Devotional Thoughts | The Nature of God
What is God like? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself this question? It is impossible to describe God, as there are not enough superlatives in the languages of humanity to capture the totality of His nature.
Often our perception of what God is like is influenced by our circumstances. As I talk with people, especially in times of hardship, or heartache and sorrow, I often hear an anger response to God. The questions
Why Me?
What did I do to deserve this?
What kind of God would do this, or allow this to happen?
Their perception is shaped by their pain and anger.
What can be known of God is revealed in the creation and in the scripture. I’m thankful for what has been made known.
Psalm 86
1 Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. 5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6 Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. 14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you. 15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. 17 Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
1. He is compassionate – He feels with us. He is touched with infirmities, and struggles.
2. He is gracious – the word gracious comes from a primary Hebrew root which literally means to stoop or bend in kindness to an inferior. It is by his grace that we are in relationship with him. As we walk let us lean on his grace.
3. He is slow to anger – the scripture is full of the evidence of this attribute. We too need to possess this quality as we walk the path of life.
4. He is abounding in love – God is love… yes, his very nature is love. Sometimes love is expressed in discipline. Hebrews 12 tells us the Lord disciplines us because he loves us. When we are faced with hardship determine if it is the result of our resistance to God and the consequence of self-will.
5. He is faithful.
Conclusion: Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.