How do you sum up who God is in only a few words, paragraphs, pages? Enough silly analogies have been made already and there is no need to roll back through them here (okay, fine, one was used as the title for this), but I do seriously wonder how one might summarize God in such a way that a simple glimpse, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, might awaken in a life a desire to see and know more of the infinite Creator of the universe.
How do you describe the indescribable? How do you tell, in a finite space, of the infinite? Comparisons fall short when speaking of that which is incomparable. Analogies are lacking. Lists fall short. Adjectives fail at description. One could tally God's actions, but life available in which to attempt this is but a few short hours. The whole of our existence on planet earth could be dedicated to the endeavor of knowing and understanding God and we would but only scratch the surface.
Some have seen his throne room and were terrified. Merely his voice would freeze men with fear. At the movement of his hand armies are put to flight or sustained in battle, city walls crumble, rain covers the earth or ceases to fall for three years, the dead are raised, the wicked are dropped dead, the deaf hear, the blind see, the mute speak, the lame walk, the sick are healed, demons are cast out, the waters are parted, the sun stands still, fire falls from the sky, animals assemble, speech is confused, languages are spoken, chains are broken, thousands are fed, water is turned to blood, frogs and locusts descend, plants grow or wither, terror seizes the hearts of men, courage seizes the hearts of men, and all that could be written would exceed the ink of my pen.
He measures the universe with the palm of his hand - the same hand in which he holds and upholds his people. Whether stars in the sky, hairs on the head, or grains of sand at the seaside, he has a running tally of all of them. His anger crashes louder than thunder and yet his comfort may come as a gentle whisper. He lights up the sky and scatters the darkness. No wickedness goes ultimately unpunished before him, nor any righteousness unrewarded.
And while his attributes and actions can be read, studied, or known, it is nothing compared to getting to actually experience his power, to witness his grace, to feel his presence and peace, to delight in his embrace, to truly come a little bit closer to actually knowing God. Not about him, but knowing him. That is, in itself, something beyond all comparison.
For all our emptiness, he fills us. For all our brokenness, he repairs us. For all our weariness, he sustains us. For all our sins, he forgives us. For all our weakness, he strengthens us. For all our despairs, he reassures us. In, within, and through all things he is all things to us in every circumstance or situation.
But seriously, how do you really describe God?
(from notes briefly jotted down yesterday)
