In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple/ Above it stood seraphim, each one having six wings with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” Isaiah 6:1-3
I find it interesting to hear how people talk about God. When some people talk about God, they tell about the mighty things God has done for them or share the secrets that God has given them in prayer and in walking with Him on a daily basis. More often when a person is asked about God, they begin to share His attributes, and the words they use to describe God reveal their perception of God. If a person grew up in a strict church, they might see God as a mean unpleasable deity sitting in heaven with a lightening bolt ready to strike them when they messed up. For those who were raised in a perfectionistic environment, they would feel like there is no way they could please God, nothing they did is ever enough. Maybe someone’s parents struggled financially and there was not enough money to take care of things, a person might feel like they cannot ask God for anything extra, that all He wants to give is just enough for them to survive on. Maybe someone is like one of the teenagers I taught in my college years whose dad abandoned him when he was little and he felt like God abandoned him when times were difficult. Too often we transfer the image we have of our childhood experiences and assign those attributes to God our Father. Others of us had a warm loving home and church environment and we see God as the reflection of those attributes. Instead of being afraid of God we were taught at a young age to run to our parents for help even when we made bad choices or messed things up. Or we watched our parents generously give of their time and money to those in need and we understand God is generous and He delights in giving good things to His children.
I have a friend who wrote a beautiful song about belonging to God, the name of it is “Father God’s she mine.” I heard a woman preach this week about being in the mall with her step dad when she was about ten, and two of the teachers that taught under him, he was their superintendent, stopped and talked to them. One of them looked at her and told her step dad “She looks just like you!” She waited for the shoe to drop, because he tended to be critical. As he lifted her face gently to look at it, her tension rose higher. He finally said, “Yes she does look like me. She is my daughter.” The woman teared up on stage when she shared the moment with her audience because it meant for her stepdad to call her his own. There are many Christians who learned at a young age that God is their Father and they grasp the love He has for each of us.
Psychology tells us that a child gets their identity from their father primarily and the environment in the home will is also powerful. What a heavy responsibility a father has! He not only has the job of providing and protecting, he is also responsible for how his family sees God the Father. While he is doing his best to do right by his family, they are learning to see God through his actions, both good and bad. I am obviously not a father, but as a mother who was very intentional, I will be honest and say there are some things I did really well at, some I was ok at and a thing or two I did not come close to doing well. Maybe your parents really messed up, maybe they did a good job but they are like me, human and they missed the mark and their shortcomings make your question the character of God. Can I take a few minutes to share who the Bible says God the Father is?
God the Father loves you! 1 John 3:1 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God.” He loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Your heavenly Father cares for you. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them, Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26. He is forgiving, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. He is compassionate, Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.” He is merciful, “Ephesians 2:45 “But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been slaved.” Faithful- “The Lord’s lovingkindness indeed never ceases, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your Faithfulness.” Lamentations, 3:22-23. He is always there- Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” He is our help- “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am you God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” He is strong- “Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” Generous- Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord is a sun and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly before Him.” Healer- Exodus 15:26 “for I am the Lord, who heals you.” He delights in you- “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.
God is Good! “For your Father knows the things you need of before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8. We know that He sees what we need before we say anything and Matthew 7:9-11 promises, “Or what man is there among you who, fs his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish; will he give him a serpent? If you then know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father give good things to those who ask Him?” He has good things in store for you. Will you take a minute and examine your concept of who God is? Have past disappointments or has poor examples of a person who was supposed to care for you left you with a bad lens that does not allow you to see God for all He is?
David prayed in Psalm 129:23-24, “Search me, O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way that is in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” A wicked way can be sin, but it can also be a misconception of who God is. I pray God will reveal every lie about Him that you have been told or that you have added to your belief system. He longs to reveal His character to you. No wonder the Seraphim around the throne sing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth. Yours is the dominion, O Lord and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all and in Your hand is power and might and it lies in Your Hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.” 1 Chronicles 29:11-12.
Cathy Nesmith