many names that God has – deliverer, provider, healer. I could go on and on, but, these images are images from His Word, not from someone’s false understanding.

The psalmist knew God’s character. He knew of God’s righteousness. He knew of God’s mercy, for he had called upon Him sincerely. God did hear his cries and He rescued him.

What is your image of God? Is it taken from God’s Word or is it a false image taken from your imagination and desires?

The true image that God portrays can do all things. What can your image of God do?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Great Physician

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Mark 2:17 (NIV))

Have you ever heard someone say that when they get their life straightened out they will start going to church?

Jesus knew better than this. He literally told his critics that. His critics were the ones who were supposedly in good “health.” If you stop to think about what Jesus said, he basically stated that you don’t have to get your life straightened out to follow Him. Just as a person who is sick will seek out a doctor, a person who is a sinner should seek out Jesus.

For those who may be thinking, “I go to church. I am a good person,” I know that we all need Jesus, yet, Jesus came to reach out to all.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
(Romans 3:23 (NIV))

He came to reach out to those who were considered unreachable. He associated with sinners of all types. Prostitutes, tax collectors, and many more called Jesus friend, teacher and Savior. They did not wait until their lives were straightened out. They met Jesus and through His power, they began to change.

Think about this and the next time you hear someone say that when they get their life straightened out they will start to go to church, ask them one simple question.

When you are sick, do you wait until you are well before you go to the doctor?

It is at this point that you can tell them about the “Great Physician.”

I know that we all like to think of ourselves as healthy, but don’t let pride keep you from Jesus.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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