As I prepare for Lent I continue to reflect on how I can learn more about God and on ways how I can draw closer to Him. One question that came to mind is: What does God look like?
Read MoreTo answer this question I looked directly to the Bible.
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
Every single person, even the person sitting across from you at church or the person behind you in line at the grocery store, was created by God. Our loved ones and our friends were created by God. People of different race, cultures, and beliefs were all created by Him. Most importantly, there are people who we may not see eye to eye with or those who we continue to agree to disagree with—each and every one were all created by God. To love God means to love those who He has created. If I cannot truly love others, how can I truly love God? I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and transform my heart. After all, I am a sinner. I too have judged and have said hurtful things.
God is the truth, the light and is perfect. We may be created in His image however we are still differentiated from Him because we are sinners. It is through our belief in Christ Jesus that we are saved.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.
Colossians 1: 15
Photo by Liam Simpson on Unsplash
We exist because God created us. Each of us are here today because of God’s will. There are no accidents.
Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash
God was thoughtful and purposeful when He created us:
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
(Psalm 139:13-17)
To love and see God is to love ourselves and for who we truly are. I must remind myself of this because I have the frequent tendency to criticize and doubt myself. I admit, I am my worst critic. I am too short. I am a slow runner. I am a terrible mom. I am not enough. When I compare myself against the standards of this world, I grow further away from God.
Photo by Ye Fung Tchen on Unsplash
God’s Word is telling me, telling us, that we are enough. To grow closer to God is to move away from the customs of today. Someone else will always have the bigger house, the nicer car, fancier designer clothes or better higher paying job. If we take away the material and the things that make us temporarily happy what do we have? Just before Jesus left this world He asked us to simply love each other. He also asks us to change the way we think.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
John 13:34-35
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Ephesians 4: 23-24
God’s image is glory, righteous and holy.
God’s glory is in my husband when he goes to work each day to provide for our family. God’s glory is in my children when they wrap their small arms around me and tell me they love me. I waited so long for my children and they are truly God’s miracle. I see God’s face when I am able to wake up each morning and I am able to see, hear, speak, touch, and walk. I see God’s face when I see patience and kindness in our fast-paced world. I see His face in the sun and the sky when I drive to work. He’s there in the rain and the deep cold. God’s glory is present when we forgive and when pray for one another. God’s glory is seen when He allows me to realize when I am wrong. God’s glory is bright when we comfort a friend and even brighter when we help a stranger.
Lastly, God can be seen when we have light shining in our hearts:
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves (2 Corinthians 4: 6-7).
Our lights shine bright when we share our gifts for the purpose of doing God’s work. Our hearts glow when we do good things when no one is looking. Our lights radiate when we turn away from things that weigh us down: anger, grudges, bitterness, jealousy, and impatience.
My dear friends, I will leave you with a final verse from God’s Word. May you find comfort in God’s unconditional love for us. If we look carefully God’s image is everywhere. When in doubt, He is always within us.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16).
~Justine, Writer of The Scarlet Rope