God Is...
...Honestly, so much greater and mightier than my measly string of words can describe.
This article began as a list in my journal, a list I made as I found myself in a cloud of stagnancy and doubt. I am so quick to fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.
I wrote out this list, and the traits started to flow out as I thought of more and more, a lot that I did not have time and space to list here.
As always, I'm not here as an expert, just simply sharing just a few things I see in the incredible God I get to serve and have a relationship with, so here goes.
God is...
...in control.
"For from him and through him and to him are all things."
Romans 11:36
...like really. God is really, actually, truly, completely in control.
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it,"
Isaiah 55:10-11
I find so much comfort in this. I am nothing. I have so little power and control and God has so much. This is itself is such a beautiful and incredible thing I could probably write another article completely about it.
...loving, a love that is steadfast and unwavering.
Again, I could write another article in itself simply about the love of God. I did not know how to simply pick one verse about the love of God when in a way, the story of the bible itself, the story of the gospel, is one of a love unlike any other.
*insert Reckless Love here*
...a judge.
"When the Son of Man comes in is glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separeate people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on his left.
Matthew 25:31-33
....forgiving.
"'Return faithless Israel, declares the Lord.
I will not look on you with anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the Lord your God.'"
Jeremiah 3:12-13a
...wanting more for you than what you settle for.
"Then she shall say,
'I will go and return to my first husband, for it is better for me then than now.'
And she did not know that it was I who gave her
the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and who lavished on her silver and gold,
which they used for Baal."
Hosea 2:7-8
The Lord knows He is enough, and He wants so desperately for you to see and believe that too.
...without limits.
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."Acts 17:24-25
...relentless. He never gives up.
"Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to the heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of hte morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me."
Psalm 139:7-10
...a rescuer.
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night;
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you."
Psalm 139:11-12
God has been saving the day literally since the day we turned away from Him. He never stops pursuing, and He desires to rescue His people from emptiness and brokenness. I included the remainder of a passage from Psalm 139 because they are words that are easy to read and hard to truly believe. God is faithful to never give up or turn His back.
...holy.
"Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke becasue the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down from Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up."
Exodus 19:18-20
I share this because this is the reality of God. Yes, he is near and loving and all the other things, but He is also holy. He is sacred and special. Yet we are so arrogant and selfish in the midst of the God described here in Exodus.
...a creator.
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements -- surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Job 38:4-7
...accessible.
"You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me."
Psalm 139:3-5
God is not far off. He is, if you draw near to Him, so near to you. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to walk so closely with you. He meets you where you're at.
...a listener.
"I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God"
Psalm 17:6
...dependable.
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people"
Psalm 125:1-2
It can be easy to take this one out of context. Because one verse saying that God will save and rescue does not mean that He will come swooping in every time you need Him. But we can depend on God to be present and to be moving at all times.
...good.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever."
Psalm 136:1
Sometimes this is so hard to believe, but God is good, even when nothing else is.
...honestly, so much greater and mightier than my measly string of words can describe.
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"
Romans 11:33
I literally can and have gone on and on. God is so many things. I think a lot of me needed to write this article because it's so easy to forget and to go about our days without giving a thought to the very one who gives us breath. A song I really love says this, "I can't exist on my own, yet I still run away/from you my God, who's carried me, and asked for me to stay."
I challenge you and myself to sit and really think on the nature of God. Pick one trait that sticks out to you and praise God for it, because there's one more thing God is.
He is so worthy of our praise.
