The  Mystery of God's Character

The Desire of God's heart ... is for you to have a clear picture of His character and to know the common bond of His love.  When you do,... you will find His love thoroughly nourishing.

For some, a clear picture of God, is a bit of a mystery.  "Isn't God invisible", they say.  "I cannot understand something that I cannot see".  "If only I could see the face of God, then I...", this or that.

In seeking the common bond that is found in the character of our God - Consider....

...the character of God as revealed in three significant events of history.  First, in His creation, especially in His creation of man and woman - and in the fact that we are given freedom of choice.  Humankind was created with the unique ability to choose - to love Him or to ignore Him.  The death of Jesus Christ, God's only Son - (Jesus - being uniquely and singularly, the "only begotten" Son of God - which is the ultimate expression of God's love) - on the cross as our sacrifice, is a second great event.  In that gift of love, He paid the price for the choices we make to ignore God and His ways.  Jesus' death promises forgiveness for those choices and provides us - the alternative to eternal separation from God - rather - to spend eternity with Him.  A third great event completes the first two and provides peace and hope for all: Christ's tomb was found empty!  He is alive!  - and He is living still - to fill us with His love! - by drawing us closer and closer to - the character of a Loving God.

What characteristics of God are apparent when you consider these 3 great events?  Begin to list them.

Much more detail is provided about God's character - in His Word.  The voice of God speaks - through stories, such as; those of, The sinner, the shepherd and the king - David and Goliath, Job, Ruth and Boaz, the little servant girl who helped cure her master, Naaman, a leper (II Kings 5).  Christ's journey to the cross - The fisherman, Peter, becoming a shepherd of men.  -- Have you ever considered that David, the shepherd, continues his "shepherd-ship", through the passing of time, every time a "seeker" reads the tender and passionate words of his Psalms?  I often sense the character of a sheep when I read the Psalms.  The life of Abraham and his journey with God - Daniel and those lions and God's protection.  Jesus' passionate prayer in John 17.  Stories that teach us how to handle the troubles of every day life.  Stories that fill us with hope and peace.  Each story in God's Word is like a personal letter to us - from God, revealing His character.

God speaks through His Word and shares practical advice and encouragement through parables (short stories), lists, promises, and warnings.  As incredible as it is to imagine - many different writers - over thousands of years - describe God in ways we can understand and apply in our lives.  God's Word is - His voice - talking personally to anyone who will listen.

God loves us! - even when we choose to reject His love. When we do, ignore Him - He allows us to walk away - down the path of our own choosing.  Yet - He is always there - always ready - to wrap His loving arms around us and hold us close - in His unchanging hands.

You might pause here, and consider any additions to that list of God's character-istics.

God's unchanging ways, reveal His character.  This whole world is constantly changing; our desires change, our interests change, skills and jobs change, body shapes and sizes change, attitudes change.  However, God never changes.  His Son Jesus Christ, our Savior - never changes.  The character of God - manifested in the life of Jesus - never changes.  We can have full confidence and trust in the promises of Christ - because, He is God!  In the Colossian letter, Paul encouraged "seekers" that, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation", and "in Him all things hold together" (Col. 1:17).  He keeps those who seek Him, bound together, in the common bond of His Love.  Protected from the evils and enemies that tear at us - to break us - a part - from Him.  God's Word characterizes His Son, the Holy Spirit and the Father, as being 3 in 1.  The Trinity - making up one God.  The desires of the character of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - are to have a relationship with us that is purposed toward our salvation.  This salvation plan, climaxed with the birth of Christ, in the little town of Bethlehem.  He lived a perfect life - in the character of God.  He died an innocent death for our sin.  He was buried in a tomb - on loan - which He promptly returned - just as He promised - 3 days later - when He came back to life.  Today, He is in heaven speaking to the Father on our behalf - so that we can live with Him, for eternity - some day, soon.

God is always there.  When life is whirling all about you and when "pieces" of your world seem to be flying apart - Christ is standing right there in the center of the storm.  Solid as a rock - with a hand of peace and a hand of hope - outstretched, to gather you up into the loving arms of the Father.  In that letter to the Colossians (1:26), Paul described that "the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory", has been revealed!  Look into the eyes of Jesus and you will see the very face of God.  Jesus - in your life - will nurture your character into that of the character of God.  God sees in us the potential for life - as He lives it!  God is only invisible if you "close your eyes".  Open them and train them on Jesus and you will see Him, in all His glory.

God's Greatest Desire ... is for you to have a clear picture of His character and to know the common bond of His love.  When you do,... you will find His love thoroughly nourishing.

When we begin to see Him more clearly, we begin to experience His love, and our very lives begin to make more sense.