“I have no name,” God said to Moses. “I am Yahweh.”
It’s an interesting term that means, “I am who I am” or “I
am the One who creates”
One of the Ten Commandments stated that the people should
have no artificial image made of God.
God cannot be defined by any sculpture or picture. God does not want to
be associated with any one animal or rock or plant.
God is too vast to be seen or defined. To try to make an image of God is to limit
him… or her… or whatever. You can’t even find a pronoun to refer to God.
God is known by what he does. Observe events as they occur
and you see God working. Say a prayer,
then look around, and you see God’s answer. Look at anything that exists and
you see the creativity of God.
According to scripture, God was there when there was
nothing. He was there when everything began, he will be there after it all
ends, and he is here now.
Most of us don’t like this concept of God. We keep looking
for a God we can contain because at least then he would make sense, and then
perhaps we could control him.
But I prefer God to be too big for me to comprehend. Why
would I be comforted by anything less?
When I was a little girl, I was given a book titled "The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes." Artists had attempted to illustrate the size of God and to me, those pictures were a little frightening. As I got older, I was really frightened of the God of the old testament, I saw him as being a sometimes angry father forever punishing his wayward children.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult, I now see recognize the marvel in the vastness of God. That he cannot be named or defined, and yet he is known to each one of us. That my soul is only one small infinitesimal seed among trillions and he gave his only son to pay for my sins. So great, yet so intimate and precious.
Yes, I think I can now say, that God's vastness can only be a comfort to me, ilke a little child slipping their hand into their Father's great one, I slip my soul into his hand for safekeeping. What could be more comforting?
Debbie
PS I still have my Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes - well worn and loved by my children.
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI think we often read the Old Testament and see God through the eyes of people who couldn't quite grasp God either, and so they were often afraid. Yet, some of them understood that God was kind and benevolent. David saw him as his Shepherd. God is also seen as a personification of Wisdom. He is the rescuer, the deliverer, the restorer, and the healer. Yet we have to look behind the stories of violence to see this God.
I believe Jesus tried to show us the genuine God who we can call Abba Father. He also defined the Holy Spirit as a helper, encourager, counselor, and friend. Paul called God the Father of mercies and the God of compassion.
I think we have to set aside our own fear and anxiety before we can see the loving presence of God.