Let's break this down. Christians believe in God. This is nothing to get worked up about. It's really pretty common. 91% of all Americans believe in God, and 97% of people worldwide believe in a supreme deity. Believing in God is nothing special.
What is distinctive is that we believe in a God who is both almighty and fatherly.
Most of us have a sense that God is big, majestic, awesome, powerful, holy, glorious, and eternal. We know that God is way beyond us. God is big and we are little. God is wholly other, infinite, and omni-everything. God is almighty.
But God is also personal. In Romans 8 we are told that we can call God "Abba." Abba is not a disco group from Sweden. It is an Aramaic expression translated "daddy." We are to call God daddy. He is the loving, caring, "run to him when you get home" parent you can learn from, be friends with, lean on, etc. He loves you deeply, like a perfect father would love a child.
So God is both almighty and personal.
If you forget that God is almighty, then your relationship to Him can become overly sentimental and not very challenging. If you forget that God is a father, you can live your life at an arm's length from him.
How do you view God? When your relationship to God gets out of balance which way do you lean?
I view God as someone who amazingly enough allows me to be attached at the hip with Him though I feel like I barely deserve to observe Him from a distance. When I am out of balance it is usually because I doubt that He prefers I draw near, (I guess it is the Abba part I struggle with from time to time)
ReplyDelete"we believe in God the Father Almighty"
ReplyDeletePeople understand God as almighty, however, they also see him as distant, untouchable, uncaring. They do not have a healthy fear of God. Which means they do not have respect. And they behave in ways that show this.
However, people see God the Father, as completely foreign, and they do not really understand this. How can God be Father - daddy - when he is so distant and untouchable. They do not know how to approach God, and to be intimate with God as a loving Father.
The idea of God as almighty, and powerful, and infinite, causes us to be fearful.
This causes a paradox, because if we are full of fear, then we are lacking in love.
if we are full of love, and can relate to God in this way, then where is the fear?
Love drives out fear, they are opposites.
if we Love God completely, then there is no fear.
if we fear God completely, then there is no love.
I think each of us is in the middle somewhere, we know God as almighty and have some fear, and we know God as father and have some love, we have both. At times I feel like I bounce back and forth between the two concepts. I love God, I respect and fear God.... There needs to be a balance of both, and when I am out of balance I have drifted from a loving God, and only see a distant, and mighty God whom I fear.
Mike O.
I guess I view God as the "big bright white blur" that although, I can't quite get my lilputian head around the comprehension of Him, still wants to know me. I think I get caught up in "I'm not worthy" thought process - so while I definately revere Him as almighty, it's also the concept of almightiness that makes me feel distant at times. The "Daddy" view gives me the bigger "warm fuzzy", maybe because I have a great concept of "Daddy" from my earthly father. He exuded Daddiness - loving provider, protector, ummm serious spoiler... absolultely funny and fun... so I guess I lean that way - but it might just be a result of my comprehension. It's ironic though - my earthly Dad in his weakness (he is currently in the latest stage of alzheimers) - has taught me more about God's almightiness than I ever understood before. The illness process of decline with my Dad has made me more cognizant of just how close we can be to an Almighty, all- knowing father in heaven, despite the fact that we are miles away from understanding almighty. God wants us anyway, despite the geography!
ReplyDeleteI do see God as my father, he is and has been there for me when things are good and when they seem hopeless. I sometimes am disappointed and wonder why things are so hard sometimes, but just about when I am at my most distant he shows me he is still there for me.
ReplyDeleteI tend to view God as God the Almighty most of the time. When things get really tough, or when I am in great need, I tend to view God as God the father more, drawing closing to Him.
ReplyDeleteI see God as my father and that he is always watching over me, as a parent does with their child. I always want to try to do my best because I know he is there watching and I don't want to disappoint him, although I know I am far from perfect. I know God is almighty and he takes care of us and does not give us more than we can handle. At times though when things have hit rock bottom, I want to be angry and draw away from him, but that's when I find I am the most closet to my father God.
ReplyDeleteSharon said ...
ReplyDelete"I think I get caught up in "I'm not worthy" thought process - so while I definately revere Him as almighty, it's also the concept of almightiness that makes me feel distant at times."
I was reminded this weekend that whenever we think God has everything, and needs nothing, then why does God need me? The I am not deserving, or I am not worthy. And God feels so far away. Then we need to ask the question: Does God love his Son, Jesus? of course the answer is YES
So remember, that when God looks at you, he sees Jesus, and he views you the same way.
Anonymous...Andrea Garling said... I view God as a man that has no flaws... I talk to God in prayer, and I thank him for the gifts that I have been given in my life on Earth. I know that he will care for me someday in heaven, and I do not fear that time.
ReplyDelete